Youth friendly constitution vs CRC report and matters arising

By Christopher Wisdom PENU

Introduction: The Unmet Promise of a Youth-Friendly Democracy

As a team – Royal Africa Generational Thinkers (RAGeT-AFRICA) and Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition (GYMC), We have meticulously reviewed the Final Recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) presented to His Excellency the President.

Before that we’ve had the opportunity to make a presentation to the Constitution Review Committee at a Forum and later Presented a more comprehensive memo at the CRC Secretariat – We have juxtaposed these findings against the robust, forward-looking proposals submitted by the youth of Ghana through the Accra Leadership Convo Report on Constitution Review Recommendations and the Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition (GYMC) Constitutional Recommendations.

While the CRC Report titled “Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy” makes commendable strides in administrative governance, judicial independence, and fiscal discipline – The youth agenda succeeded in pushing for the decoupling of MPs and Ministers, the depoliticization of SOEs, and the reduction of the Presidential age limit ( to 30, something we’ll delve into on our next article).

The introduction of a binding National Development Plan also secures the long-term policy stability  as rightly recommended by both Accra Leadership Convo Report and the Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition, a detailed analysis reveals a glaring, critical deficit: it fails to structurally anchor the youth—who constitute the overwhelming majority – more than ? i.e over 11 million youth between the ages of 15 and 35 with a total of more than 73% under the age of 35 of our 34 million population—into the constitutional bedrock of the Fourth Republic. The CRC’s recommendations, while progressive in parts, largely treat youth inclusion as incidental rather than fundamental.

 Youth Demands vs. CRC Recommendations

1. The Age of Eligibility for the Presidency

• Youth Demand (ALC 3 & GYMC): The ALC 3 report and the GYMC recommended a reduction to 30 years to bridge the intergenerational gap.
• CRC Recommendation: The CRC has recommended amending Article 62(b) to lower the age from 40 to 30 years.
• Analysis: This is a victory and a point of convergence with the GYMC proposal. It acknowledges the competence of young leaders with understanding that leadership is not in age but about competence, character and collaboration. It is a transformative step forward for us, and a boldly welcomed recommendation.

2. Youth Representation and Quotas in Governance

• Youth Demand (ALC 3, GYMC): We demanded a minimum 30% youth quota across all levels of governance—Parliament, Central Government appointments, and State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Boards. We specifically cited international best practices like Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda and endorsed the recommendations on proportional representation.
• CRC Recommendation: The CRC proposes a reform in Local Government (Chapter 7, Section 7.16) where 30% of Assembly members are appointed. Within this appointed bracket, 20% is reserved for “persons with disability and persons of voting age below the age of 35 years.”
• Analysis: This recommendation is woefully inadequate. Allocating a shared 20% of only the appointed seats (which effectively translates to a negligible fraction of the total Assembly) to be shared between youth and PWDs is tokenistic. It relegates youth to the margins of local governance and ignores the demand for representation at the center—in Parliament, the Cabinet, and the Council of State. The CRC report fails to institutionalize youth quotas in the corridors of hard power.

3. Institutional Framework: The Youth Council/Federation

• Youth Demand (ALC 3 & GYMC): Both recommendations explicitly called for the constitutional establishment of a National Youth Council or Ghana Youth Federation. We argued that this body must have independence, full autonomy with a mandate of leadership conferred on youth leaders by the members of the Federation to insulate youth development from political capture and lack of continuity.
• CRC Recommendation: The CRC report is silent on the constitutional creation of a Youth Council or Federation. It focuses heavily on other independent bodies (Devolution Commission, Independent Security Oversight, etc.) but ignores the institutional vehicle for youth development.
• Analysis: This is a major strategic failure. Without a constitutionally protected youth body, youth issues will remain subject to the whims of the Executive and the Ministry of the day. The CRC missed the opportunity to create a permanent “voice of conscience” for the youth within the Constitution.

4. The “Youth Chapter” and Definition

• Youth Demand: ALC 3 proposed a specific “Chapter X: The Youth of Ghana” to explicitly define youth (15-35 years, per the African Youth Charter) and enshrine specific rights to education, employment, and political participation.
• CRC Recommendation: The CRC focused on general human rights (Chapter 6), women’s right, children’s right, person’s with disability rights and social protection but did not recommend a dedicated Youth Chapter or a constitutional definition of youth.
• Analysis: By failing to define “youth” or dedicate a chapter to them, the CRC leaves the demographic dividend to chance. Countries like Kenya (Article 55) have explicitly constitutionalized youth rights. The CRC’s approach leaves youth rights scattered and implicit rather than focused and explicit.

