Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu Urges John Mahama to Seize Rare Opportunity for Constitutional Reforms

Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has described President-elect John Dramani Mahama’s upcoming one-term presidency as a unique and rare opportunity to lead constitutional reforms that could significantly advance Ghana’s governance and development objectives.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, December 28, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu emphasized that Mahama’s status as a one-term president positions him ideally to spearhead unbiased and impactful reforms without the pressure of seeking re-election.

“Because he doesn’t have any stake going forward, nobody would accuse him of manipulating the system to satisfy himself. He has a very unique opportunity to take us where we want to get to, to improve our governance and ensure this Constitution becomes development-oriented,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated.

His comments come in the wake of a report submitted by the Constitution Review Consultative Committee to outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo, which outlines key amendments to the 1992 Constitution. Initially crafted to stabilize the nation during a period of political turbulence, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu argued that the current political stability in Ghana provides the ideal environment to address the constitutional gaps and realign the governance framework with the nation’s long-term development goals.

While acknowledging the challenges Mahama may face early in his presidency—including the formation of a cabinet, obtaining parliamentary approval for ministers, and finalizing the national budget—Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu suggested that the constitutional review process could gather momentum by mid-2025. He proposed that the review process could begin in earnest by April or May, with the first few months of Mahama’s presidency focusing on navigating the immediate hurdles of governance.

“Maybe April, May, or June would be a better time to start the constitutional review process. The first three months, January, February, March, will be difficult terrain,” he explained.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stressed the importance of building consensus among stakeholders and rallying public support for the proposed constitutional reforms. He described this period as a “golden opportunity” for Mahama to leave a transformative legacy by championing a development-oriented Constitution that better reflects the aspirations of the Ghanaian people.

“This is a golden opportunity for President Mahama to leave a lasting legacy by championing a development-oriented Constitution that reflects the aspirations of the people. I believe he cannot afford to miss this occasion,” he concluded.

As Mahama prepares for his one-term presidency, his ability to navigate the complexities of governance and lead a comprehensive constitutional reform could define his legacy, particularly in shaping Ghana’s future political and developmental trajectory.