The former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, has reflected on her participation in Ghana’s Constitution Review Committee (CRC), describing the opportunity as “a privilege of a lifetime”.

Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews on Saturday, December 27, 2025, she said the committee was made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds, creating a rich environment for debate and learning.

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“I think it was a privilege of a lifetime. We had people from very different backgrounds. Even the lawyers among us had very different kinds of experiences that they brought on board,” she recounted.

According to her, what made the process exceptional was the willingness of members to listen to one another, even when they held strongly opposing views.

She noted that the committee included distinct ideological camps, including those she described as “abolitionists”, who favoured sweeping changes to the constitutional order.

“We had camps, the abolitionists, and at one time you would see how one view influenced the other view,” she explained.

“Some of the champion abolitionists became the reformers,” Osei added.

The former EC chairperson noted that disagreements were handled openly and respectfully, without undermining the sense of unity within the group.

She described an atmosphere of kinship and authenticity, where members felt safe to express dissenting opinions.

“Everyone was allowed to express their view. If we disagreed, we would say, ‘This one we don’t agree,’ but we were friends, family, and everyone supported each other,” she noted.



Charlotte Osei also drew attention to deliberate efforts made to ensure that all members, regardless of their professional background, could engage fully with the complex constitutional issues under discussion.

She revealed that lawyers on the committee took time to support non-lawyers who found some concepts challenging.

“You would have maybe a non-lawyer who is struggling with understanding some constitutional concepts, and we arranged classes among ourselves to help people understand those things,” she said.

The committee, chaired by Professor H Kwasi Prempeh, was tasked with assessing and proposing amendments to Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

It submitted its summary report to President John Dramani Mahama on December 22, 2025.

The CRC’s recommendations include major proposed changes such as the separation of the legislature from the executive, a clear reaffirmation that the Constitution does not allow for a third presidential term, and a proposal to extend the presidential term of office from four to five years.

JKB/MA

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