Story by Dennis Bebane
Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Professor Kwasi Prempeh, has expressed confidence that submissions received so far are addressing key public concerns on inconsistencies in the constitution.
Professor Kwasi Prempeh praised the contributions from the public, describing them as reflecting the rich aspirations of the people. He was optimistic that the process could be the final constitutional reform exercise for the current generation.
He noted this during the committee’s third zonal public engagement with stakeholders, chiefs, and people in the Upper West Region.
The engagement gave participants the opportunity to contribute to the constitutional reforms. Some participants questioned why nurses and midwives are considered essential service providers yet can go on strike, while the security services cannot.
They also called for a national development plan that binds politicians to follow the country’s vision and not party manifestos, to avoid stalled projects that only cause financial loss to the state.
On construction, they advocated for a lifespan on projects and for contractors to be held accountable for shoddy work.
Some were also of the view that if the majority of Ghanaians support the election of MMDCEs, then Regional Ministers should also be elected since they supervise the activities of the Assemblies.
Others want the constitution to prohibit Article 71 public office holders from seeking health care outside the country, or allow it only at their own cost.
A proposed age cap for the presidency was also raised. They were of the view that the President should not be more than 75 years or less than 35 years.
They called for the death sentence to be expunged from the constitution, since no President is willing to append his or her signature for convicts to be executed.
Community service sentencing for minor offenses was also proposed to decongest prison centers while using convicts to solve societal problems.
They also called for redress of the discrepancy between the age of sexual consent (16) and the legal age for marriage (18). They argued that teenage girls’ education is being truncated because men take advantage to impregnate girls at 16 and turn them into their wives.
Detention without trial for extended periods should be reviewed, and victims should be compensated for years wasted in remand if they are later found not guilty.
Professor Kwasi Prempeh said the engagement was well represented by all groups of people. He, however, stated that not all issues raised lend themselves to constitutional amendment; however, the committee can propose legislative reforms.
Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, stated that the constitution is not a mere legal document but a political covenant—a social contract that must reflect the lived experiences and collective aspirations of the people. He observed that Ghanaian society has evolved significantly and the aspirations of the people have become more sophisticated and dynamic, necessitating a supreme law that reflects emerging realities.
Lawyer Lwanga Puozuing also called for equitable distribution of national resources, particularly to underdeveloped regions in the northern sector of the country. He observed that there is an infrastructural gap between the north and the southern part of the country.
