The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has urged government to take conscious steps to carry all stakeholders, including the opposition, along before pushing through any amendments to the 1992 Constitution.
The Union said building consensus among political parties and other interest groups is crucial to ensure that any changes to the Constitution reflect the collective will of Ghanaians.
Speaking at a press conference to outline the TUC’s position on the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee and government’s response, Secretary-General Joshua Ansah said the review process must be more inclusive.
He noted that although the Review Committee made efforts to solicit views nationwide, its approach was not as broad-based as that of the Constituent Assembly which drafted the 1992 Constitution.
He warned that the planned referendum could be centred on issues handpicked solely by government, sidelining concerns raised by other groups. “We foresee a danger,” he said, cautioning that such a move could create a precedent for future governments with the required numbers in Parliament to push amendments driven by their own ideologies and manifestos, especially on non-entrenched clauses.
“We must not open up the Constitution for partisan political manoeuvring,” Mr Ansah emphasised.
The TUC, however, backed the proposal to extend the presidential term from four to five years, but said the extension must go hand-in-hand with wider reforms to enhance governance and accountability.
On presidential appointments, the TUC supported the move to amend Article 70 to curtail the appointment powers of the President, but said amending Article 70 alone would not be enough and must be looked at together with Article 195.
Meanwhile, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has inaugurated an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) to drive proposals for the review of the 1992 Constitution.
The inauguration follows government’s release of its position paper on recommendations contained in the report of the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Prof. H. Kwesi Prempeh.
The new Committee is chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Marietta Brew.
Among the proposals accepted are reducing the minimum age for presidential aspirants from 40 to 35 years, placing a cap on the number of Ministers and Members of Parliament, requiring the President to pay tax on his salary and allowances, and electing all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).
