Ghana’s government has accepted a proposal to extend the presidential term from four to five years, following a review of the 1992 constitution by a committee established last year by President John Dramani Mahama. Parliament’s tenure will also be extended to match the new presidential term.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr. Dominic Ayine explained the rationale directly: “Under the current four-year cycle, the early months of every administration are consumed by transition matters, and the final year is largely consumed by elections. A five-year term provides a more realistic time frame for the formulation, implementation and assessment of government policy.”
The government also accepted the committee’s recommendation to lower the minimum age for presidential candidates, settling on 35 rather than the 30 proposed by the committee, and agreed to hold presidential elections in the first week of November to ensure an adequate gap between polls and the 7th of January inauguration date.
Dr. Ayine clarified that the proposed changes, if approved through the constitutional amendment process, would apply to future presidents and not the current administration.
The next steps will involve parliamentary approval and, for some provisions, a national referendum. Ghana has maintained one of Africa’s most stable democratic systems since 1992. These are the most significant proposed changes to the country’s constitutional architecture in decades.
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