Ghana’s government has approved plans to extend the presidential term from four to five years, as part of proposed reforms to the country’s 1992 Constitution.
The announcement was made by Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine, who said the tenure of Parliament would also be extended to align with the new presidential term.
President John Dramani Mahama established a constitutional review committee last year, which submitted several recommendations, some of which have now been accepted by the government. According to Ayine, the longer tenure would allow administrations more time to implement policies, noting that early periods are often spent on transition activities, while election preparations dominate the final year.
The government also backed changes to the eligibility age for presidential candidates, reducing it from the current 40 years. However, it settled on 35 years instead of the committee’s proposed 30-year minimum.
Other approved reforms include moving presidential elections to the first week of November to create more time between voting and the January 7 inauguration. A new committee will be formed to prepare two amendment bills expected by October 2026, with the proposed term limit changes requiring approval through a national referendum in 2027.
The referendum will only succeed if at least 40 percent of registered voters participate, with a minimum of 75 percent voting in favour.
Ghana has maintained a stable democratic system since returning to constitutional rule in 1992.‎
