The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has rejected a proposal to extend the tenure of Ghana’s President and Members of Parliament from four years to five years.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the policy think tank argued that the existing four-year mandate provides sufficient time for an elected government to implement its programme.
The proposal to extend the tenure was contained in recommendations by the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh.
Also read: Oppong Nkrumah suffers another setback as Supreme Court rejects legal vacation warrant review bid
The government subsequently accepted the proposal, citing the need to give governments more time to formulate, implement and assess policies.
The IEA, however, disagreed with the justification, insisting that extending the tenure of elected officials requires stronger evidence that the current four-year mandate is inadequate.
“The IEA disagrees. Four years is sufficient for an elected government to implement its programme,” the Institute stated.
“Extending the tenure of elected officials should not be undertaken without much more cogent and compelling evidence that the existing four-year mandate is inadequate,” it added.
While opposing the proposed five-year tenure, the IEA acknowledged the contribution of the 1992 Constitution to Ghana’s democratic development.
According to the Institute, the Constitution has provided the foundation for nine Parliaments, five Presidents and four peaceful transfers of political power.
It nevertheless argued that Ghana’s constitutional framework has institutional weaknesses that require attention.
The IEA particularly cited what it described as the excessive concentration of power in the Executive as an area requiring constitutional reform.
The Institute therefore maintained that constitutional reform should focus on addressing weaknesses in governance and strengthening democratic institutions rather than extending the tenure of elected officials without compelling justification.
President John Dramani Mahama established the Constitution Review Committee in 2025 under the chairmanship of Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh.
The committee was tasked with reviewing previous constitutional reform proposals, consulting citizens and stakeholders, making recommendations for amendments and developing a roadmap for implementation.
It subsequently undertook nationwide consultations before presenting its recommendations to President Mahama in December 2025.
Following consideration of the committee’s report, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine inaugurated an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee on Friday, August 28, 2026.
The committee is chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel and former Attorney-General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong.
The implementation committee has been tasked with examining the government’s position paper alongside the Prempeh Committee’s report and developing a framework for implementing the accepted recommendations.
Its work is expected to translate approved proposals into constitutional amendment bills, legislation, institutional reforms and other practical measures.
The first set of bills, particularly those concerning non-entrenched provisions of the Constitution, is expected to be ready for presentation to Parliament by November 2026.
However, the proposed extension of the presidential and parliamentary terms is not yet law.
The recommendation would have to go through the constitutionally prescribed amendment process before it could take effect.
The IEA’s position adds to the ongoing national debate over the proposed constitutional reforms and the appropriate length of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary mandates.
Myjoyonline