Explainer: Why Gov't won't issue White Paper on K. Prempeh-Led Constitution Review Committee report

The Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has stated that the Mahama administration will not issue a White Paper in relation to the ongoing constitutional review exercise.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, he explained that legal experts are undertaking a detailed assessment of the constitutional review report submitted to President John Dramani Mahama, as part of the administration’s next-step decision pathway.

Ghana’s Constitution Review Committee (CRC) has proposed sweeping changes to the country’s governance architecture, including extending the presidential term from four to five years and ending the long-criticised hybrid system that allows ministers to also serve as Members of Parliament.

The Committee’s Chair, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, outlined these recommendations when he presented key highlights of the final report to President John Dramani Mahama at Jubilee House on Monday, 22 December.

Among other proposals, the report recommends reviewing the four-year presidential term to five years, reducing the age requirement to contest for President, requiring a sitting President to pay taxes, and introducing a more stringent process for the removal of a Chief Justice.

As a result, many stakeholders expected the government to promptly issue a White Paper to provide a comprehensive statement on the proposals and outline a clear way forward. However, current indications suggest this will not be the case.

It is important to note, however, that the government has multiple avenues to communicate its position without issuing a formal White Paper. These include parliamentary debates, statements and representations by members in Parliament, and official party positions, which could also facilitate broader participation in the reform process.

A government White Paper is a strategic policy instrument typically used by the executive to signal intent, shape stakeholder expectations, and frame future legislative or regulatory action. At a high level, it functions as a position-setting document rather than a binding legal text.

Below are the reasons the NDC government has decided not to issue a White Paper on the Committee’s report:

• White Papers are typically associated with commissions established under a specific legal instrument.
• .This constitutional review process was undertaken by a committee and is not the same as the constitutional review established under Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution by former President J.E. Mills.
  Speaking on Channel 1 TV, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh explained that the key difference between his committee and the Mills-era body is that the latter was a commission established pursuant to a specific instrument, whereas his committee was not set up under any particular legal instrument.
• The government intends to establish a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to manage the process and oversee any proposed changes.

According to Mr Haruna Iddrisu, because the constitutional review led by Professor Prempeh was not established within the true meaning of Article 278 of the Constitution, no White Paper will be issued in respect of the report. He added, however, that whatever proposals the government accepts will be declared and made known to the public.