The Ghana government has yet to publish draft bills on proposed constitutional reforms for public review, a move the Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, says risks undermining public trust and broad agreement on the reforms.
At a stakeholder dialogue on the Constitutional Reform Implementation Process, organised by the Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform with support from the British High Commission, Prof. Prempeh called on the government to release the draft bills before finalising them. He said this would allow political parties, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to make input and help build consensus.
“Even a proposal that many might consider worthwhile will fail to reach the finish line. A reform that collapses after so much public expenditure, time and effort is not a saving of time,” he warned. “Consensus built early is far cheaper than consensus that feels late.”
Prof. Prempeh’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about how Ghana’s constitution should be amended. The government has announced its intention to reform parts of the 1992 Constitution but has kept the draft bills out of public view so far.
By urging the release of these drafts, Prof. Prempeh underscores the need for transparency and wider participation in the reform process. His caution against rushing the reforms without securing broader agreement addresses concerns that hurried changes could face rejection or fail to deliver lasting results.
The dialogue brought together stakeholders from across the political and civil spectrum to discuss how the reforms should be carried out. The Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform, which organised the event, works to engage citizens in constitutional issues. The British High Commission supported the meeting as part of its efforts to promote democratic governance in Ghana.
Prof. Prempeh’s call highlights that constitutional reforms require more than just government proposals. They depend on buy-in from diverse groups to avoid pitfalls that could stall or reverse changes. The process has financial and political costs, so building agreement early could prevent wasted resources and public disillusionment.
The government has not specified when it will publish the draft bills or open them for public comment. For now, stakeholders await the release that would allow them to scrutinise proposed reforms and contribute to shaping Ghana’s constitutional future.
According to Joy Online.
