Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has taken a significant step towards constitutional reform by establishing a new Constitutional Review Committee. This move aims to address the existing gaps in implementing the 1992 constitution and to resume the work initiated by a former Constitutional Review Committee in 2010. According to the official announcement, the establishment of this committee is intended to “enhance democratic governance within the country”.
The committee is chaired by Professor Kwasi Prempeh, the Executive Director of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development. It comprises eight members, including notable figures such as Justice Sophia Adinyirah, Professor Kwame Karikari, and Charlotte Osei. Their primary task is to identify and rectify the shortcomings of the previous committee’s efforts in revising the constitution.
In parallel, the Constitution Review Consultative made key amendments to Ghana’s 1992 constitution in 2023. This included measures like requiring the council of state’s speaker to advise within 30 days upon receiving revisions and mandating that a bill must be published in a gazette for six months before its introduction to Parliament. Once introduced, it requires a minimum participation of 40% of eligible voters, with 75% voting in favor for the bill to pass.
President Mahama, who previously led the nation from 2012 to 2016, reiterated his commitment to strengthening Ghana’s justice system with the aim of ensuring judicial independence and addressing systemic inequalities. These declarations were underscored by his pledge to implement governance reforms to “reset the nation” following his re-election in December 2024, a statement also found on his official site.
The committee has been allocated a timeline of five months to draft and submit recommendations regarding the constitution to the government, signifying an active push for reform. This initiative comes against the backdrop of criticisms leveled at the Ghanaian government for its approach to constitutional rights, as highlighted by incidents like the suppression of protests against illegal mining, which resulted in the arrest of approximately 39 protesters. Organizations have urged President Mahama to prioritize human rights protections in light of these events.