A Supreme Court judge, Gabriel Pwamang JSC, has called for the review of the 1992 Constitution of the country.

According to him, after 30 years of its existence, it needs “significant reforms”.

This, he said, can only be accomplished through the amendment procedure in chapter 25 of the constitution.

“Since a constitution cannot set out every conceivable circumstance and provide for it, after 30 years of existence, our constitution requires certain significant reforms that can only be accomplished with resort to the amendment procedure in chapter 25 of the constitution.”

He also enumerated some findings and recommendations of the Constitutional Review Commission done in 2010 and back his point.

“Gladly, the work of the Constitution Review Commission in 2010 resulted in comprehensive reports. While I do not intend to go into their findings and recommendations, it begs to point out at least three keep points of dissatisfaction Ghanaians expressed about the workings of the 1992 Constitution, including (1) deficit in transparent governance despite changing from dictatorship to constitutional rule in 1992, (2) continuous high levels of public sector corruption and lack of accountability from revenue from natural resource exploitation and (3) non-realisation of real democratic dividend in the form of accelerated national development promised as attainable under constitutional rule.”

“So the calls for constitutional reforms are getting louder of late and have spread to the younger generation, whose persistent failure to see a better future ahead after continuous changing of governments appears to explain their awakening.”

He made the comments when he spoke at the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE)’s constitution week lecture. 

The lecture was on the theme “Three decades of uninterrupted constitutional rule; revisiting the agendas for reforms”.

On the same issue, President Nana Akufo-Addo recently, in a national address to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the referendum approving the 1992 Constitution on April 28, also agreed with calls for the amendment of the constitution.

He said despite the democratic gains and decades of stability, the country’s laws could not remain sacrosanct; thus, efforts must be made to seal loopholes if necessary.

“On this anniversary occasion, I am proud and believe strongly in the values and principles of the constitution that emerged from the Referendum and this democratic heritage of the constitution of Ghana. I am also calling on all Ghanaians to accept this same belief vigorously.”

“We should never forget though that the constitution is a living document, and so whenever circumstances require, we should be prepared to make the necessary amendments to affect the needs of contemporary and future times.”