Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has called for a thoughtful review of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, stating that while it is not broken, it requires regular updates to remain relevant to contemporary needs.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, January 7, she likened the Constitution to a car that needs periodic servicing to function effectively.

“I’ve never agreed with the former president that the Constitution is so perfect that it doesn’t need to be reviewed,” she stated, referring to previous sentiments that suggested the document required no amendments.

“The Constitution, being a living document, has to be nursed, nurtured, tweaked, and massaged.”

Justice Akuffo elaborated that the Constitution, after 33 years of guiding Ghana’s democracy, needs to be reexamined to address provisions that may not have aged well.

“From time to time, we need to take a look to see whether it continues in every respect to suit current-day purposes,” she explained.

She supported calls for the continuation of a constitutional review process initiated more than a decade ago but left incomplete.

“It’s just unfortunate that it came to an unceremonious pause,” she lamented, adding, “We need to take a second look at it. There are certain parts that are not working the way we had anticipated, and there are ways it can be better.”

To drive home her point, Justice Akuffo used a relatable analogy.

“The reason you take your car frequently and regularly to the workshop to service it is to make sure that, at all times, your car is fixed for your purpose,” she said.

Applying this to the Constitution, she argued that ongoing maintenance is essential to ensure its provisions meet the needs of the people it serves.

However, she was quick to clarify that her call for a review did not imply that the Constitution is fundamentally flawed.

“It’s not a broken Constitution. I fully agree with that,” she noted but stressed the importance of modernisation to keep it effective.

Justice Akuffo’s remarks align with recent comments by President John Mahama, who advocated for the resumption of the constitutional review process.

“I am fully in agreement with President Mahama that there should be a review,” she said.

“After all, there is nothing wrong with reviewing or revising a Constitution to ensure every provision serves the purposes of the people.”

Her comments come at a critical time in Ghana’s democratic journey, as calls for constitutional reform gain momentum.

Justice Akuffo’s thoughtful reflections underscore the need for collective engagement in addressing areas of improvement without undermining the fundamental strengths of the nation’s foundational document.