The Constitution Review Committee’s (CRC) primary goal is to ensure that any proposed changes to the country's Constitution will not exacerbate existing problems, but rather provide solutions, the chairman of the committee, Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh, has said.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic ahead of the committee’s first stakeholder engagement yesterday, Prof. Prempeh said the objective of the committee was to improve governance, social cohesion and transparency in the country.

These, he explained, were to make government more efficient and effective, reduce tension in politics and promote national unity, ensure that institutions are more responsive to the people, encourage citizens to engage in the democratic process, build trust in public institutions and promote good governance.

To achieve that, he said the committee has established a set of principles to guide it in its work.

These principles, Prof. Prempeh said, would serve as a benchmark for evaluating proposals, with the ultimate aim of strengthening institutions and promoting public trust.

He cited for instance that the work of the CRC should address the polarisation in the country's public services, particularly in the aftermath of every election.

“We want to see if we can solve this problem through the Constitution,” Prof. Prempeh said, adding: “There's been a lot of conversations around how when we change power between parties, people are appointed and disappointed, and all of those things.

There's a lot of confusion around taking people out, bringing people in.”

Proposals

Prof. Prempeh said the committee has started receiving proposals from targeted stakeholders, with some interesting submissions on natural resources and local governance.

“One of the key areas of focus is the management of natural resources, particularly minerals, which are currently invested in the President on behalf of the people of Ghana.

The CRC has received submissions on how to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of these resources,” he said. 

"What does it mean to be a trustee of the people of Ghana?" Prof. Prempeh asked, highlighting the need for clarity on the responsibilities of the President in this regard.

He said the committee has also received proposals on the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), with suggestions on how to improve the process and make it more accountable to local governments.

Prof. Prempeh noted that the window for submissions would remain open until mid-to-end April.

The committee is expected to continue receiving proposals from various stakeholders, including civil society groups, during this period.