GBA President Efua Ghartey calls for Constituent Assembly to deliberate on 1992 Constitution reforms

Mrs Efua Ghartey, President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), has advocated for the formation of a Constituent Assembly to deliberate on amendments to the 1992 Constitution. At the GBA’s Annual General Conference in Ada on September 13, 2026, she argued that numerous proposed changes could effectively result in a brand new constitution.

Ghartey called for a more consultative approach, noting that previous constitutional processes involved broader public consultation. She contended that the current amendment process, moving from a Committee of Experts to a Government White Paper and ultimately to an Implementation Committee, lacks the necessary public input. Ghartey proposed that the outcomes of the Constituent Assembly should be submitted to the Ghanaian people for approval through a referendum, as stipulated in the 1992 Constitution.

Legal experts concur that establishing a Constituent Assembly would not contradict Chapter Twenty-Five of the 1992 Constitution but could improve the amendment process. They believe proposals, whether from the government or experts, should be debated thoroughly in a Constituent Assembly before moving forward. Ghartey's call was part of several significant national interest issues raised during her address, which was well-received by lawyers and other guests at the conference, including the first female President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya.