Citizens Platform urges government to release full CRC report, set clear roadmap

A coalition of 80 citizen, professional and academic groups has called on the government to immediately publish the full report of the Constitutional Review Committee, warning that delays and uncertainty could undermine Ghana’s constitutional reform agenda. 

The Citizens Platform on Constitutional Reforms said the process now requires transparency, urgency and firm political leadership.

In a press statement issued on Monday, March 16, 2026, the Platform said the committee submitted a summary of its recommendations to President John Dramani Mahama on December 22, 2025, and later presented its comprehensive final report in January 2026. 

However, the group noted that the full report has still not been made public, even though citizens were expecting disclosure of the committee’s full reasoning and proposals.

The Platform argued that withholding the complete report is weakening public participation in a process that has already generated strong national interest. According to the group, citizens need access to the full content of the report in order to examine the recommendations independently and contribute meaningfully to the next phase of reform.

It also raised concern about indications that government may release the CRC report together with a separate “position paper.” The coalition cautioned that any such paper should not delay publication of the original report or be used to dominate the next stage of the reform process. Instead, it said, government views should be presented as part of a wider national conversation rather than as a directive that predetermines outcomes.

The group further called for the urgent establishment of a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee, or CRIC, to guide the next phase of the process. 

It said the committee should have broad representation from civil society, academia, professional bodies and political actors, and should focus on implementation, coordination and consensus-building rather than reopening debates already addressed by the CRC.

Beyond the publication of the report and the formation of the implementation committee, the Platform said government must announce a transparent reform roadmap. It stressed that constitutional amendment procedures under the 1992 Constitution, including gazette notice periods for entrenched and non-entrenched provisions, mean time is already tight. The coalition added that with partisan political activity expected to intensify by the end of 2026 and into 2027, further delay could place the reform effort under serious pressure.

The statement also urged President Mahama to take a more visible role in championing the process. The Platform recalled his June 11, 2025 remarks to the Ghana National Association of Teachers, in which he reportedly described constitutional reform as a critical opportunity to restore public faith in democratic governance. The coalition linked that appeal to survey findings it cited showing declining public satisfaction with democracy and weakening resistance to military rule.

In its concluding demands, the Platform asked government to publish the CRC report immediately, establish the implementation committee without delay, announce a clear implementation plan, and ensure that any government position paper does not distort or overshadow the CRC’s recommendations. 

It also called on the President to lead a broad national conversation on reform, describing the current moment as a critical test for Ghana’s democratic future.

The Citizens Platform on Constitutional Review is facilitated by CDD-Ghana, STAR-Ghana Foundation and Democracy Hub. It says it remains committed to public education, collaboration and citizen engagement throughout the reform process.