Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, who leads the Constitutional Review Committee, has expressed concerns about Ghanaian laws being outdated. As Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, he stated the nation must update its legal framework because laws created during the 1960s cannot effectively address contemporary criminal activities.
According to the governance advocate, corruption and other crimes persist partly because of outdated and unclear language in national laws. This makes these regulations difficult for regular citizens to understand. He made these remarks during a public lecture held on February 28 in Accra, organized by One Ghana Movement together with UPSA School of Law.
Professor Prempeh explained that laws that cannot be clearly explained often fail to serve their purpose. He stated that current legal tools for addressing corruption are severely outdated. He believes it is impossible to combat corruption effectively in 2025 using legislation passed over six decades ago, calling it shameful that numerous provisions in the Criminal Offences Act remain unchanged since their creation.
He noted significant progress has occurred internationally regarding anti-corruption legal approaches, especially in countries committed to democratic principles and legal standards. Professor Prempeh emphasized the importance of using plain English when creating laws. He believes regulations should be written clearly enough for average citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities without requiring professional legal assistance or interpretation.
According to the governance advocate, corruption and other crimes persist partly because of outdated and unclear language in national laws. This makes these regulations difficult for regular citizens to understand. He made these remarks during a public lecture held on February 28 in Accra, organized by One Ghana Movement together with UPSA School of Law.
Professor Prempeh explained that laws that cannot be clearly explained often fail to serve their purpose. He stated that current legal tools for addressing corruption are severely outdated. He believes it is impossible to combat corruption effectively in 2025 using legislation passed over six decades ago, calling it shameful that numerous provisions in the Criminal Offences Act remain unchanged since their creation.
He noted significant progress has occurred internationally regarding anti-corruption legal approaches, especially in countries committed to democratic principles and legal standards. Professor Prempeh emphasized the importance of using plain English when creating laws. He believes regulations should be written clearly enough for average citizens to understand their rights and responsibilities without requiring professional legal assistance or interpretation.
