A coalition of more than 100 civil society organisations, labour unions and professional bodies is calling for Ghana’s constitutional reform process to be backed by legislation and firm timelines to prevent the exercise from stalling.

The Citizens’ Platform on Constitutional Reform (CPCR) says Parliament should pass a dedicated law to establish a clear roadmap for the reforms and ensure the process survives changes in government.

The coalition made the call at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, to mark the International Day of Democracy, as it released its position paper on the government’s constitutional reform proposals.

The platform is convened by CDD-Ghana, Democracy Hub and the STAR-Ghana Foundation.

“The Constitution ultimately belongs to the people,” the group said in its address.

“If the Constitution belongs to the people, then the people must be fully involved in every significant step taken to review or change it.”

The CPCR has outlined four key guarantees it wants government to adopt in implementing the proposed reforms.

First, it is calling on Parliament to pass a Constitutional Reform Implementation and Roadmap Act.

The proposed law, according to the coalition, should clearly define the sequence of reforms, identify the institution responsible for each stage and establish firm deadlines — from public consultations through to any referendum.

The group cited previous reform processes that it says failed to reach completion, including the 2012 Implementation Committee chaired by Professor E.V.O. Dankwa and the abandoned 2019 local government referendum.

“Setting up a committee is not enough. Preparing bills is not enough. And announcing a referendum is not enough,” the platform said.

It argued that the current exercise involves more than 50 amendments and over 14 bills, making it unlikely to be completed within the life of a single Parliament.

The CPCR therefore wants the process structured in a way that allows it to continue regardless of a change in government.

The coalition is also asking government to clarify the mandate of the Constitution Review Implementation Committee, arguing that its work should extend beyond simply converting the government's position paper into draft legislation.

It wants bills that are already progressing in Parliament ahead of the committee's consultations and report to be paused.

The platform specifically cited the Conduct of Public Officers Bill, which it says is before Parliament before the committee has completed its consultation process.

On the proposed referendum, the CPCR is demanding what it describes as a fair and manageable voting process.

It wants government to commit to not bundling more than 20 different amendments into a single Yes-or-No question.

Instead, amendments should be grouped only where they concern the same subject, with referendum questions drafted in clear and simple language.

The fourth demand concerns funding for civic education.

The coalition wants funding for public education on the reforms to be ringfenced and protected by law, with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) taking the lead.

It said adequate funding must be released well before any referendum, particularly because the Constitution requires at least 40% voter turnout and 75% approval for constitutional amendments.

Those thresholds, it argued, cannot be achieved through a public education campaign “squeezed into the final weeks.”

The CPCR stressed that its position is not intended to oppose the government's reform agenda and identified 16 areas where it agrees with the proposals.

These include establishing an independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission, moving presidential elections to the first week of November and introducing constitutional safeguards around certificates of urgency.

The platform also supports proportional representation in Parliament, allowing Ghanaians with dual citizenship to serve as Members of Parliament, and giving ordinary MPs the power to introduce bills.

It backs making a parliamentary vote of censure binding and restricting the powers of an outgoing administration between election day and the swearing-in of a new president.

Other areas of agreement include separating the Attorney-General's office from Cabinet, reducing the period for filing a presidential election petition to 14 days and requiring the Supreme Court to determine such petitions within 30 days.

The coalition also supports the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), an Independent Public Emoluments Commission, a direct route for citizens to propose constitutional amendments and the completion of the abolition of the death penalty.

“This common ground gives the country a strong foundation on which to move the reform process forward,” the CPCR said.

However, the group has identified 16 areas where it wants government to reconsider its position.

Among its major objections is the proposal to extend the presidential and parliamentary term from four to five years.

The CPCR argues that proposed changes to the election date, transition period and powers of an outgoing administration already address the concerns being used to justify the longer term.

The coalition is also calling for greater transparency in presidential appointments, particularly appointments to independent and oversight institutions.

It opposes allowing MPs to simultaneously serve as Ministers, Deputy Ministers or Regional Ministers.

The group also rejects the proposal to expand Parliament from 276 to 300 seats through the addition of 24 proportional representation seats.

Instead, it wants a study to determine how proportional representation can be introduced while maintaining the existing 276-seat ceiling.

On decentralisation, the CPCR wants the proposed Devolution Commission to be established as an independent constitutional body.

It also insists that elections for local chief executives should be open and unfiltered, without presidential nomination, shortlisting or vetting.

The coalition further disagrees with the government's position on a constitutional right to public participation in law-making.

It also opposes the proposal to transfer only 80% of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to assemblies while retaining a portion for Members of Parliament.

The CPCR wants the proposed Democracy Fund, as well as funding for the Electoral Commission, NCCE and Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to receive constitutional protection rather than remain subject to annual executive discretion.

On accountability, the group is calling for a constitutionally established Anti-Corruption and Ethics Commission instead of a statutory Public Ethics Commission, with the Office of the Special Prosecutor integrated into the proposed body.

It is also proposing reforms to the Council of State, retention of the National Media Commission's authority over state-owned media and constitutional recognition of environmental rights.

The coalition wants CHRAJ to have an independent mechanism for investigating abuses allegedly committed by security services.

It is also backing a long-term National Development Plan approved by Parliament and anchored in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

The CPCR says it will engage President John Dramani Mahama, the opposition leadership, the Constitution Review Implementation Committee and the leadership of Parliament in the coming weeks.

It also plans consultations with organised labour, professional bodies and other civil society organisations.

The coalition has urged Ghanaians to participate in the constitutional review process before any referendum is held.

“Constitutional reform cannot be left only to politicians, lawyers or experts,” it said.

“This is the time to follow the process, participate in the discussions and insist that any changes made to our Constitution reflect the considered will of the people.”