By Ashiadey Dotse
Former Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim, has expressed strong support for a proposed five-year presidential term, backing a key recommendation by the Constitutional Review Committee.
Speaking in an interview on GTV Breakfast Show on Friday, May 15, 2026, Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim said the proposal to extend the presidential term from four to five years would give governments enough time to effectively implement policies and programmes.
Her comments come on the back of the committee’s recommendation, which argues that the current four-year term does not provide sufficient time for governments to deliver on their mandates. The proposal, according to the committee, is aimed at improving governance efficiency and does not include any provision for a third term.
She explained that Ghana’s democracy is still evolving and cannot be compared with older democracies that have operated under shorter term limits for more than a century.
She noted that the current system often creates early political pressure, as individuals begin campaigning to succeed the president shortly after elections, thereby dividing attention from governance.
“If the president has five years, by the second year there will be less pressure from people positioning themselves to take over,” she stated.
Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim also commended the ongoing constitutional review process, stressing the need to implement recommendations from both past and present committees.
She recalled that previous review exercises produced valuable proposals that were never acted upon, warning that failure to implement recommendations could erode public confidence in such processes.
The former CPP chairperson further cautioned against grouping multiple constitutional issues into a single referendum, saying it could confuse voters and lead to uninformed decisions.
Beyond the presidential term debate, she called for a clear separation between the roles of Members of Parliament and ministers, insisting that MPs should focus on lawmaking rather than development projects.
She also advocated for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), noting that it would enhance accountability and promote development at the local level.
Hajia Hamdatu Ibrahim concluded that a five-year presidential term would allow leaders to focus on key national priorities and deliver meaningful results before returning to the electorate for another mandate.
