Citizens’ Platform Calls For Clear Roadmap On Constitutional Reforms

The Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform (CPCR) has urged the government to establish a clear implementation roadmap for constitutional reforms to ensure their successful execution and prevent abandonment due to shifting political regimes. In a press conference in Accra, CPCR Chairperson Prof. Akosua Keseboa Darkwah emphasized the necessity of a legally protected process to safeguard the reforms and avoid their transformation into mere statements of good intentions.

Prof. Darkwah highlighted past experiences, such as the 2012 constitutional reform implementation committee and the 2019 local government reform attempt, which fell through due to lack of firm timelines and broad national agreement. She suggested that the roadmap should clearly outline the sequence of reforms, responsible institutions, completion timelines, and milestones for public consultation, legislation preparation, parliamentary approval, civic education, and potential referendums.

Given the extensive scope of the reforms—over 50 amendments and 14 bills—the CPCR argued that the implementation committee should not merely translate the government’s position papers into bills but also facilitate consensus-building and recommend changes to government positions when necessary. The platform urged the government to limit proposed amendments to a manageable number, ideally no more than 20 bundled together, to avoid overwhelming voters with a single, monolithic package.