President Mahama Announces Constitutional Review Implementation Committee
President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to inaugurate a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to advance proposals arising from the review of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Committee will be tasked with examining the government’s position paper alongside the reports of the Constitutional Review Commission and preparing the proposals for implementation.
President Mahama made the announcement during a Resetting Ghana Community Engagement in the Upper East Region, where he outlined the next steps government intended to take in the constitutional review process.
He said the Committee would synthesise the government’s position and the recommendations contained in the Constitutional Review Commission’s reports before dividing the proposals into two broad categories.
“These proposals will be divided into two segments: non-entrenched clauses and entrenched clauses,” the President said.
He explained that proposals relating to non-entrenched provisions of the Constitution would require parliamentary approval before they could be implemented.
For entrenched provisions, however, he said the Constitution required a referendum to be conducted.
President Mahama said the referendum would require at least 40 per cent of registered voters to participate, with at least 75 per cent of those who vote supporting the proposed amendments.
He announced that government intended to hold the referendum alongside the District Assembly elections next year.
“Next year, apart from voting for your Assembly Members, you will also be required to vote on the constitutional amendments,” he said.
The President said the arrangement would allow Ghanaians to participate directly in decisions on proposed amendments to entrenched provisions of the Constitution.
He said once the referendum was successful, government would proceed with the implementation of the approved amendments.
President Mahama said the establishment of the Implementation Committee formed part of government’s commitment to advancing the constitutional review process and addressing proposals requiring legislative and popular approval.
He said the Committee would provide the mechanism for bringing together the government’s position and the Constitutional Review Commission’s recommendations before the proposals were presented through the appropriate constitutional processes.
The President’s announcement comes as government pursues broader reforms under the Resetting Ghana Agenda, including measures aimed at strengthening governance and improving the country’s institutional framework.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
