By Christopher Arko
Accra, April 1, GNA – The Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) has proposed the establishment of a Multiparty Democracy and Constitutional Reform Commission (MDCRC) to oversee permanent constitutional reforms in Ghana.
The proposed Commission, envisioned as an independent regulatory body separate from the Electoral Commission, would be responsible for monitoring, administering and ensuring that political parties operate within stipulated regulations.
Mr Kwasi Jonah, Senior Research Fellow at IDEG, said the creation of the MDCRC would help resolve the repeated failure to implement constitutional review recommendations.
He was speaking at a Policy Dialogue on “Effective Constitutional Amendment: The Necessity of Legal and Institutional Safeguards,” in Accra.
IDEG had earlier, in April 2025, presented a memorandum to the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) outlining proposals for constitutional amendments and institutional reforms, including the MDCRC.
However, the proposal did not feature in the CRC’s recommendations to the President. IDEG now intends to pursue the matter in Parliament, hoping it would be considered in the final amendments to the CRC report before implementation.
Mr. Jonah explained that despite several attempts at constitutional reform since 2010, none had been implemented.
He argued that a permanent Commission would be a more effective approach than the current cycle of incomplete review processes.
Mr. Jonah noted that the lack of consensus between the two major political parties had stalled reforms, with successive governments abandoning processes initiated by their predecessors, resulting in wasted resources.
“From experience constitutions are reviewed every nineteen or twenty years, so if you have a body like this in existence they would collect the ideas for reforming the constitution and make sure they are implemented…. It does not matter which party will be in power, because it is a technical commission the reform effort can be carried through,” he said.
Professor Kofi Quashigah, former Dean of the University of Ghana Law School, supported the idea of embedding a continuous constitutional review process in the constitution.
He said that such a body could receive proposals over time and present them for approval through a referendum during national elections, ensuring a comprehensive review rather than piecemeal reforms.
Ms Becky Enyonam Ahadzi, Coordinator of the Affirmative Action Law Coalition, highlighted systemic exclusion of women in governance.
She noted that reforms had largely targeted appointed positions while neglecting elected roles, where women continue to face discrimination in contesting for power.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
