District Assembly elections are emerging as a major flashpoint in Ghana’s proposed constitutional reforms.
Manhyia South MP and member of Parliament’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, says the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not support proposals that restrict who can contest the elections.
He said the party is preparing its own position paper on the proposed constitutional amendments.
“It is more important that we come out with a position paper because, if you recall, in the run-up to the committee putting together its report, it did extensive consultations.”
He said the Constitution Review Committee consulted political parties, government and other major stakeholders before producing its report.
“None of us know what the NDC may have presented to them, right? And so we are not able to say whether the position paper as put forward by the government is the same as what was given to the H. Kwasi Prempeh Committee.”
According to him, the NPP therefore needs to clearly state its position before the amendment process begins.
He said the party’s position would also be important because some proposed amendments would require a referendum.
“Our supporters across the length and breadth of the Republic of Ghana must know the position of our party, and we are going to canvass vigorously, vigorously.”
He said the constitutional review could significantly alter the character of Ghana’s Constitution.
“Look, this is not an ordinary exercise; it’s a very significant exercise.”
Mr Awuah warned against leaving the process entirely to the government.
He said voters would need extensive education, particularly if several entrenched provisions are put to a referendum.
“My grandmother, who lives in my village in Achiase, how is she going to now go and vote on every provision which is subject to amendment, either yes or no? How are you going to do that education?”
He said the absence of early mediation between competing positions could make the process longer.
“We are likely to have a long way ahead of us.”
One issue he expects to generate significant debate is the election of District Chief Executives and the structure of district assembly elections.
He recalled that former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had proposed that District Chief Executives be elected through universal adult suffrage.
He said the proposal later faced opposition, including arguments over whether district-level elections should be partisan.
Mr Awuah said the NPP now believes political parties should be allowed to sponsor candidates while independent candidates should also be permitted to contest.
“We believe that, just as is done in most advanced democracies, there should be an election where political parties should be free to put people up for an election, to sponsor people for an election, where a person who is independent can also sponsor himself for an election.”
He rejected a system in which candidates are limited to those nominated by particular groups.
“It should not be circumscribed. It should not be restricted to groups of persons nominated by the ruling party for an election.”
The NPP’s position paper has already been submitted to its flagbearer, former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
“Very respectfully, we are done with it. We’ve submitted it to the flagbearer.”
He said the document would be released before the end of the year.
The Constitution Review Implementation Committee was inaugurated on August 28, 2026, to help translate agreed constitutional reform proposals into an implementation framework.
It is chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew, with Oliver Barker-Vormawor serving as Secretary.
The committee is expected to consider the report of the Professor H. Kwesi Prempeh-led Constitution Review Committee alongside government’s position paper and help guide the implementation process.
