Constitution review committee proposes five-year presidential term, rules out third term

The Constitution Review Committee has recommended extending Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that the additional year would give governments more time to govern effectively.

Presenting the Committee’s report to President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, December 22, the Committee’s chairman, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, stressed that the proposal does not include a third-term option for presidents.

According to him, the Committee found no public demand or political support for a third presidential term.

“We could not find any basis for a third term for the President,” Prof. Prempeh said, noting that President Mahama himself is not in favour of such an arrangement. He explained that the Committee deliberately avoided reopening debates on term limits and instead focused on measures to enhance governance efficiency.

Prof. Prempeh said the Committee was influenced by submissions from several eminent individuals, including former presidents, who argued that a four-year term is too short to deliver meaningful governance outcomes.

He added that the Committee also observed that a five-year presidential term is increasingly becoming the global norm.

The report further highlighted concerns that a substantial portion of a four-year term is lost to administrative transition and electioneering.

“The argument is that a President spends about six months settling into office and almost a year campaigning,” Prof. Prempeh explained.

To address this challenge, 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. The goal, he said, is to allow governments sufficient time to implement policies without constant campaign pressure.