Ghana’s government has accepted key constitutional reform proposals that would extend the presidential term from four years to five and reduce the minimum age for presidential candidates to 35, marking a significant step in the country’s ongoing constitutional review process.

The reforms were announced on Thursday after the Constitution Review Committee submitted its final report to President John Dramani Mahama, who established the committee in 2025 to recommend amendments to the country’s 1992 Constitution.

Speaking to journalists, Ghana’s Minister of Justice, Dominic Ayine, confirmed that the government had endorsed the proposal to lengthen the tenure of both the President and Parliament.

“The government has accepted the recommendation to extend the term of office of the president from four years to five years,” Ayine said.

The committee also proposed increasing the tenure of Parliament from four years to five years to ensure both arms of government operate on the same electoral cycle.

Although the review panel recommended lowering the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 30 years, the government opted for a more conservative approach by reducing it to 35.

According to the Constitution Review Committee, the current four-year tenure limits the ability of elected governments to fully implement their programmes, as much of the first year is consumed by appointments and policy transitions, while the final year is often dominated by electioneering.

The committee argued that a five-year term would provide administrations with more time to execute development plans and improve democratic accountability through more effective governance.

Ghana, widely regarded as one of Africa’s most stable democracies since returning to constitutional rule in 1992, has held regular democratic elections and peaceful transfers of power over the past three decades.

Despite the government’s approval of the recommendations, the proposed constitutional amendments will not take immediate effect. Under Ghanaian law, the reforms must first secure public endorsement through a national referendum scheduled for 2027.

The referendum will require strict voter turnout and approval thresholds before the proposed constitutional changes can become law.

If approved by voters, the reforms would represent one of the most significant constitutional changes in Ghana since the country’s return to multi-party democracy. (The Sun)

Update news