The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is preparing to challenge aspects of the government’s position on proposed constitutional reforms, with the party raising particular concerns over proposed changes to district assembly elections.
Manhyia South MP and member of Parliament’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, said the NPP has completed a position paper on the proposed reforms and submitted it to the party’s flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for approval.
He said the NPP’s position is necessary because it remains unclear whether the government’s proposals fully reflect the views the party presented during consultations by the Constitution Review Committee.
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According to Mr Awuah, the committee undertook extensive consultations with political parties, government, sitting and former presidents and other major stakeholders before preparing its report.
Mr Awuah said the NPP would not leave the process entirely to government, insisting that party supporters and the wider public must understand its position on the proposed constitutional changes.
“Our supporters across the length and breadth of the Republic of Ghana must know the position of our party, and we are going to canvass vigorously, vigorously,” he said.
He stressed that the reforms were too significant to be treated as a routine political exercise, particularly because some proposed changes would require a referendum.
“If you look at the number of amendments put forward, it may end up changing the character of our constitution significantly, and so you don’t expect us to sit down as it happened in 1992,” he said.
The Manhyia South MP also questioned how voters would be adequately educated on multiple constitutional provisions before being asked to vote.
“My grandmother, who lives in my village in Achiase, how is she going to now go and vote on every provision which is subject to amendment, either yes or no? How are you going to do that education?” he asked.
Mr Awuah said the complexity of the proposals meant public education could not be left solely to government.
“So it’s not like you are going to put forward a single provision for amendment. So there are very, very delicate issues that we can’t leave for the government alone to run it,” he said.
A major concern for the NPP is the proposed changes to district assembly elections.
Mr Awuah said the party would oppose any arrangement that restricts candidates to persons nominated by the ruling party or a particular group.
He argued that political parties should be allowed to sponsor candidates while individuals should also have the freedom to contest as independents.
“We believe that, just as is done in most advanced democracies, there should be an election where political parties should be free to put people up for an election, to sponsor people for an election, where a person who is independent can also sponsor himself for an election,” he said.
“It should not be circumscribed. It should not be restricted to groups of persons nominated by the ruling party for an election. And so we cannot, by any stretch of imagination, agree to this position.”
Mr Awuah confirmed that the NPP’s position paper would be made public before the end of 2026 after approval by Dr Bawumia.
He said extensive consultations had gone into preparing the document, including contributions from former NPP Attorneys-General and senior lawyers.
The development comes after the inauguration of the Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) on August 28, 2026.
The 11-member committee, chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew, is expected to examine the government’s position alongside the Constitution Review Committee’s report and help develop a framework for implementing agreed reforms.
Oliver Barker-Vormawor serves as Secretary.
Its work is expected to feed into the legislative process before proposals requiring constitutional amendments are taken through Parliament and, where necessary, subjected to a referendum.
With the NPP preparing to publicly set out its position, the constitutional reform process is expected to generate increased political debate in the months ahead.
Myjoyonline