Lawyer Kpebu backs broader consultations on Ghana’s Constitution — MyJoyOnline
In Ghana, private lawyer Martin Kpebu questioned the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) proposal to create a Consultative Assembly as part of the review of the 1992 Constitution. At the same time, he supported the party’s call for broader consultations.
Opposition’s position
The NPP rejected the government’s approach to constitutional reform and proposed convening a Consultative Assembly to discuss the changes. Ofoase-Ayirebi MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said on September 17 that the scale of the proposed transformations goes beyond ordinary amendments provided for under Chapter 25 of the Constitution.
According to him, the party intends to oppose the proposed changes in parliament and campaign against them during the referendum. MyJoyOnline reported on Kpebu’s reaction.
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Lawyer’s proposal
Kpebu noted that consultations do not necessarily have to take place through a new Consultative Assembly. He recalled that Ghana had already used such a mechanism during the process that resulted in the 1992 Constitution.
The lawyer believes that the government should hold substantive direct talks with the NPP and identify issues on which consensus is possible. He also suggested considering online voting on agreed provisions before holding a referendum.
Among the reforms that should be retained, in Kpebu’s view, he named the four-year presidential term and the proposed procedure for electing chief executives of metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDCEs). He also supported non-partisan elections for these positions and warned that creating additional bureaucratic structures could delay constitutional changes until after 2028.
