Former Chief Justice and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Sophia Akuffo, has advocated for constitutional reforms that grant citizens a more significant and meaningful role in decisions affecting their communities. She emphasized that Ghana's democratic system must be restructured to move beyond simply giving citizens a voice in governance and create opportunities for them to directly influence important decisions at the local level.
Speaking at an IEA forum on the Prempeh Committee's report and the government's position on constitutional review, Sophia Akuffo stated that the current implementation of the Constitution has limited citizens' influence over decisions that directly affect their lives. She argued that the concentration of decision-making in the hands of a relatively small group has weakened the ability of ordinary citizens, particularly those outside major urban centers, to influence development priorities in their communities.
Sophia Akuffo used a metaphor to describe the current state of citizen participation, saying that if citizens are not at the decision-making table, they become part of the "food being eaten or shared." She highlighted the imbalance in resource distribution and opportunities between urban centers and rural areas, where citizens often have less influence over decisions affecting their communities.
The former Chief Justice stressed that citizen participation is crucial to a functioning democracy and should be strengthened through any constitutional reform process. She called for specific provisions that would increase public participation and give citizens a more direct role in decisions taken at levels where those decisions have the greatest impact on their lives.
Sophia Akuffo emphasized that the voice of the people is essential and should be loud, even under the present Constitution. However, she warned that without deliberate constitutional measures to strengthen public participation, the concerns and priorities of many citizens could continue to be overlooked. She added that true democracy and development can only come about if there is meaningful participation of the people in important choices at the levels where it matters to them.
The IEA forum discussed the government's position on constitutional review and the Prempeh Committee's report. Sophia Akuffo's call for constitutional reforms aligns with the IEA's position on strengthening citizen participation and giving citizens a more direct role in local decision-making. The IEA has previously expressed concerns about certain proposals in the constitutional review process.
Sophia Akuffo's advocacy for constitutional reforms reflects a broader discussion on Ghana's democratic system and the need for citizen empowerment. The issue is likely to continue to be debated as the government considers proposals for constitutional review. Key stakeholders, including civil society organizations and citizens, will be watching closely as the process unfolds.
Key points
- Constitutional reforms should give citizens a stronger and more meaningful role in local decision-making.
- Citizen participation is central to a functioning democracy and should be strengthened through constitutional reforms.
- Specific provisions should be included in the Constitution to increase public participation and give citizens a more direct role in decisions affecting their communities.
