Vice Chair of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah
The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is preparing to challenge aspects of government’s position on proposed constitutional reforms.
Manhyia South MP and member of Parliament’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, says the party has completed its position paper.
He said the document has been submitted to the NPP flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, for approval.
According to him, the NPP must present its own position because it is unclear whether government’s proposals reflect what the party told the Constitution Review Committee during its consultations.
“It is more important that we come out with a position paper because, if you recall, in the run-up to the committee putting together its report, it did extensive consultations.
“It consulted the NDC, it consulted the NPP, it consulted the government, it consulted major stakeholders, including sitting presidents, past presidents, and so on and so forth, before coming out with their position paper.”
He said the NPP would not wait for government to lead the process without presenting its own views.
“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 stressed the importance of the exercise, particularly because some proposed amendments 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.”
Mr Awuah also questioned how voters would be adequately educated on multiple constitutional amendments before a referendum.
“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 argued that the process should not be left entirely to government.
“So it’s not like you are going to put forward a single provision for amendment. So there are very, very, you know, delicate issues that, you know, we can’t leave for the government alone to run it.”
Mr Awuah also raised concerns about the proposed changes to district assembly elections.
He said the NPP would oppose any arrangement that restricts candidates to persons nominated by the ruling party.
“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 added: “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 said the NPP’s position paper would be released before the end of 2026.
“Of course. It certainly will be before the end of this year.”
He said extensive consultations had gone into preparing the document, including contributions from former NPP Attorneys-General and senior lawyers.
The Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) was inaugurated on August 28, 2026, to implement the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh.
The 11-member CRIC is chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew, with Oliver Barker-Vormawor serving as Secretary.
The committee is expected to examine the government’s position alongside the Constitution Review Committee’s report and help develop a framework for implementing agreed reforms.
Its work is technical and is expected to feed into the political process before proposals requiring constitutional amendments are taken through Parliament and, where necessary, a referendum.
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