Ghana’s cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal for a five-year presidential term and a decrease the minimum age for candidates to 35.
Ghana, one of Africa’s leading producers of gold and cocoa, has maintained a stable democratic system since 1992.
Last year, President John Dramani Mahama established a committee to review the country’s constitution. The committee submitted its final report to him on Thursday.
Justice Minister Dominic Ayine told journalists that, “The government has accepted the recommendation to extend the term of office of the president from four years to five years.”
The group also recommended extending the parliamentary term to five years to align with the presidential term.
Although the committee suggested lowering the minimum age for presidential candidates to 30, Ayine stated that the government would set the limit at 35 instead.
According to the Constitution Review Committee, a four-year presidential cycle leaves an administration with “a little more than two years” of effective governing time, as appointments consume the first six months and election campaigns consume the final year.
The report stated that a five-year presidential term could strengthen democratic accountability by giving elected governments more time to implement their policies and deliver on campaign promises.
The proposed changes will require approval through a national referendum in 2027, which must meet strict voter turnout and approval thresholds before they can take effect.
Backstory…
The proposal forms part of Ghana’s ongoing constitutional review process, which seeks to modernise aspects of the country’s governance framework more than three decades after the adoption of the 1992 Constitution.
Among the recommendations under consideration are extending the presidential term from four to five years and lowering the minimum age requirement for presidential candidates to encourage broader political participation.
Supporters argue that a five-year tenure would give elected governments more time to implement long-term development policies before returning to the electorate.
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