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The government has accepted a recommendation by the Constitutional Review Committee to extend the tenure of the President and Members of Parliament from four years to five years.
The proposal is part of a broader package of constitutional reforms aimed at improving governance and giving elected governments more time to implement their programmes.
Government supports five-year term
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, announced the government’s position at a press conference at the Presidency on Thursday, July 30, shortly after the Constitutional Review Committee presented its final report to President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House.
According to Dr Ayine, the government believes a five-year mandate would provide a more practical period for governments to formulate, implement and assess policies.
He argued that the current four-year electoral cycle leaves administrations with limited time to fully execute their programmes because of transition periods and election-related activities.
“Under the current four-year cycle, the early months of every administration are consumed by transition and the final year is consumed by election.”
Dr Ayine said extending the presidential term to five years, with Parliament’s term extended accordingly, would create a more realistic timeframe for governments to deliver on their promises.
Constitutional reforms
The proposal forms part of the final report of the Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh.
The committee presented its report to President Mahama on Thursday, outlining several recommendations for reviewing Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The proposed reforms cover various aspects of governance, including the structure and powers of state institutions and the tenure of elected public officials.
The government’s acceptance of the five-year term recommendation does not by itself change the Constitution. The proposal would have to go through the required constitutional amendment process before it can take effect.
Why the five-year term is being proposed
The government says the proposed extension is intended to reduce the disruption caused by Ghana’s frequent election cycle and give administrations more time to focus on governance.
Under the existing four-year term, governments typically spend their early months managing the transition into office, while the latter part of the term becomes increasingly focused on election preparations.
A five-year term, according to the government, would allow more time for policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.
The recommendation is expected to form part of the wider national discussion on proposed amendments to Ghana’s constitutional framework.
