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Safeguarding the tenets and integrity of the 1992 Constitution
A Constitution is a collection of rules and principles setting out how a country or a state can be governed. It provides a framework for all decisions made by every government official particularly, the Executive (President), the Legislature (Parliament) and the Judiciary (Law Courts). It sets out rights of every individual which must be respected by the State, ie, establishing a relationship between the government and the people.
The importance of this special document in nation building cannot be underestimated because it makes sure that those who make decisions on behalf of the people, fairly represent public opinion. Besides, it devises ways in which those who exercise power may be held accountable to the people they serve. The framer of the Constitution make sure that those rights that are enshrined in the document ensure the protection and promotion of human dignity, equality and liberty.
THE 1992 CONSTITUTION AND WHAT IT ENTAILS
Ghana is a Unitary State with a Unicameral Legislature which consists of one House Assembly which legislates and votes as one body. The 1992 Constitution provides for one parliament which exercises all the primary functions. There is a Council of State which is an advisory body to the President. The President may refer bills or even laws to the Council of State for its comments when necessary.
The 1992 Constitution which was drafted and approved in a referendum about 30 years ago (April 28, !992) by the people, guarantees the human rights of all individuals found within the territorial boundaries of Ghana. Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution under the title “Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms” provides for such rights as; Rights to Life, Economic Rights, Women’s Rights, Freedom of Expression, Rights to Work and Education among others.
The three important arms of government, the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary are the main organs that the constitution has established and these are sources of stability of any country and without them there will be chaos, anarchy and corruption in any society.
30 YEARS OF CONSTITUTIONAL RULE IN GHANA
As a country that has lived and survived the constitution for 30 years without military intervention which had been the norm in the past, we have every right to celebrate this achievement and applaud ourselves for coming this far. Some countries in the African sub-region in recent times, have witnessed some military take-overs from democratic instituted government but we in Ghana, are, indeed, lucky to have a sound democratic governance within this 30 years of constitutional rule. Our immediate neighbours- Mali and Guinea are victims of these military disruptions of democratic governance and are yet to recover and still counting their losses.
Since 2001, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) a legally mandated institutional body responsible for civic education, has designated the day on which the Constitution was adopted to launch the Constitutional Day which spans for a week. During this period, the NCCE organises series of seminars in schools, offices, public institutions as well as military garrisons across the country to deepen the knowledge and understanding of the Constitution and the need to uphold it.
PRESIDENT NATIONWIDE BROADCAST ON THE CONSTITUTION
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his nationwide radio and television broadcast recently to mark three decades of the referendum that approved the 1992 Constitution leading to the birth of the Fourth Republic, urged the citizenry to renew their trust in the country’s democratic process and vigilantly protect the Constitution against threats of saboteurs. Hear him, “Thirty years ago today, on 28th April 1992, we Ghanaians took one of the most important decisions of our history. We went to the polls to decide, in a referendum, the nature of the future of governance of our nation – whether to continue to live under military rule or to live under democratic rule. The period leading to that day, had seen the nation sampled all forms of governance known to man before settling on the current democratic system of governance. With the extensive work that led to the birth of the 1992 Constitution, which had led to the Fourth Republic travelling the longest period in the country’s history of governance, it is incumbent on Ghanaians to do everything to protect the Constitution”.
STABLE AND PEACEFUL RULE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
Indeed, this is a profound and well- thought out statement from a sitting president which calls for support from each and every Ghanaian no matter his or her political affiliation. Let us remember that even though this country is experiencing difficult times which has brought untold hardships on the people, due to a number of factors both within and internationally, we can confidently say that the last three decades under constitutional governance had witnessed peaceful and sustained growth in every aspect of national lives. Just as the President alluded, “Democracy has been good for us” and undoubtedly, under this current democratic rule, the country had also enjoyed equality and respect for human rights and rule of law.
We should not lose sight of the fact that under this Fourth Republic, we have had five presidents with peaceful transfer of power from a governing to opposition party on three separate occasions. On rare occasion when there was disagreement with the outcome of an election, it was the Supreme Court which on two occasions resolved the issue not through confrontations. That, indeed, speaks volume of how we have transitioned with our democratic governance.
MILITARY TAKE-OVERS ARE UNNECESSARY
By this time, we need to understand that no matter how difficult conditions we find ourselves as Ghanaians and the level of hardship we are going through as a result of severe economic conditions in the country we cannot resort to the barrel of the gun in a military take-over to resolve our problems. Military coups are inimical to national progress of any country and can worsen economic crisis and bring untold hardships to the citizenry.
The duties of the military as stated under the law is to ensure internal and external security and also for the total defence of the nation. They are required to defend the territorial integrity of the country by land, sea and air. Under no circumstance should we allow the military to join hands with civilians to destabilise the country and cause chaos, and misery among the people. That will amount to suicide and turn the clock of progress backwards.
