Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has called on President-elect John Dramani Mahama to use his upcoming one-term presidency to drive constitutional reforms aimed at enhancing Ghana’s governance and development.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, December 28, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu highlighted the unique opportunity Mahama has to champion unbiased reforms.
“Because he doesn’t have any stake going forward, nobody would accuse him of manipulating the system to satisfy himself. He has a very unique opportunity to take us where we want to get to, to improve our governance and ensure this Constitution becomes development-oriented,” he stated.
The discussion comes in the wake of a report submitted by the Constitution Review Consultative Committee to outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo. The report proposes significant amendments to the 1992 Constitution, which was originally crafted during a challenging period in Ghana’s history.
Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu noted that Ghana’s current stability provides a favorable environment to address governance gaps and align the Constitution with the country’s development goals.
Acknowledging the early challenges Mahama may face, including forming a cabinet, obtaining parliamentary approval for ministers, and finalizing the national budget, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu suggested that the constitutional review process could begin in mid-2025.
“Maybe April, May, or June would be a better time to start the constitutional review process. The first three months, January, February, March, will be difficult terrain,” he advised.
He further urged the President-elect to foster collaboration among stakeholders and mobilize public support to ensure the success of the reforms.
“This is a golden opportunity for President Mahama to leave a lasting legacy by championing a development-oriented Constitution that reflects the aspirations of the people. I believe he cannot afford to miss this occasion,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu concluded.
