The Constitutional Review Committee led by Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh has proposed far-reaching reforms aimed at curbing the monetisation of elections and political campaigns in the country, as part of recommendations to amend Chapter Seven of the Constitution.

Under the proposals, Parliament would be required, within a specified period after the amendment comes into force, to enact new legislation or amend existing laws to regulate the cost of electioneering and political campaigns.

The framework, according to the Committee, would be supported by implementing regulations to be issued by the Independent Regulatory and Regulatory Public Procurement Commission (IRRPC).

A central feature of the proposal is a restriction on the duration of electioneering and campaign activities. The Committee recommends that political parties and candidates be limited to a defined campaign window, potentially up to 120 days immediately preceding general elections. Any form of campaigning outside this period, as defined by law, would be prohibited.

The Committee is also calling for limits on the amount and type of expenditure political parties and candidates may incur during campaigns, as well as oversight of fees charged during internal party primaries.

Under the proposal, the fees imposed on aspirants and candidates would be subject to review and approval by the IRRPC.

In addition, the reforms would mandate full disclosure and external auditing of the finances of political parties and candidates, including campaign spending and sources of funding. The Committee argues that greater transparency is essential to restoring public confidence in the electoral process.

The proposals further seek to regulate and sanction the abuse of incumbency for electioneering purposes, a practice the Committee believes distorts fair competition.