Ghana political actors reject proposed five-year presidential term

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected a proposal to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years. The party argues that the current four-year mandate ensures democratic accountability by allowing citizens to regularly assess government performance and decide whether to renew or withdraw their mandate.

The proposal originated from the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), which submitted its report to President John Dramani Mahama in December 2025. The government has accepted the recommendation to extend both presidential and parliamentary terms, arguing that the current four-year cycle does not provide sufficient time to develop and implement policies.

Critics, including former Director of the Ghana School of Law Kweku Ansa-Asare, have expressed concerns regarding the timing and potential for corruption. Ansa-Asare noted that the fast-tracked process could overlap with the 2028 election year and warned that an extended term could provide more opportunities for the abuse of public resources.