The Imperative for Youth-Friendly Constitution: Emulating Best Practices

The reluctance to fully “Youth-Friendlize” the constitution is a deviation from the progressive trajectory seen across the continent. Ghana risks lagging behind its peers if it treats youth issues as mere policy rather than constitutional law.

• Kenya (2010 Constitution): Article 55 explicitly obligates the State to take measures, including affirmative action, to ensure youth have access to education, training, and representation. They have reserved seats in Parliament.
• Uganda: Has successfully implemented a quota system with dedicated Youth MPs and a National Youth Council integrated into the governance structure.
• Rwanda: The National Youth Council is constitutionally recognized, electing representatives to the legislature, ensuring that youth perspectives are baked into every law passed.
• The African Youth Charter: Ratified by Ghana, it mandates youth participation. Our constitution must reflect this international commitment by domesticating these requirements into the supreme law.

Why We Cannot Wait

As a Coalition, We submit that a “Developmental Democracy” as envisioned by the CRC is impossible without the active, constitutionally guaranteed participation of the primary agents of development—the youth. We cannot build the future for the youth; we must build it with them. Therefore, we propose the following decisive amendments to the CRC’s draft for the President’s consideration:

1. Enshrine a Dedicated Youth Chapter or Clause

We must move beyond implied rights. The Constitution must include a specific article, preferably under the Directive Principles of State Policy or the Fundamental Human Rights, titled “The Rights and Obligations of the Youth.” This section must explicitly define “Youth” as persons between the ages of 15 and 35 years, define the Youth Council (Federation), and it mandates, the Ministry of Youth and agencies under it aligning our supreme law with the African Youth Charter and preventing the manipulation of the term for political convenience.

2. Constitutional Establishment of the Ghana Youth Federation (GYF)

To end the cycle of politicization of youth agencies, we recommend the constitutional establishment of the Ghana Youth Federation (or Council). This body must be granted autonomy and security of tenure. Leadership elected by the membership of the Youth through It Charter. It should serve as the apex body for youth, charged with monitoring youth policy, representing youth interests in national dialogue, and acting as the unshakeable voice of conscience for the youth of Ghana.

3. Institutionalised Quota System (The 30% Rule)

Tokenism in local government appointments is insufficient. We demand a constitutional provision that mandates a minimum 30% quota for youth representation in – Consider the Proportional Representation Governance:

• Parliament: Through a mixed-member proportional system or reserved seats.
• The Executive: Cabinet and Ministerial appointments.
• The Council of State: The reformed Council of State proposed by the CRC (Section 4.2) lists representatives for Industry, Labour, and Faith but omits Youth. We demand that two representatives of the Ghana Youth Federation be explicitly added to the composition of the Council of State.
• State-Owned Enterprises: The proposed “SIGA” constitutional body must be mandated to ensure youth representation on all SOE boards.

4. Entrenchment of the Ministry of Youth

To prevent the relegation of youth issues, the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment must be entrenched as a principal ministry with a dedicated funding stream drawn from the Consolidated Fund, ensuring that youth development is not treated as a secondary fiscal priority.

Conclusion

The CRC Report is a scaffold for a better Ghana, but without these youth-centric modifications, it is a scaffold built on shifting sands. The youth are not a special interest group; we are the demographic reality of this nation. To the President of the Republic, I submit: let this constitutional review be the moment Ghana stops speaking about the future and starts empowering it. We must be bold, we must be deliberate, and we must be Youth-Friendly in our approach and dealings. The time for gradualism is over.

About the Author

Christopher Wisdom Penu, the writer is an astute leadership Coach and Trainer, the National

Coordinator of Ghana Youth Manifesto Coalition, the Founding President of Royal Africa Generational Thinkers (RAGeT-AFRICA).

He is a youth leadership enthusiast, pan Africanist and advocate, dedicating the last decade of his life in Youth advocacy and policy influencing both at the national level and the local level. For inquiries, you can reach him at: [email protected]

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