Former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has strongly criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for appointing Henry Kwasi Prempeh as Chair of the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), warning that the decision could have serious political consequences ahead of the 2028 elections.
In an unfiltered open letter published by MyNewsGH, Amidu voiced his concerns about Prempeh’s political and ideological affiliations. He argued that the core issue facing Ghana isn’t the Constitution or the Council of State, but rather “We the People”—particularly the educated political elite and middle class, whom he accused of betraying the nation’s constitutional values for personal and partisan interests.
Amidu also questioned Prempeh’s impartiality, pointing to his ties with institutions such as the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), suggesting that these affiliations warrant scrutiny in the context of constitutional reform.
“The timing of the IEA facilitation process and the intervention of the Chairman of the CRC… gives one the impression that the IEA forum is being used for ideological partisan politics once again.”
He did not mince words about the historical role of these NGOs in Ghana’s political landscape, stating: “The IEA was established in 1989 to facilitate the demise of the PNDC and later the NDC governments. The CDD-Ghana emerged in 1998 out of the IEA with the assistance of the political officer at United States Embassy… They have a clear geopolitical agenda under the cover of NGOs.”
According to Amidu, Kwasi Prempeh’s recent comments advocating reform of the Council of State are steeped in contradiction.
“Did the inadequacies of the Council of State show only after 7 January 2025?” he asked, pointing out that Prempeh himself served under President Akufo-Addo’s administration without raising such objections.
Amidu, who was a member of the 1991 Consultative Assembly that drafted the 1992 Constitution, defended the Council of State as a deliberate creation meant to mediate among Ghana’s three arms of government.
“The framers of the 1992 Constitution intended that all public office holders would uphold their oath of office and act with honour and integrity… the constitutional document depends solely on human actors and agency for its viability.”
He warned that the NDC’s decision to place trust in Prempeh could echo past mistakes. “The NDC has chosen to utilize the four-year term of President John Dramani Mahama to sup with the devil by appointing Henry Kwasi Prempeh… I only pray that the NDC has a long spoon.”
With the 2028 elections on the horizon, Amidu invoked an old Akan proverb: “Aboa bi beka wo a, na ofiiri wo ntoma mu” – meaning, if an insect bites you, it’s already inside your cloth. He concluded with a word of caution to the NDC: “A stitch in time saves nine. A word to the wise is in the north.”