Our political leaders must make sure that they confine the military to the barracks and provide them with all the necessary tools, equipment and the needed logistics to carry out their stipulated and assigned mandates as enshrined under the laws of this country so that they will not move out of their comfort zones to join other civilian forces to destabilise the country and throw the Constitution out of gear.
ADHERING TO THE PROVISIONS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION
History has indicated that there had been few instances in which subsequent governments flouted some of the provisions under the Constitution and did things in their own way just to achieve their selfish motives and ambitions. We need to avoid that practice and follow the tenets of the Constitution to the letter in order to maintain peace and tranquility in our dear country.Democratic governance is the best option for us as a country and we need to jealously safeguard this constitutional rule at all cost. Never again should we allow forces of negativity and destruction to influence and compel us to disrupt our constitutional rule and go back to authoritarian military dictatorship which will serve no purpose to our dear country. The clarion call is for Ghanaians to protect and safeguard our constitutional rule for generations unborn.
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By Charles Neequaye
The driver stopped the vehicle at the gate of the large, fenced property along the Nsawam Highway, and Kakraba stepped out to meet the several workers who had gathered to wait for him.
He greeted them and went straight to the point.
“Gentlemen, I am glad to see that you have almost completed the clearing of the land. I’m happy to report that we have concluded all arrangements with Nana Serebour, and construction of the palace will start in a few days.
“I will need you to go and level the ground, and then come back to start this project. Some workers from a construction company will come and join us.
“My plan is to build twenty houses in four months. Then we will do twenty more until we reach two hundred.
“I am relying on you to help me deliver good-quality work to satisfy our clients and, as I have already indicated to you, I will reward you for your work.”
After an hour’s discussion, he closed the meeting and moved to drive away. Wofa Yaw drew closer.
“Director, can you please spare me five minutes? I would like to discuss a small issue.”
“Why, Wofa Yaw? Your wife has threatened to leave you?”
“No, Director. My wife will never leave me. This concerns a young niece of mine.”
“I hope it’s something I can help with. Please sit in the car and let me hear you.”
“Boss, my niece, Beesiwa, is a polytechnic graduate, very beautiful and with very good character.
“Unfortunately, her parents virtually forced her into a relationship with an idiot based in the US, which affected her badly. She has now recovered from that experience and, Boss, I am respectfully asking if you would find a job for her.
“I promise you that you will never regret it.”
“Well, Wofa Yaw, let me meet her and speak with her. I may be able to help, maybe not in the way you expect, but let me meet her.
“I will not be back here for another week, but I will be at the office throughout next week. You can come with her.”
On Monday morning, Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa were seated at the office by nine o’clock. Three young ladies welcomed them warmly, offered them soft drinks and assured them that Kakraba would be there shortly.
They then returned to their desks and sat behind computers with large screens displaying various building designs.
Kakraba walked in and greeted them warmly. After chatting briefly with the three ladies, he ushered Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa into his office.
“Director, this is my niece, Beesiwa. I mentioned her to you when you came to Nsawam.”
“Yes, indeed. Madam Beesiwa, you are very beautiful, just as your uncle said. Wofa Yaw is my colleague.
“We have just started a building project that will take about three to four years. He mentioned that you have a small problem, so I said I would like to meet you and see how I can help.
“So, Beesiwa, please tell me a little about yourself.”
Beesiwa described her childhood, her school experience, her brief work at the bank and the nasty episode with Sammy Abrokwa, which shattered her peaceful life. She also explained how she had been recovering from the experience.
“I am really sorry to hear this,” Kakraba said. “Now, here is what we are going to do.
“We are a small but very busy company. The three ladies out there spend most of the day on site and come back to report on their work in the morning.
“I have three main projects. The big one is an estate project in Nsawam, where your uncle is one of my main colleagues. I need a personal assistant who can take care of my activities, especially when I am not in town.
“Now, we will have to start with trust. Based on what I know about Wofa Yaw, and based on what you yourself have told me, I think we can start on a sound basis.
“So, Wofa Yaw will take you to my home. You can move into one of the four guest rooms.”
“Sir, I have taken some computer lessons, and I have even done graphics and web design,” Beesiwa said.
“Fantastic! I will give you a good phone and a laptop. I will also arrange computer lessons for you.”
“Now, Wofa Yaw, take her home. My sister, Kuukuwa, will meet you and show you around, and then you can return to Koforidua.
“When would you like to start work?”
“Sir, I would like to start today, but I would need to go and bring my things.”
“No problem. Take a taxi to my house, meet my sister, and let me know what you decide.”
Later that day, Kakraba and the three ladies met with some bank officials to conclude the sale of the three buildings at Adabraka.
They closed at five-thirty and, after rewarding the ladies for their hard work, Kakraba got home just after dark.
He was surprised to find Kuukuwa and Beesiwa sitting at the table enjoying supper.
“What’s happening here?” he asked. “Beesiwa, I thought you would return to Koforidua.”
“She changed her mind,” Kuukuwa said. “We went to the mall and bought a few things for her. Then we came back to cook. She has made some nice changes to your bedroom and cooked a couple of interesting dishes. Sit down; we will serve you.”
