The Constitution Review Committee (CRC), established by President John Dramani Mahama to lead extensive consultations on proposed amendments to the 1992 Constitution, has held its sixth zonal engagement forum in Accra.
This latest forum follows earlier stakeholder meetings held in various regional capitals aimed at soliciting views from diverse segments of society on constitutional reforms.
Speaking at the event, held on July 16 at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Conference Hall, the Chairman of the Committee, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, highlighted key concerns raised during previous consultations. Chief among them were issues surrounding the concentration of appointing powers in the hands of the President, particularly regarding the leadership of security agencies and statutory bodies.
“Our engagements across the country indicate that a majority of the people are concerned about the excessive powers of the President, who can appoint close to 6,000 individuals, including heads of statutory bodies, security agencies, and board members. This undermines the independence of such institutions,” Prof. Prempeh noted.
He emphasized the need for Ghana to streamline its appointment processes through expanded consultation mechanisms to promote democratic accountability.
“As a growing democracy, we must anticipate the creation of more statutory bodies in the future. There needs to be a deliberate effort in how we distribute power within our executive-presidential system of governance,” he added.
Professor Prempeh also addressed concerns about the short transition period between elections and the inauguration of a new administration. He noted that the current timeframe does not allow for adequate transparency and accountability during transitions, especially when power changes hands between the two main political parties.
“Another key concern among citizens is the short transition period, which hampers proper accountability and contributes to political tension. Although the Presidential (Transition) Act exists, a widely supported proposal is to move the general elections to November to allow enough time to resolve electoral disputes and ensure a smooth handover,” he said.
The forum was well attended by a cross-section of stakeholders, including traditional leaders, public officials, students, security personnel, opinion leaders, business professionals, and persons with disabilities, all drawn from the Greater Accra Region.
The engagement was jointly facilitated by the Secretariat of the Constitution Review Committee and the Greater Accra Regional Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
Professor Prempeh concluded by calling for strong public support for the review process. He urged citizens to remain engaged and to hold duty bearers accountable for implementing key reforms recommended through the consultations.
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Story by Sika Togoh |univers.ug.edu.gh
