Ghana Approves Extension of Presidential Term to Five Years
The Ghanaian government has accepted a key recommendation of the Constitutional Review Committee to extend the presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years. Justice Minister Dominic Ayine said the change will apply only to future presidents and parliaments, not to the current administration of President John Dramani Mahama, and is intended to give elected officials more time for policy implementation.
The government also endorsed a revised age qualification for presidential candidates, lowering the minimum from 40 to 35 years, and proposed moving presidential elections to the first week of November. The reforms will be drafted into amendment bills by October 2026 and must be approved in a national referendum in 2027, requiring at least 40 % voter turnout and 75 % approval.
Opposition figures, including New Patriotic Party officials and economist Prof. Issac Boadi, have criticised the five‑year term proposal, arguing it could weaken democratic accountability and that Ghana’s political cycle already limits effective governance time.
Entities: Constitutional Review Commission · Constitutional Review Committee · Dominic Ayine · Ghana · John Dramani Mahama · Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo · New Patriotic Party · Prof. Isaac Boadi · Prof. Issac Boadi
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Prof. Isaac Boadi publicly opposed the five‑year presidential term extension, arguing it could weaken democratic accountability. (public comment by economist)
- [● 4 SOURCES] For the referendum to be valid, at least 40 % of registered voters must participate and 75 % of those voting must approve the amendments. (referendum threshold)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Ghanaian government accepted, with modification, to lower the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35 years. (government acceptance of Constitutional Review Committee recommendation)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Attorney General Dominic Ayine announced the government's acceptance of the proposals. (announcement by attorney general)
- [● 4 SOURCES] A national referendum on the constitutional amendments is scheduled for 2027. (government plan for referendum)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Ghanaian government accepted the recommendation to extend the presidential term from four to five years. (government acceptance of Constitutional Review Committee recommendation)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Ghanaian government accepted the recommendation to extend the parliamentary term from four to five years. (government acceptance of Constitutional Review Committee recommendation)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] President John Dramani Mahama appointed the constitutional review committee in 2025. (appointment by president)