The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has inaugurated an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) to oversee the implementation of constitutional reform proposals accepted by the Government.
The committee, chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel and former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Ms Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, is expected to develop a comprehensive framework for implementing the proposals arising from the recent constitutional review process.
Other members of the committee are Dr Justice Srem Sai, Hon. Thomas Amper Nyarko, Ms Charlotte Osei, Dr Rainer Akumperigya, Hon. Emelia Ankomah, Hon. Kwame Ayimadu Antwi, Mr Samuel Passah, Mr Oliver Baker Vormawor, Ms Salamatu Iliasu and Mr Eric Owusu-Mensa.
Mr Vormawor will serve as Secretary, while Ms Iliasu will serve as the Draftsperson. The membership also includes representatives of the Majority and Minority in Parliament, Local Government and Parliament.
The inauguration follows the Government’s issuance of its Position Paper on the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh. The Position Paper sets out the Government’s response to the recommendations, identifying those it accepts, those it accepts with modifications and those it does not accept.
The new implementation committee has consequently been tasked with examining the Government’s Position Paper alongside the report of the Constitution Review Committee and determining how the accepted proposals can be translated into practical measures.
“Our Task Begins Where Those Processes Concluded”
Speaking at the inauguration, the Chairperson of the committee, Ms Appiah-Oppong, stressed that the CRIC would not undertake another general review of the Constitution.
“Our task begins where those processes concluded,” she said.
According to her, the committee’s responsibility would be to translate the recommendations accepted by Government into “lawful, coherent and practical measures capable of implementation.” She explained that the nature of the various reforms would determine the constitutional or legislative procedure required to implement them.
Reforms affecting entrenched provisions of the Constitution, she said, would have to follow the referendum procedure under article 290, while reforms concerning non-entrenched provisions would proceed through Parliament under article 291.
Other proposals, she added, could require ordinary legislation, subsidiary instruments, institutional reform or administrative action.
Committee sets out Implementation Priorities
Ms Appiah-Oppong said the committee would be guided by five commitments namely fidelity to the accepted recommendations, fidelity to the Constitution, national consensus, public understanding and accessibility, and transparency and accountability.
She said the committee would maintain a comprehensive record of its decisions, activities and expenditure and would prepare an implementation roadmap, a legislative and referendum calendar and a system for tracking the progress of each accepted recommendation.
The committee would also report regularly on the progress of the implementation programme.
Its immediate priorities include establishing an effective Secretariat, adopting its governing procedures, approving its work plan and budget, constituting the necessary subcommittees and finalising the classification of the accepted recommendations.
The Chairperson said the implementation of constitutional reforms would not be limited to drafting legislation.
“Constitutional implementation is not simply a drafting exercise,” she said, stressing the need for legal drafting to be accompanied by institutional coordination, civic education, stakeholder engagement and prudent financial management.
She also urged the committee to learn from Ghana’s earlier constitutional reform efforts, observing that recommendations could remain on paper without clear ownership, adequate resources, sustained political commitment and a realistic timetable.
The committee, she said, would therefore be expected to drive the process, initiate the necessary steps, anticipate obstacles and follow each measure through the appropriate constitutional or legislative process.
At the same time, she said, the committee would not sacrifice legality or consultation in the interest of speed.
“Constitutional change must be careful enough to endure and timely enough to remain relevant,” she said.
Ms Appiah-Oppong said the 1992 Constitution had provided the foundation for the longest period of constitutional government in Ghana’s history and that the objective of the reform process was not to diminish that achievement.
Rather, she said, the task was to preserve what had served the country well, address weaknesses revealed by experience and ensure that Ghana’s constitutional arrangements remained responsive to the aspirations of its people.
The committee pledged to discharge its mandate independently, transparently, diligently and in good faith.
