A civic engagement workshop held at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale has reignited calls for a more inclusive and transparent constitutional review process in Ghana, with participants urging the government to prioritize voices from grassroots communities.
Organized by the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) with support from Oxfam, the forum—under the theme “Bridging the Gap: Citizen Engagement in Ghana’s Constitutional Review Process”—brought together diverse citizens including women, youth, and persons with disabilities from Northern Ghana.
Participants expressed disappointment over the lack of public awareness about the Constitutional Review Committee’s work and feared that the dominance of political elites and urban voices could marginalize rural communities.
“We’ve been here but haven’t heard any news about any committee coming to engage citizens,” one concerned attendee stated, echoing a common sentiment about the disconnect between national processes and local realities.
Professor Kwesi Jonah, Head of Advocacy and Institutional Relations at IDEG, emphasized in his keynote that constitutional reform must be grounded in the lived experiences of ordinary citizens, not just political elites in Accra.
“The voices of the grassroots must be heard; their experiences and frustrations must shape the reforms,” he said, urging broader outreach and engagement efforts from the review committee.
The workshop featured a hands-on session to equip participants with skills to draft position papers and engage policymakers effectively. Facilitators also guided attendees in articulating policy demands to ensure their perspectives influence the national reform agenda.
Beyond constitutional matters, participants raised concerns about poor public service delivery and entrenched governance challenges in their districts. Many argued that meaningful reform must go beyond legal amendments to address systemic issues at the local government level.
The Tamale event underscored a growing national consensus: for Ghana’s constitutional reform to succeed, it must be people-driven, inclusive, and responsive to the developmental needs of all citizens—not just the privileged few.
