Professor Adu-Gyamfi backs constitutional reforms, calls for return of power to the people – Nsemkeka
Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Professor Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, says Ghana’s 1992 Constitution has outlived its original intent and must be revised to better serve the people.
Speaking on The Sages on JoyNews, Prof. Adu-Gyamfi reflected on the roots of the Constitution and how power has remained centralized despite growing calls for deeper citizen participation.
“For me, the constitution was to translate what was going on for 18 years under Rawlings’ rule into a kind of refined system called the 1992 constitution. And power there is absolute power and it’s nice. It’s wonderful. And power corrupts and power is sweet and you can look at somebody and decide you want to talk to him or not and the person is shaking.”
He argued that the time has long passed for the Constitution to be reviewed to reflect Ghana’s current development needs. In his view, decentralization is not just a governance model, but a necessary tool to empower citizens and keep public officials accountable.
“Oh, it’s more overdue to change the constitution. To change it to reflect the development we see. To return power. The people give you the power but you must see a large section of power to the population in terms of the decentralisation we’re talking about. So that you’re sitting right there and I can see you every day or it doesn’t take me half an hour to get to you from my place of abode because you’re in the district. I can police you. I can harass you. This is what you promised. And get you to do what’s right.
We need to develop our economy and this is how it should be. And we can even have town halls, town hall meetings on a regular basis in the districts.”
Dr. Adu-Gyamfi, who has spent decades in academia, medicine, and public service, believes a new constitutional vision must reflect the realities of today’s Ghana — where informed citizens can directly influence development at the grassroots level. His call adds to ongoing national conversations about governance reforms and deepening democracy