A coalition of 61 civil society organisations (CSOs), professional bodies, and trade unions, operating as the Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reforms (CPCR), has called on the government to adopt an inclusive and transparent approach to constitutional review.
The CPCR, formed to support President John Mahama’s constitutional reform initiative, emphasised that the government should act as a “broker and consensus builder” rather than a “sole arbiter” of the recently submitted Constitution Review Committee (CRC) recommendations.
The call comes as the CPCR welcomed the submission of the CRC’s final report and expressed satisfaction that its recommendations incorporate many long-championed civil society proposals for stronger accountability and expanded citizen participation.
However, the Platform cautioned against repeating past mistakes where government white papers diluted reform proposals, in a press release issued by the CPCR after its inaugural meeting.
“We respectfully caution that this approach risks repeating difficulties experienced in the past,” the CPCR stated, referencing a previous process that “many stakeholders felt diluted key reform proposals and gave disproportionate weight to executive preferences.”
Leadership/Commendation
The CPCR announced its leadership, with Professor Akosua K. Darkwah of the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) elected as Chair. Alhassan Mohammed Awal, Executive Director of NORSAAC, and Rebecca Ekpe, Vice-President of the Ghana Journalists Association, would serve as Deputy Chairs.
The Platform commended the President for establishing the CRC and applauded the committee for its “extensive consultations, technical rigour of its analysis, and the comprehensiveness of its recommendations.”
They highlighted that the report provides a “structured, practical road map for addressing Ghana’s key governance gaps.”
Implementation Committee
The coalition urged the immediate publication of the full CRC report and welcomed the government’s intention to establish a Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC).
They pressed for the CRIC to be “constituted and operationalised without delay,” with a mandate to build broad consensus, develop legislative road maps, coordinate parliamentary processes, prepare for any referenda and lead nationwide civic education.
“The success of constitutional reform depends not only on the substance of amendments but on the integrity of the process through which they are achieved,” the CPCR asserted, adding that “Building trust, inclusion, and consensus-building are indispensable to this process.”
The CPCR has pledged constructive collaboration with all stakeholders and plans to undertake capacity-building activities for CSOs, media, youth, and women’s groups to familiarise them with the CRC recommendations and develop common advocacy positions.
“As a Coalition, we reaffirm our readiness to collaborate constructively with Government, Parliament, and all stakeholders to ensure that this moment results in meaningful, people-centred constitutional change that strengthens accountability, protects rights, and secures Ghana’s democratic future,” it said.
Background
The CPCR is a collaborative initiative facilitated by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), STAR-Ghana Foundation, and Democracy Hub, bringing together diverse organisations, activists, and citizens to coordinate engagement, advocacy, and accountability in the ongoing constitutional reform process.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh