Prempeh asks state to release draft bills on constitutional changes before they are settled

Pinned summary · as of 16:14

Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh has asked the government to release its draft bills on constitutional reform so the public can study them before the texts are settled. He made the appeal at a stakeholder dialogue in Accra on the way the proposed changes will be carried out, and said political parties and civil society groups should keep having a say.

What we know

• Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh called on the government to make draft bills on the planned constitutional changes public, and to let citizens review them before they are finalised.
• He added that the next phase should stay open to parties, civic groups and other interested bodies, so that the changes rest on wide agreement.
• Prof. Prempeh spoke at a dialogue on the reform process organised by the Citizens Platform on Constitutional Reform.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Citi Newsroom introduced Prof. Prempeh as the head of CDD-Ghana, while the Ghanaian Times described him as chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee; the reports give different titles for him.
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  Citi Newsroom reported that Prof. Prempeh warned against pressing ahead without wider agreement, and that the British High Commission supported the dialogue. He was quoted as saying that agreement reached early costs far less than agreement that arrives late. Only that report is the source for these points.
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  The Ghanaian Times reported that Prof. Prempeh said drafting is the last stage of reform and cannot be the whole of the next step. It also reported that he warned Ghana could weaken its constitution if reforms follow partisan interests, or if only popular proposals are kept and the checks and balances are dropped.
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  According to the Ghanaian Times, Prof. Prempeh said the Committee's recommendations were built to work as one connected system, and suggested a constitutional requirement for periodic reviews so that future reviews do not rest on one government's goodwill. No other report carries these remarks.
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  The Ghanaian Times reported that Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, joined virtually and called for national ownership of the reforms, a clear roadmap, adequate funding, and a referendum, if one is held, to stay a national decision. This has not been reported elsewhere.
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  The Ghanaian Times said participants agreed the process should stay open through continued dialogue, consultation and public participation; this was not reported by other publications.
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  Onua Online and Kessben Online reported that Prof. Prempeh said a proposal many find worthwhile can still fail if stakeholders feel shut out, and that early involvement would let disagreements be found and dealt with before large sums are committed. Neither claim has been confirmed by another report.

Why it matters for Ghana

Constitutional changes shape how Ghana's institutions are held to account, so how the reform is handled affects every voter. If the draft bills are published, citizens, parties, unions and the media in Accra and beyond would be able to read the proposals and respond before they take final form. The appeal also puts the question of timing and consultation in front of the government as it moves into the next phase.