Disappointment With The Constitutional Review Committee: A Missed Opportunity For Parliamentary Reform And Gender Inclusivity

The rejection of my proposal by the Constitutional Review Committee to reform parliamentary tenure and promote gender inclusivity in politics is both disappointing and deeply concerning. As an amateur law student and a citizen committed to democratic progress, I made these proposals in good faith, guided by the realities confronting Ghana’s political system and the urgent need to restore public trust.

Laws exist to regulate conduct, shape behaviour, and protect the collective good. When legal frameworks fail to respond to obvious systemic abuse, they risk becoming instruments that entrench injustice rather than correct it. Sadly, this is the situation confronting parliamentary politics today.

It is an open secret that the culture of the “highest bidder” has taken firm root in party primaries. Many aspiring parliamentary candidates are compelled to bribe party executives and power brokers to secure nominations. This practice undermines meritocracy, excludes competent professionals, and normalizes corruption at the very foundation of representative democracy.

Long-serving Members of Parliament often become politically entrenched, wielding excessive influence that discourages competition and accountability. Extended tenure fosters environments where committee positions and legislative oversight are exploited for personal gain, including the solicitation of kickbacks linked to contracts and procurement approvals. In extreme cases, potential challengers face intimidation, threats, and violence simply for daring to contest entrenched incumbents. Such a climate is incompatible with democratic renewal.

A Two-Term Limit for Members of Parliament

My first recommendation—limiting Members of Parliament to two terms—was a modest but necessary reform. Aligning parliamentary term limits with the presidential model would help dismantle political monopolies, reduce corruption, and open the space for fresh ideas and leadership. Experience in Parliament begins on the first day in office, and no individual holds a monopoly on competence or service. Parliamentary seats are not birthrights; they are public trusts.

Shorter tenures would also reduce the financial desperation that drives some MPs to “recover” campaign expenditures through unethical means once in office. Democratic governance thrives on rotation, accountability, and opportunity—not permanent occupation.

Gender Inclusivity: 50% Women Representation

Equally troubling is the rejection of the proposal for gender inclusivity. Requiring political parties to field at least 50% women candidates is not radical—it is corrective. Women remain structurally disadvantaged in politics due to financial barriers, cultural bias, and institutional exclusion. A truly democratic society cannot continue to marginalize half its population from decision-making.

Inclusive governance is not a favor to women; it is a necessity for national development, social balance, and legitimacy of the democratic process.

A Missed Opportunity

The Committee’s decision represents a missed opportunity to confront corruption at its roots and to reshape Parliament into an institution that reflects fairness, equity, and the aspirations of ordinary citizens. Reform is often uncomfortable, especially for those who benefit from the status quo, but constitutional review is meaningless if it avoids the very issues eroding public confidence.

All Ghanaians attend the same schools, sit under the same constitution, and are bound by the same laws. No citizen is superior by birth or political longevity. Democracy must renew itself or risk decay.

I end with the words of Albert Einstein, which remain painfully relevant:

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”

Silence and inaction in the face of systemic injustice are themselves forms of complicity. I hope the distinguished Committee will yet reconsider these reforms in the broader interest of fairness, integrity, and the future of Ghana’s democracy.

Yahaya Alhassan
President
THE NEW GHANA SOCIAL JUSTICE FORUM
CC: Anti-Corruption Organizations | Diplomatic Missions | Media

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