Government Accepts Five-Year Presidential Term Under Proposed Constitutional Reforms

The government has accepted a proposal to extend the tenure of Ghana’s president and members of Parliament from four years to five years as part of a broader package of constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening governance and improving policy implementation.

Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, announced the decision while outlining the government’s response to recommendations made by the Constitutional Review Committee.

According to him, the government believes a five-year term would provide a more realistic period for elected governments to implement their policies and deliver on their development agenda before returning to the electorate.

The proposal forms part of a wider constitutional reform process intended to modernise Ghana’s governance framework. The reforms are expected to go through the constitutional amendment process before they can take effect.

Under Ghana’s 1992 constitution, both the president and parliament currently serve four-year terms and may seek re-election in accordance with constitutional provisions.

Any amendment affecting entrenched constitutional provisions would require additional constitutional procedures, including approval by the electorate where applicable.

Dr Ayine also clarified that the government’s response to the Constitutional Review Committee’s report should not be regarded as a white paper.

Instead, he said it represents the government’s policy position on the committee’s recommendations, which will guide the preparation of constitutional amendment bills for Parliament’s consideration.

The proposed extension is among several governance reforms being considered. Others include reducing the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35 years, limiting the size of Parliament to a maximum of 300 members and introducing other institutional reforms aimed at improving democratic governance and public administration.