Jirapa MP Cletus Seidu Dapilah has expressed his displeasure in Parliament for officially repealing the death penalty from Ghana’s statutes.

The NDC MP said even though no president since the fourth republic has ever signed for the execution of persons on such a roll, the existence of such law served as deterrence to others.  

According to him, presidents who failed to sign for the execution of convicted killers ought to have been compelled to do their job as presidents. 

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show with Benjamin Akakpo, Mr Dapilah said the law did not cost anything to the state being on its statutes. 

"I’m not happy. It should have remained and the reason for the proponents of the abolishing of the death penalty is that no president since the Fourth Republic has signed for anyone to be executed and that is why we should have stood up to any president that if you know you can’t do your work which you have swore an oath and if somebody is being sentenced to death, you are supposed to sign and must sign.”

“I can tell you that the law being on our books does not cost anything. It doesn’t eat anything. I can tell you it deters people and now we have lost that deterrence and we shouldn’t be surprised we see people killing others anyhow knowing that they will be in prison for life and the government will feed me.”

The death penalty has officially been repealed from Ghana’s statute books after parliament approved an amendment to the Criminal and Other Offences Act.

The amendment bill, sponsored by Madina MP Francis Xavier Sosu, was passed on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, waiting for the president’s assent.

However, following the repeal many MPs have expressed varied opinions on the matter, with some in support of the repeal while others have vehemently expressed their disapproval.