By Sarah Baafi
The Constitution Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, has recommended a major change to Ghana’s presidential eligibility rules by proposing that the minimum age for a presidential candidate be reduced from forty years to thirty.
The proposal is contained in the Committee’s final report, “Transforming Ghana: From Electoral Democracy to Developmental Democracy,” which was presented to President John Dramani Mahama at the Jubilee House on Monday, December 22.
In its report, the Committee calls for an amendment to Article 62(b) of the 1992 Constitution to “lower the minimum age a person must attain to qualify for election as President from forty years to thirty years.”
Members argue that the change would open up the country’s highest office to a younger generation of leaders, in line with broader efforts to make Ghana’s democracy more inclusive and responsive to the aspirations of its youthful population.
The proposal forms part of a wider package of reforms aimed at creating what the Committee describes as a more “effective, focused presidency” and a “forward-looking national governance framework.” Government is expected to study the recommendations before deciding on the processes required to translate any agreed changes, including the new presidential age threshold, into constitutional amendments.
