Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has described President-elect John Mahama’s one-term presidency as a rare and unique opportunity to implement much-needed constitutional reforms to improve governance in Ghana.

Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu agreed with a section of experts' assertion that Mahama’s position as a one-term president presents the ideal chance for a comprehensive constitutional review.

“Because he doesn’t have any stake going forward, nobody would accuse him of manipulating the system to satisfy himself. He has a very unique opportunity to take us where we want to get to, to improve our governance and ensure this constitution becomes development-oriented,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu explained on December 28.

This comes as the Constitution Review Consultative Committee has submitted its report to President Akufo-Addo.

The report outlined significant proposals to amend Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

He further stressed the historical context of Ghana’s Constitution, which was designed primarily to stabilize the nation after a period of turmoil.

• Read also: Constitution Review Consultative Committee report submitted to Akufo-Addo – Full presentation

With the country now stable, he said it was time to focus on reforms that would foster development.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also acknowledged the challenges Mr Mahama may face in the early months of his presidency.

He noted that the first three months would be a busy period, as the president would need to form his cabinet, have ministers approved by Parliament, and finalize the national budget.

“The first three months, January, February, March, will be difficult terrain. But after that, maybe April, May, or June would be a better time to start the constitutional review process,” he suggested.

He urged President-elect Mahama to use this period to build consensus among stakeholders and the public to ensure widespread support for the reforms.

“I agree with what Barker-Vormawor said about keeping the issues on the front burner. We need to mobilize public opinion to carry the reforms forward,” he added.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stressed the importance of aligning the constitutional review with Ghana’s development goals, ensuring that the reforms address governance gaps and promote national progress.

“This is a golden opportunity for President Mahama to leave a lasting legacy by championing a development-oriented Constitution that reflects the aspirations of the people. I believe he cannot afford to miss this occasion,” he concluded.