Bagbin calls for Constitutional overhaul, warns of youth disillusionment with democracy

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called for a comprehensive transformation of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, citing structural flaws that he believes are stifling the country’s development.

Speaking at the University of Ghana Alumni Lecture in Accra on Thursday, 19 September 2024, Speaker Bagbin warned that growing disillusionment among the nation’s youth poses a significant threat to democracy.

Referring to findings from the 2024 Afrobarometer report, Speaker Bagbin expressed concern over the rising discontent with democratic governance among young Ghanaians.

"Many Ghanaian youth are becoming disillusioned with democracy, and this is something we must take seriously,” he said.

The Speaker explained that while the constitution has succeeded in ensuring political stability, it has inadvertently concentrated excessive power in the executive, undermining the balance between the various arms of government.

“The foundation of Ghana’s democracy, the constitution, has several flaws and complexities, including the excessive concentration of power in the executive, which undermines the balance of power among the other arms of government,” he noted.

Though the constitution has been pivotal in maintaining stability, Speaker Bagbin stressed that this has come at the cost of national development.

"The focus of those who drafted this constitution was to achieve political stability. If my guess is right, I must admit we have succeeded in doing just that, but at the expense of development. We now have to move on and focus on development,” he remarked.

Speaker Bagbin echoed the sentiments of those calling for a complete overhaul of the constitution, rather than minor reforms.

“I agree with Ghanaians who say there is nothing to reform. We have to transform everything. This constitution has many defects, and the time to fix those defects is long overdue,” he urged.

He also highlighted one of the most significant issues affecting parliament: the overwhelming concentration of executive power.

"While the defects are too many, I will just highlight three of them that have impacted the work of parliament. One is the excessive executive power,” he stated.