Constitutional Reforms: Media Urged To Intensify Public Education

Victoria Asumin, representing the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Team of Amnesty International, addressed media practitioners at a two-day conference held in Kumasi on September 29, 2026. She emphasized the necessity for the media to intensify public education on Ghana's ongoing constitutional reform process to foster citizen understanding, scrutiny, and involvement in the proposed amendments.

The conference, organized by the Citizens' Platform on Constitutional Reforms (CPCR), gathered media professionals and civil society organizations to review the Constitution Review Committee's recommendations, the government's stance, and suggestions from civil society groups.

Ms. Asumin pointed out that the reform process had transitioned from recommendation-making to implementation, necessitating a clear roadmap for execution. Civil society organizations advocated for the passage of a Constitutional Reform Implementation and Roadmap Act to delineate tasks, assign responsibilities, and establish timelines for each stage of reform.

This framework would also incorporate timelines for public consultations, legislation preparation, parliamentary approval, civic education, and referendums, where applicable.

The eight-member Constitution Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, submitted its final report to the President on February 10, 2026, containing 206 proposals. Of these, 149 sought amendments to existing constitutional provisions, while 59 introduced entirely new provisions. The committee conducted 10 thematic stakeholder engagements, received over 500 expert and practitioner inputs, reached more than 21,500 individuals, and received 785 written submissions aimed at enhancing constitutional governance for national development while safeguarding Ghana's democratic gains.

Key recommendations include a five-year presidential term, as opposed to the current four-year tenure, and reforms covering presidential appointments, Parliament, local governance, natural resources, public finances, independent constitutional bodies, political parties and elections, the Judiciary, accountability, and national development planning.

However, Ms. Asumin cautioned that these recommendations are not yet law and must navigate the necessary constitutional and legislative processes. Some provisions may be amendable through Parliament, while entrenched provisions would require a referendum as per the Constitution. The government has established an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee, chaired by Marietta Brew, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, to assess the recommendations alongside the government's position paper and formulate an implementation framework.

Concerns were raised about the feasibility of completing the reforms before the 2028 general election, given the extensive scope involving over 50 amendments and 14 bills, including new laws and amendments to existing legislation. Civil society groups urged the establishment of a legally binding framework to ensure the reform process persists despite potential political transitions.

The media, Ms. Asumin stressed, holds a crucial role in disseminating accurate, balanced, and issue-based reports on the reforms to enable citizens to comprehend the proposals and actively participate in the process. She emphasized the importance of extending civic education beyond major urban centers to remote areas with limited access to traditional media, digital platforms, and formal educational programs.

The conference was facilitated by Gifty Nti Konadu, a representative from CDD-Ghana/CPCR, and featured Christopher Dapaah of the Local Government Network and members of the CPCR Regional Coordinating Team. The organizers aimed to equip journalists with the knowledge to deliver credible, balanced coverage of the reform process and foster informed public engagement.