President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to hold a national referendum on proposed amendments to the 1992 Constitution alongside the 2027 District Assembly elections.
The President said voters would, in addition to electing Assembly Members, have the opportunity to vote on proposed changes to the entrenched provisions of the Constitution.
He made the announcement during a citizens’ engagement in Bolgatanga as part of his two-day working tour of the Upper East Region under the Resetting Ghana Tour.
“We therefore want to add the referendum to the District Assembly elections next year. Next year, apart from voting for your Assembly Members, you will also be required to vote on the constitutional amendments,” he said.
President Mahama explained that the government was in the process of determining which of the proposed constitutional amendments would require parliamentary approval and which would have to be subjected to a national referendum.
He said successful approval of the referendum would pave the way for the implementation of amendments affecting the Constitution’s entrenched provisions.
“If the referendum is successful, we will implement the amendments to the entrenched clauses. That is what we are doing with regard to governance,” he said.
Constitutional Review Implementation Committee
President Mahama also announced plans to inaugurate a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to assess the government’s position paper alongside the reports submitted by the Constitutional Review Commission.
The committee, he said, would harmonise the two documents and classify the proposed constitutional amendments into entrenched and non-entrenched provisions.
“For non-entrenched clauses, we only need Parliamentary approval. We will put them before Parliament, and Members will vote and pass them,” he explained.
He said amendments involving entrenched provisions would require an additional constitutional process through a referendum.
“Entrenched clauses require that we conduct a referendum. At least 40 percent of registered voters must vote, and 75 per cent of those who vote must say yes,” he said.
The President said attaching the referendum to the 2027 District Assembly elections would help facilitate the process and allow eligible voters to decide on the proposed constitutional changes alongside the local elections.
Mahama Responds to Kologo Development Requests
During the engagement, President Mahama also responded to development requests presented by the Paramount Chief of the Kologo Traditional Area, Naba Clifford Abagna Tandegrewongrekugre Asobayire V.
The traditional leader appealed to the government to construct a road in the area and establish a Senior High School to improve access to education and infrastructure for residents.
In response, President Mahama directed the Minister of Roads and Highways to take steps to ensure that the proposed road project was undertaken.
He also instructed the Minister of Education to initiate measures towards establishing a Senior High School in the Kologo Traditional Area.
