No reforms without pressure – Prof. Prempeh urges Ghanaians to demand action on constitutional review
The Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Prof. Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has called on Ghanaians to take an active role in the country’s constitutional review process.
He warned that without sustained public pressure, much-needed reforms may not materialise.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM on Monday, March 17, 2025, Prof. Prempeh said constitutional amendments require more than just political will from the government.
“Even when it is with Parliament, I think it takes sustained public interest, pressure, and engagement with the political class because they don’t represent themselves; they represent us,” he stated.
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Prof. Prempeh observed that Ghana’s democracy has successfully ensured peaceful transitions of power. However, he stressed that the real challenge lies in how power is exercised after elections.
“One of the things we’ve done quite well in our democracy is alternating power and what we call the ‘rules of entry and exit’—how you get into politics, how you get out, term limits, and all those things,” he explained.
He noted that while Ghana has refined these aspects of democracy, the country has failed to address the ‘rules of play’—how governance functions once a government is in power. Without changes in how power is exercised, he warned, political transitions will not lead to better governance.
“We’ve done the democracy bit, the entry and exit bit, for some time, but the outcomes haven’t changed, and it’s giving democracy a bad name,” he remarked.
Despite the complexity of constitutional amendments, Prof. Prempeh expressed confidence that reforms could be achieved if Ghanaians actively demand them.
“I don’t doubt that this will lead somewhere good. How many of the proposals will see the light of day? That I can’t tell, but I believe that if Ghanaians really do want change, they will get it,” he said.
He urged citizens to remain engaged, follow developments, and hold leaders accountable, stressing that the future of governance reforms depends on public pressure, not just political promises.
