Accra, Ghana//- The Citizens Platform on Constitutional Review, which is a collaborative initiative facilitated by CDD-Ghana, STAR-Ghana Foundation, and Democracy Hub, among others, has given more tough jobs to President John Dramani, asking him to publish the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) Report Now!
According to the Citizens Platform, the Mahama-led Government must immediately release the full Constitutional Review Committee report so that citizens can examine the proposals and participate meaningfully in shaping the reforms.
Professor Akosua Darkwah, Chair of the Steering Committee of the Citizens Platform for Constitutional Review, who addressed journalists in Accra on behalf of the 80 citizen groups, again asked the government to constitute the Implementation Committee Without Delay.
She told the journalists: “We demand that the President urgently establish the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) with broad representation from civil society, academia, professional bodies, and political actors to guide the next phase of the reform process.
We also demand that the mandate of the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) should be carefully defined so that it does not become another deliberative body that restarts the debate”.
Its function should be implementation, coordination, and consensus building around the CRC recommendations, not a reopening of the review process itself.
On announcing a Clear Reform Roadmap, Prof Darkwah demanded that the Government must publish a transparent timeline and implementation plan for the constitutional reform process, including consultation stages, legislative steps, and referendum requirements.
Another critical tough job handed to the President is that he and his government should separate the government’s own views from the CRC Report, which was the final report presented to him last year.
We ask that if the government intends to issue a position paper in response to the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) report, its content should be structured in a way that clarifies the Government’s policy stance without distorting the CRC’s analysis or recommendations, she added.
Furthermore, the Chair and her citizen groupings demanded that the government’s position paper must guide discussion, not dictate the outcome of constitutional reform.
“We also demand that the Government’s position paper, if issued, must be understood as a contribution to the national conversation, not a directive that predetermines the outcome of the constitutional reform process.
Its purpose should be to present the Government’s views for public consideration while leaving space for the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to carry out its central task of building consensus across political parties, civil society, professional bodies, and citizens”.
The reform process, they noted, would only succeed if it is seen as open, participatory, and nationally owned.
A position paper that appears to impose conclusions rather than invite debate risks undermining that confidence. The government perspectives are welcome and important, but they must enter the process as proposals subject to discussion, refinement, and agreement through the broader deliberative work of the CRIC.
On championing the National Conversation on Reform, Prof Darkwah said the President should take visible leadership in mobilising national support for constitutional reform, ensuring that this historic opportunity to strengthen Ghana’s democracy is not lost.
“The Presidency must show that it intends to make this a legacy-defining reform, and must be instrumental in ensuring that the implementation is successful”.
The Citizens Platform reiterated its unwavering commitment to supporting the constitutional reform process through constructive engagement, public education, and collaboration with all stakeholders.
Since its launch, the NGOs and citizen groupings have engaged with members of the media, CSOs and youth leaders in Accra, Tamale, Takoradi, Kumasi and Koforidua.
They remain dedicated to seeing the process through to its conclusion in a manner that reflects the aspirations and interests of Ghanaians.
