Civil society organisation BudgIT Ghana and the Youth Platform on Constitution Reform have called for the immediate release of the full report of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC), warning that partial disclosure risks undermining Ghana’s ongoing constitutional reform process.
In a statement responding to the CRC’s summary document titled “Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy”, the groups acknowledged the breadth of consensus reflected in the proposed reforms but cautioned that the absence of the complete report limits transparency and meaningful public engagement.
“Constitutional reform processes often fail not because ideas are lacking, but because transparency is incomplete and political urgency fades before institutional action begins,” the statement noted, describing the current stage of the process as one where “broad agreement has been achieved on paper,” but implementation remains uncertain.
The summary recommendations, the statement shared, touch on key areas including political leadership eligibility, caps on ministerial appointments, political party financing, judicial administration, decentralisation, and constitutional recognition of citizen participation in lawmaking.
BudgIT Ghana said these proposals signal “unusually broad areas of convergence” and represent a critical opportunity to advance governance reforms.
Particular emphasis was placed on decentralisation, which the groups described as central to improving governance outcomes at the community level.
Drawing on insights from its Tracka initiative, BudgIT Ghana highlighted persistent gaps between decision-making and service delivery.
“From stalled projects to service delivery gaps, the distance between decision-making and lived experience remains a defining challenge,” the statement said.
It expressed strong support for proposals such as the creation of an Independent Devolution Commission and the direct election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), noting that these reforms are “critical to bringing governance closer to citizens” and strengthening accountability.
Despite this support, the groups stressed that their endorsement remains conditional. They argued that the summary report alone does not provide sufficient detail to enable informed scrutiny, particularly in the absence of legal reasoning, transitional provisions, and precise constitutional language.
“A summary of recommendations, however substantive, does not constitute a complete reform framework. Without full disclosure… public engagement becomes constrained, and institutional accountability is weakened at the very moment it is most needed.” the statement said.
The Youth Platform was unequivocal in its position, stating that “unconditional endorsement is not possible without the full CRC report,” and framing the release of the unabridged document as “a democratic requirement” rather than a procedural request.
Beyond transparency concerns, the groups warned of a recurring pattern in Ghana’s constitutional history, where reform initiatives generate momentum but falter during implementation.
“The risk is not disagreement with reform proposals. The risk is that reform becomes procedurally complete on paper but institutionally incomplete in practice.” the statement emphasized.
To address these concerns, BudgIT Ghana and its partners outlined three key demands: the immediate publication of the full CRC report without redaction; the establishment of a multi-stakeholder implementation mechanism with clear timelines and accountability structures; and the inclusion of young people as active participants in the reform process.
They also called for stronger parliamentary oversight, stressing that constitutional reform must be treated as “a legislative and public accountability process” rather than an executive-driven exercise.
“At its core, this intervention rests on a simple democratic test: whether constitutional reform in Ghana will be treated as a completed report or a completed process,” the statement concluded.
BudgIT Ghana affirmed its readiness to engage constructively but warned against any reform effort that “advances in narrative but stalls in implementation” or “assumes legitimacy without full public disclosure.”
