CRC proposes extending presidential term from four to five years

The Constitution Review Committee has proposed extending Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that a longer tenure would give governments more time to govern effectively.

Presenting the Committee’s report to President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, December 22, the Chairman, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, clarified that the proposal does not include an option for a third presidential term. He said the Committee found no public demand or political support for such an arrangement.
“We couldn’t find a place for a third term for the President,” Prof. Prempeh said, adding that even the President, John Dramani Mahama, himself was not in favour of it. He explained that the Committee deliberately avoided reopening debates around term limits, focusing instead on improving governance efficiency," he said.

According to Prof. Prempeh, the Committee was influenced by submissions from several eminent persons, including former presidents, who argued that a four-year term is inadequate for meaningful governance. He noted that the Committee also observed a growing global trend toward five-year presidential terms.

The report further highlighted concerns that a significant portion of a four-year term is lost to administrative transition and electioneering. Prof. Prempeh explained that presidents often spend several months settling into office and nearly a year campaigning for re-election.

To address these challenges, the Committee paired the proposed term extension with recommendations to regulate campaign periods, with the aim of reducing prolonged political activity that distracts from governance and allowing governments sufficient time to implement their policies.