“Well, I certainly can’t refuse that. It’s been a busy day.
“So, what’s the plan now? Will Beesiwa go to Koforidua tomorrow, gather her things together and come down?”
“No, I will stay here for a while,” Beesiwa replied. “Kuukuwa bought me the things I need, so I may go back next week. I’m ready to start work. What would you like me to start with?”
“Well, you can come to the office tomorrow morning, meet the three girls and get a feel for what we do.
“Since you are living here, at least for now, we can discuss the plans for the next few weeks.
“Sometimes there are gaps when I travel up north. You can take care of things from now. I think the girls would like having someone like you around.”
By Ekow de Heer
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A frequent question following breast surgery is whether human tissue possesses the regenerative capacity to restore an excised organ.
From a strict physiological standpoint, a completely removed breast cannot regrow. Unlike certain organisms that can regenerate complex limbs or organs, adult human tissues—particularly specialised glandular structures—lack the cellular machinery required to rebuild an entire organ after its total surgical removal.
Instead, the body heals the surgical site through processes such as scar tissue formation and re-epithelialisation rather than complete cellular regeneration.
What a mastectomy actually removes
To understand why natural tissue regeneration does not occur, it is important to examine the surgical scope of a mastectomy.
Depending on the type of procedure and the medical reason for surgery, a mastectomy may involve the removal of:
Glandular architecture: The milk-producing lobules and ducts that form the functional core of the mammary gland.
Adipose tissue: The fatty tissue that contributes to breast volume, projection and contour.
Other breast tissue: The extent of tissue removal varies according to the type of mastectomy and the need to achieve appropriate surgical clearance.
Because specialised breast structures are physically removed, the body does not rebuild a complete mammary gland. Instead, healing occurs through tissue repair and scar formation.
Distinguishing residual tissue from “regrowth”
Patients or observers may notice changes in the chest area after surgery, sometimes leading to misconceptions about tissue regeneration.
Skin- and nipple-sparing procedures
Modern breast surgery may preserve the outer skin envelope or, in selected cases, the nipple-areola complex. Small amounts of breast tissue may remain depending on the surgical technique. Any changes in remaining tissue due to hormonal fluctuations represent residual tissue responding to the body, rather than the regrowth of a completely removed breast.
Adipose accumulation
Weight gain after surgery can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat across the chest wall. However, this is part of general body fat distribution and does not represent the regeneration of a mammary gland.
Modern reconstructive pathways
Because a completely removed breast does not naturally regenerate, modern medicine offers reconstructive options aimed at restoring physical symmetry, contour and body image.
The two main approaches are implant-based reconstruction and autologous, or tissue-based, reconstruction.
Implant-based reconstruction
Implant-based reconstruction uses synthetic medical devices, typically filled with silicone gel or saline, to rebuild the breast mound following a mastectomy.
The two-stage process: This approach may begin with the placement of a temporary tissue expander to gradually create space and stretch the surrounding tissues. A later procedure may then be performed to place a permanent implant.
Recovery profile: Implant-based reconstruction generally involves a shorter initial surgery and recovery period compared with procedures that require tissue to be harvested from another part of the body.
Long-term considerations: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and require ongoing medical monitoring. Some patients may need additional procedures over time because of complications or changes in the implant or surrounding tissue.
Autologous or tissue-based reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own living tissue to create a new breast mound. Tissue may be transferred from another part of the body, commonly the lower abdomen, using procedures such as a DIEP flap.
Natural look and feel: Because the reconstruction uses living tissue, it can provide a natural warmth, texture and softness. The tissue may also change with the patient’s body weight over time.
Long-term durability: Once healing is complete, autologous reconstruction can provide a long-lasting result without the need to replace an implant. However, some patients may still require further procedures.
Complex surgery: This option usually involves a longer operation and recovery period. In microsurgical procedures, surgeons may need to reconnect tiny blood vessels to establish blood flow to the transferred tissue.
Direct comparison
When choosing between these two reconstructive pathways, patients and their surgical teams must consider several physical, medical and lifestyle factors.
Surgical burden: Implant surgery is generally less invasive, while flap reconstruction involves surgery at both the chest and the donor site.
Foreign material versus native tissue: Implants involve the use of a medical device, while autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue.
Recovery: The recovery timelines and rehabilitation requirements differ significantly between the two procedures.
Recovery and physical rehabilitation
Recovering from breast reconstruction requires patience, careful pacing and, in some cases, structured physical rehabilitation.
Because implant-based and autologous tissue-flap procedures involve different surgical techniques, their healing timelines and physical therapy milestones can vary considerably.
Understanding these differences is important for patients considering reconstruction, as the choice involves more than restoring physical appearance. It also requires careful consideration of recovery, long-term monitoring, lifestyle and individual medical needs.
Part 2 will examine recovery timelines, physical therapy milestones and other factors patients should consider when choosing between reconstructive options.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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