President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to hold a national referendum on proposed constitutional amendments alongside the 2027 District Assembly elections.

He said voters would have the opportunity to elect Assembly Members and, at the same time, decide on proposed changes to the entrenched provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

President Mahama made the announcement during a citizens’ engagement in Bolgatanga as part of his two-day working tour of the Upper East Region under the Resetting Ghana Tour.

“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.

The President explained that the government was preparing to determine which of the proposed constitutional changes required parliamentary approval and which would have to be subjected to a referendum.

“If the referendum is successful, we will implement the amendments to the entrenched clauses. That is what we are doing with regard to governance.”

Review implementation committee

President Mahama said he would soon inaugurate a Constitutional Review Implementation Committee to consider the government’s position paper alongside the reports of the Constitutional Review Commission.

The committee, he said, would synthesise the two documents and categorise the proposed amendments into entrenched and non-entrenched provisions.

“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 said amendments affecting entrenched provisions would require the additional constitutional process of 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.”

The President said the government intended to attach the referendum to the District Assembly elections scheduled for next year to facilitate the process.

Kologo requests

During the engagement, President Mahama also responded to development requests from the Paramount Chief of the Kologo Traditional Area, Naba Clifford Abagna Tandegrewongrekugre Asobayire V.

The traditional leader had appealed for the construction of a road in the area and the establishment of a Senior High School.

President Mahama directed the Minister of Roads and Highways to ensure that the road project was undertaken.

He also instructed the Minister of Education to take steps towards establishing a Senior High School in the Kologo Traditional Area.