Ghana’s government has given the green light to a proposal that would lengthen the presidential term from four years to five, the cabinet announced Thursday.
The recommendation emerged from a review of the 1992 Constitution carried out by a committee President John Dramani Mahama established last year. Alongside the presidential term extension, the government also endorsed stretching Parliament’s tenure to match the new five-year cycle.
Officials argue the extra time is warranted because transitions and elections themselves eat into an administration’s runway, leaving less time to actually deliver on campaign promises.
On candidate eligibility, the government partially embraced the committee’s push to open the presidency to younger contenders agreeing to drop the minimum age from 40 to 35, rather than the 30 the committee had originally floated.
It also backed a proposal to shift presidential elections to the first week of November, creating a wider buffer between voting day and the January 7 inauguration.
Before any of this takes effect, the term-limits bill must clear several legislative hurdles ahead of a national referendum slated for 2027. To pass, the vote needs turnout from at least 40% of registered voters, with at least 75% of those who show up voting in favor.
Story by : Emmanuel Nettey
