By: Ashiadey Dotse
Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, has announced that the Committee is proposing an extension of Ghana’s presidential term from four years to five years to allow governments more time to govern effectively.
Presenting the Committee’s report in Accra on Monday, December 22, 2025, Professor Prempeh clarified that the proposal does not include a third-term option for presidents. He said the Committee found no public demand or political appetite for a third term, adding that even President John Dramani Mahama is not in favour of it.
According to him, the Committee deliberately avoided reopening debates on presidential term limits and focused instead on improving governance efficiency. He noted that several eminent Ghanaians, including former presidents, made submissions to the Committee, arguing that four years is not enough for meaningful governance.
Professor Prempeh said the Committee also observed that the emerging global standard for presidential tenure is five years. He explained that under the current four-year term, a significant amount of time is lost to administrative transition and electioneering.
He noted that a president spends about six months settling into office and nearly a year campaigning for re-election, leaving limited time for policy implementation.
To address this, the Committee has proposed regulating campaign seasons to reduce prolonged political activities that distract from governance. The goal, he said, is to give governments adequate time to implement policies without constant campaign pressure.
The Committee’s recommendations form part of ongoing efforts to review Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
