The Secretary of the Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC), Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has clarified the Committee’s mandate, stressing that it is a technical body and not responsible for determining the policy direction of proposed constitutional amendments.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Barker-Vormawor explained that the Committee’s responsibility is limited to drafting the necessary amendment Bills in accordance with the Constitution.
“The Constitution Review Implementation Committee is a technical body. It is not a policy body.”
He said the distinction is important because the CRIC’s mandate does not extend to deciding the substance or policy direction of the proposed reforms.
“Its job is to draft two Amendment Bills (1 entrenched and 1 non entrenched) in accordance with the Constitution.”
According to him, the Committee is tasked with preparing one Bill concerning entrenched provisions and another dealing with non-entrenched provisions.
“It has no control over the policy content of those Bills.”
Mr Barker-Vormawor stressed that the CRIC does not determine what policy proposals should be contained in the Bills, but rather performs its technical drafting role.
He also clarified the responsibility of the Electoral Commission (EC) in relation to the referendum that will be required for amendments to entrenched provisions.
“The Referendum is organised by the Electoral Commission and not the CRIC.”
He explained that the EC, rather than the CRIC, is responsible for organising the referendum process.
“It is also the EC that makes decisions as to the form of the Referendum.”
Mr Barker-Vormawor’s comments are aimed at distinguishing the respective responsibilities of the CRIC and the Electoral Commission in Ghana’s constitutional review and amendment process.
