The Constitution Review Committee (CRC) held its sixth zonal public engagement today, July 15, 2025, at the Octagon Building of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, drawing a diverse cross-section of participants from across the Greater Accra Region.
The forum formed part of the CRC’s ongoing efforts to collate citizen views and proposals on how Ghana’s 1992 Constitution can be refined to reflect contemporary democratic, governance, and development realities.
Attendees included representatives from the Ghana Bar Association, the clergy, paramount and divisional chiefs, metropolitan, municipal, and district chief executives (MMDCEs), assembly members, regional departmental heads, civil society organisations, persons with disabilities, youth groups, and small business owners.
Discussions at the Accra engagement were far-reaching and at times intense, as participants openly critiqued aspects of the current constitutional framework while offering bold proposals for reform.
Among the key issues raised was a proposal to impose tax obligations on all citizens who attain voting age, and the President of the Republic, a call grounded in the principle of shared civic responsibility. Many speakers also advocated for a term limit for Members of Parliament, suggesting a maximum of four terms.
The creation of an Independent Public Appointments Board to oversee the appointment of sensitive positions such as the Electoral Commission Chairperson and deputies, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Chief Justice also featured prominently.
Other proposals included a state-funded housing programme and monthly stipends for persons with disabilities to enhance inclusion and dignity; the election of MMDCEs and a broader restructuring of local governance; and a recommendation that the most senior member of the Supreme Court should ascend to the position of Chief Justice.
Participants also pushed for the use of Ghanaian languages in parliamentary proceedings, reforms in law enforcement, stronger policy continuity between successive governments, and better safeguards for the rights of persons with disabilities.
The engagement provided space for frank, respectful dialogue and highlighted both the frustrations and aspirations of Ghanaians regarding the nation’s constitutional arrangements.
The next zonal public engagement is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2025, in Cape Coast. Meanwhile, Ghanaians are invited to submit their memoranda via email at submissions@constitutionreviewgh.org.
By: Edem Lavor Wilson
