The Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) has proposed extending Ghana’s presidential term from four years to five years, arguing that the additional year would enhance effective governance.
Presenting the Committee’s report to President John Dramani Mahama on Monday, December 22, CRC Chairman, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, clarified that the recommendation does not include provisions for a third presidential term.
According to Prof. Prempeh, the Committee found no public support or political interest in extending presidential tenure beyond the existing two-term limit. He stressed that the issue of a third term was deliberately excluded from the Committee’s considerations.
“We couldn’t find a place for a third term for the President,” he said, noting that even President Mahama himself does not support such an idea.
The CRC Chairman explained that the Committee intentionally avoided reopening debates on term limits, focusing instead on reforms aimed at improving governance efficiency.
He revealed that submissions from several eminent Ghanaians, including former presidents, consistently pointed to the inadequacy of the four-year term for delivering meaningful results.
Prof. Prempeh further noted a growing international trend toward five-year presidential terms, adding that a significant portion of a four-year mandate is often lost to administrative transitions and election-related activities.
“There was the claim that a President spends about six months settling into office and nearly a year campaigning,” he explained.
To address these concerns, the Committee coupled the proposed term extension with recommendations to regulate campaign periods, with the aim of reducing prolonged political activity that distracts from governance.
The overall objective of the proposal, Prof. Prempeh said, is to provide governments with sufficient time to design, implement and complete policies without the constant pressure of electioneering.
