Former Chief Justice and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Sophia Akuffo, called on Ghana’s government to overhaul the constitution so that ordinary citizens can meaningfully influence decisions that affect their communities. Speaking at an IEA forum on Tuesday, October 6, Akuffo said the current constitutional practice concentrates power in a small group, leaving many, especially those outside major urban centres, with limited say over local matters.
Akuffo highlighted the imbalance in resource allocation between cities and rural areas, arguing that the lack of direct citizen participation weakens democracy and hampers development. She warned that without deliberate constitutional measures, the voices of many will continue to be overlooked.
"The voice of the people is very important and it was expected to be quite loud even under the present Constitution," Akuffo said. "True democracy can only come about if there is meaningful participation of the people, not only vocally but meaningfully participating in the choice, in the important choices at the levels where it matters to them."
She urged lawmakers to include specific provisions that would strengthen public participation and give citizens a direct role in decisions taken at the levels that matter most to them.
