Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, has firmly dismissed calls for a complete overhaul of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, insisting that targeted amendments—not a full rewrite—are what the country needs to better serve the interest of the people.
“The Constitution does not need to be rewritten,” Prof. Prempeh stressed. “It requires amendments to serve the interest of the people.”
Addressing participants at a high-level stakeholder engagement in Ho on Friday, July 11, the respected constitutional law expert emphasized that the committee remains open to all viewpoints and ideas from citizens. However, he was clear that the Committee would not endorse suggestions that could aggravate Ghana’s governance challenges.
“We are not restricting opinions,” he noted, “but we will not encourage the proposal of solutions which would rather compound problems for the nation.”
The engagement, one of many being held across the country, drew over 200 participants from a wide cross-section of Ghanaian society—including professionals, traders, market leaders, persons with disabilities (PWDs), transport operators, traditional rulers, and security personnel.
During the open forum, citizens voiced strong concerns about constitutional gaps affecting daily life. PWDs called for more explicit provisions guaranteeing accessibility to public spaces and infrastructure. Others pushed for clarity on landlord-tenant relations to prevent exploitation, while some urged the constitutional entrenchment of policies to encourage functional literacy nationwide.
Participants also raised questions about youth justice, calling for clearer punitive frameworks for minors who fall afoul of the law, and demanded stronger legal protections for consumers in commercial dealings.
Prof. Prempeh described the engagement in Ho as “a success,” lauding the public’s willingness to engage deeply with the Constitution and contribute to its evolution.
Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, also weighed in, reminding participants that the 1992 Constitution “was a crystallisation of the collective sentiments of all Ghanaians, not just a manifestation of the desires of a class of certain individuals, professional bodies, or business groups.”
He praised the participatory nature of the review process and emphasized that any changes to the Constitution must reflect the views and welfare of ordinary Ghanaians.
“The constitution is about protecting the people and so, its review requires the input of the people,” he declared.
Mr. Gunu also proposed that the Constitution be translated into Ghana’s major local languages to increase accessibility, ensure wider understanding, and make it truly reflective of the nation’s diverse cultural landscape.
“That would make it resonate with societal dynamism,” he said, “and ensure it stands the test of time while protecting the national image of the people.”
The Constitution Review Committee is expected to continue similar engagements in other regions as part of its nationwide listening tour.
