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President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to hold a national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments alongside the 2027 District Assembly Elections.
The President made the announcement during a citizens’ engagement in Bolgatanga as part of his two-day tour of the Upper East Region under the Resetting Ghana Tour.
According to President Mahama, eligible voters will be required to vote not only for Assembly Members during next year’s District Assembly Elections but also on proposed amendments to the Constitution.
“We therefore want to add the referendum to the District Assembly elections next year. Next year, apart from voting for your Assembly Members, you will also be required to vote on the constitutional amendments,” he said.
He explained that if the referendum receives the required approval, government would proceed with the implementation of amendments affecting the entrenched provisions of the Constitution.
President Mahama also disclosed that he would soon inaugurate a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to consider both the government’s position paper and the reports of the Constitutional Review Commission.
The committee, he said, would categorise the proposed constitutional reforms into entrenched and non-entrenched clauses.
For non-entrenched provisions, the President explained that parliamentary approval would be sufficient for the amendments to be adopted.
“For non-entrenched clauses, we only need Parliamentary approval. We will put them before Parliament, and Members will vote and pass them,” he said.
He noted that amendments to entrenched clauses would, however, require a referendum.
“Entrenched clauses require that we conduct a referendum. At least 40 percent of registered voters must vote, and 75 per cent of those who vote must say yes,” he explained.
President Mahama reiterated that the referendum would be conducted alongside the District Assembly Elections in 2027.
Mahama Directs Ministers to Address Kologo Requests
During the engagement, President Mahama also responded to requests from the Paramount Chief of the Kologo Traditional Area, Naba Clifford Abagna Tandegrewongrekugre Asobayire V, for the construction of a road in the area and the establishment of a Senior High School.
The President directed the Minister of Roads and Highways to ensure that the requested road was constructed.
He also tasked the Minister of Education with taking steps to establish a Senior High School in the Kologo Traditional Area.
The directives form part of the government’s broader engagements with communities during the Resetting Ghana Tour.