NPP Rejects Constitutional Review Process, Accuses Government Of Secretly Rewriting 1992 Constitution

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected the current process being used by government to amend the 1992 Constitution, describing it as a complete rewrite of the Constitution.

At a press conference on Thursday, September 17, the Chairman of the NPP's Policy Committee and MP for Ofoase/Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said government should not proceed without broad stakeholder consultation.

"The New Patriotic Party therefore rejects this approach being pursued by the NDC government in essentially rewriting the 1992 Constitution," he said.

According to him, the Constitution Review Committee recommended changes to 147 out of the 299 articles in the Constitution, which is about 49 percent, plus an additional 59 new provisions.

He argued that amending 147 articles and adding 59 new ones - making 206 changes that touch on the Executive, Legislature, independent constitutional bodies and local government - is not a simple amendment.

"That is not just an adjustment to some provisions of the constitution, they amount to the overhaul of the constitution and in substance the enactment of a new one," he stated.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah further alleged that government has disagreed with the Committee on about 100 out of the 147 recommendations and has replaced the Committee's position with its own.

He also claimed government has closed consultations and directed its Implementation Committee to draft the amendment bills without further engagement, with November 2026 set as the deadline for the first amendment.

The NPP is concerned that there is no platform for political parties, Organised Labour, professional bodies and other groups to deliberate on the contentious issues.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah recalled that in 1969, 1979 and 1992, constitutional reviews involved expert work followed by deliberation through a broad and representative assembly before becoming law, and urged government to follow same.

"First, the work of an expert deliberated and settled upon by a broad and representative assembly and only then given the force of law. This was done in 1969, in 1979, and in 1992 and that is what we are calling on the government to respect now," he said.

The party is therefore calling on government to introduce a Constituent or Consultative Assembly Bill in Parliament to establish a formal assembly to deliberate on the proposals and resolve the over 100 areas of disagreement between government and the Review Committee.