Take part in constitutional review process - IDEG urges citizenry

The Head, Advocacy and Institutional Relations of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Kwesi Jonah, has urged Ghanaians to participate actively in the Constitutional Review Committee’s (CRC) engagements to help shape constitutional reforms that reflect their needs.  

“This is your opportunity to influence constitutional changes that better address your needs,” he added, encouraging broad national involvement.

“As citizens, you have a responsibility to participate in the CRC’s zonal engagements. You live in the communities and understand the real challenges,” he said during a citizen-engagement workshop in Accra.

Describing the CRC’s zonal consultations as a “critical national exercise aimed at reshaping the country’s legal and democratic foundations,” he emphasised that local participation was essential for the process. 

Theme

It was on the theme: “Bridging the Gap: Citizen Engagement in Ghana’s Constitutional Review Process.”

The IDEG-organised workshop sought to empower community leaders, women and civil society actors with knowledge and tools to effectively contribute to the reform process.  

Participants came from the Greater Accra, Western, Eastern, Central, Western North, Bono, Oti and Volta regions.

The workshop was funded by Oxfam.

The initiative follows the CRC’s launch of zonal consultations across the country, aimed at engaging ordinary citizens in the ongoing review process.

Grassroots

Mr Jonah reinforced the importance of grassroots voices in shaping Ghana’s democratic future.  

“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” he said, adding that “active involvement in the constitutional review process is not only a right, but a national responsibility”.

He said it was the conviction of IDEG that true constitutional reform must be driven by the people, not just those in power.

“Therefore, our engagement with community representatives is to ensure that civil society and community leaders go into these zonal consultations fully equipped to represent the concerns of ordinary people who would not get the opportunity to participate in the meeting,” he added.

For his part, a participant from Western North, Nana Benin, said, “Many of us know what’s not working in our communities; we live it every day.

Therefore, if we are given the opportunity, we will speak to make things better.” - GNA.