The Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, has urged the government to publish draft bills arising from proposed constitutional reforms for public scrutiny. This call was made 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 emphasized that making the draft legislation available would enable citizens, political parties, and civil society organisations to examine proposed changes and contribute to the process.
Prof. Prempeh stressed that constitutional reform should not be treated simply as a process of drafting and passing legislation. He argued that the implementation phase must create sufficient room for consultation and consensus-building, particularly because constitutional changes can have long-term implications for Ghana's democratic and governance institutions. He therefore urged government to resist the temptation to move too quickly, warning that reforms could face difficulties if stakeholders feel excluded from the process.
The CDD-Ghana Executive Director said political parties, civil society groups, and other relevant stakeholders should be given meaningful opportunities to scrutinise the proposed reforms before the bills are finalised. This approach, he suggested, would allow areas of disagreement to be identified and addressed earlier rather than after significant resources have already been committed to the implementation process.
Prof. Prempeh added that consensus built early is far cheaper than consensus that feels late. He warned that even a proposal that many might consider worthwhile will fail to reach the finished line if stakeholders feel excluded from the process. A reform that collapses after so much public expenditure, time, and effort is not a saving of time.
The call from CDD-Ghana places renewed emphasis on transparency, public participation, and broad stakeholder consensus as key elements of the process. As government advances with the implementation of the proposed reforms, following years of discussions on changes to the country's constitutional and governance framework, stakeholder input is crucial.
The stakeholder dialogue on the Constitutional Reform Implementation Process was organised by the Citizens Platform on Constitutional Reform with support from the British High Commission. This event brought together various stakeholders to discuss the proposed constitutional reforms and the way forward.
The proposed constitutional reforms aim to bring about changes to Ghana's constitutional and governance framework. The government's implementation of these reforms will require careful consideration of stakeholder input to ensure that the changes are beneficial to the country and its citizens.
Key points
- CDD-Ghana's Executive Director, Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, calls for publication of draft constitutional reform bills for public review and stakeholder input.
