Accra, Ghana//-The Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reforms (CPCR) welcomed Cabinet’s recent announcement after its final session on the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC)’s report that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice will publish the government’s position paper this week.
This development marks an important milestone in the country’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the 1992 Constitution. The CPCR gave the commendation in a press release issued in Accra.
“As Ghanaians prepare to receive government’s position on the CRC proposals, the Citizens’ Platform reiterates its call for the publication of the full report of the CRC to enable informed discussion and constructive engagement.
Ghanaians will recall that in its June 12 Statement, the Citizens’ Platform raised concerns about the narrowing window for implementation, in light of the strict amendments’ timelines and the looming political and electoral season.
It subsequently called for the urgent publication of the full CRC report, a published roadmap for the reform process with clear timelines and milestones; the mandate, composition and inauguration of the implementation Committee; the legislative and referendum calendar required by Articles 289 to 291 of the Constitution; and the framework for sustained citizen participation, civic education and consensus building, the release added.
The announcement of the publication of the government position paper should expedite the above follow-up processes. The constitution reform process and engagement must continue to be pursued as a national project.
As such, it remains imperative for Government’s position on the Committee’s recommendations to be communicated and subjected to public discussion in that spirit. Ultimately, the credibility and legitimacy of the constitutional reform process will depend not only on the contents of the position paper but also on the transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability of the process itself.
As Ghana moves into this critical phase, we urge all citizens and political parties to engage with the process actively.
Particular attention should be paid to issues such as the opportunities for public participation, the timelines for implementation, the sequencing of reforms, and the mechanisms through which consensus will be built on both entrenched and non-entrenched constitutional provisions.
We therefore look forward to the prompt publication of both the Government Position Paper and the full Constitutional Review Committee Report and reaffirm our commitment to supporting an open, inclusive, and citizen-centred constitutional reform process, it said.
