The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) has renewed calls for a broad, nationally driven agreement on constitutional reforms, warning that Ghana’s democratic future depends on decisive action to strengthen its governance framework.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr Emmanuel, the Institute described constitutional reforms as long overdue, stressing that meaningful changes are essential to protect Ghana’s democratic gains and ensure the sustainability of its Fourth Republic.
IDEG noted that January 7, 2026, marked two significant milestones — Ghana’s 34th uninterrupted year of democratic governance and one year since President John Dramani Mahama assumed office and launched his administration’s “Reset Agenda.”
According to the Institute, the past year has seen notable efforts by the government to stabilise the macroeconomic environment, restore investor confidence, and introduce governance reforms aimed at rebuilding public trust, improving institutional accountability, and enhancing civic participation.
However, IDEG expressed concern that Ghana’s constitutional review process has dragged on for more than a decade without conclusion, despite the country’s relative political stability. It pointed out that successive governments between 2012 and 2020 failed to implement proposed reforms, largely due to the lack of a strong national consensus and the absence of a permanent, independent body to oversee the process.
The statement warned that these delays are unfolding amid worrying regional trends, including democratic backsliding in West Africa, declining public confidence in multi-party democracy, increasing public support for military interventions, and growing youth frustration over what is perceived as the slow responsiveness of democratic systems.
IDEG cautioned that such developments pose a serious threat to Ghana’s democratic consolidation and its reputation as a stabilising democratic force within the sub-region.
The Institute described the recent submission of the Constitution Review Committee’s report as a pivotal moment to reset Ghana’s governance architecture. It commended the Committee for its work and praised President Mahama for ensuring the report’s immediate release to the public.
As Ghana marks Constitution Day 2026, IDEG urged policymakers and citizens alike to draw lessons from past reform efforts and commit to building a strong, inclusive national consensus to implement the proposed reforms.
The statement concluded that preserving Ghana’s democracy requires a shared commitment to good governance, justice, and inclusion, while rejecting divisive politics in favour of collective nation-building. IDEG referenced President Mahama’s New Year address, in which he noted that national development is a shared responsibility and warned against wasting valuable opportunities on unnecessary conflict.
