The government has accepted a recommendation to amend Ghana’s Constitution to extend the tenure of the President and Members of Parliament from four years to five years, a move it says will allow governments more time to implement and evaluate their policies.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, announced the government’s position on Thursday, July 30, after the Constitutional Review Committee presented its final report to President John Dramani Mahama at Jubilee House.
Presenting the government’s White Paper on the committee’s recommendations, Dr. Ayine said the proposed constitutional amendment is aimed at improving governance by giving elected governments sufficient time to formulate, execute and assess their development agenda before facing the electorate.
“The government has accepted a recommendation to extend the term of office of the President from four years to five years, with the term of Parliament extended to correspond with this,” Dr. Ayine stated.
He explained that the current four-year electoral cycle often limits governments’ ability to fully implement their programmes, arguing that a five-year term would promote continuity, enhance policy effectiveness and support long-term national development.
If approved through the required constitutional amendment process, the proposal would mark one of the most significant governance reforms in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
