By Vivian Amoah
Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Rebecca Ekpe, has called for respectful and inclusive dialogue among stakeholders as Ghana considers reforms to its Constitution.
Speaking at a stakeholder dialogue on “Building Consensus on Constitutional Reform in Ghana” held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ms. Ekpe said differences in opinion should not prevent Ghanaians from identifying areas of shared national interest.
She noted that civil society organizations
, professional groups, women’s organizations, young people and other stakeholders would naturally have different perspectives on constitutional reform, but stressed that such differences could provide an opportunity for meaningful engagement.
According to her, the strength of Ghana’s civil society lies in its ability to create space for people and institutions to disagree respectfully, listen to one another and seek common ground.
“This is what makes this dialogue particularly important,” she said, urging participants to go beyond restating existing positions and instead listen, interrogate issues and seek to understand different perspectives.
Miss Ekpe also highlighted the important role of the media in the constitutional reform process, saying journalists had a responsibility to make complex constitutional issues understandable and accessible to ordinary citizens.
She cautioned that the reform process should not remain confined to boardrooms, policy circles, legal institutions or political spaces.
“The media have a responsibility to translate these complex issues into information that ordinary citizens can understand and engage with,” she said.
She further stressed the need for citizens to have access to accurate, balanced and accessible information on proposed constitutional reforms, their implications and the choices before the country.
Ms. Ekpe welcomed the inclusion of women and young people in discussions on constitutional reform, emphasizing that their participation should be meaningful and informed.
She said constitutional reforms should reflect the aspirations and lived experiences of all sections of Ghanaian society.
The GJA Vice President encouraged stakeholders to approach the discussions with openness, respect and a willingness to listen, while being deliberate about identifying both areas of disagreement and common ground.
