The Government has accepted a proposal to extend the tenure of future Presidents and Members of Parliament from four years to five years as part of a broader package of constitutional reform recommendations. The proposal will only take effect if it successfully goes through Ghana’s constitutional amendment process.
The decision forms part of the Government’s White Paper on the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee, which was established to examine key provisions of the 1992 Constitution and propose reforms aimed at strengthening democratic governance.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, said the proposed extension is intended to provide future administrations with more time to implement policies and development programmes before returning to the electorate. He explained that the current four-year cycle often leaves governments with limited time to execute their mandates effectively due to lengthy transition periods and election preparations.
The Government also accepted a recommendation to align the tenure of Parliament with that of the Presidency by extending both to five years. According to officials, synchronising the two terms is expected to improve policy continuity and reduce disruptions associated with frequent election cycles.
In addition, the White Paper endorsed lowering the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 years to 35 years, instead of the 30 years proposed by the Constitution Review Committee. The Government also backed a proposal to move presidential elections to the first week of November to provide more time for electoral processes before the January 7 inauguration.
Constitutional experts say the recommendations could reshape Ghana’s governance framework by giving future governments more time to implement long-term policies while broadening opportunities for younger leaders to seek the country’s highest office. They note, however, that the proposals must undergo the required constitutional procedures before they can become law.
The Government has indicated that the accepted recommendations will now proceed through the constitutional amendment process, where they will be subjected to the necessary legal and public approval procedures before any changes take effect.
BY GBEDEVI DORCAS SELORM