Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has thrown his support behind a proposal to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that the current arrangement leaves governments with limited time to implement policies before election campaigns take centre stage.
The former President said the fourth year of a presidential administration is often dominated by election-related activities, diverting the attention of political leaders from governance and policy delivery.
“The fourth year is an election year. Election year anywhere in the world is a mad year; everybody is going around promising and talking, and then the election comes, and you have to pay something to the voter to put you back. What is the benefit?” he asked.
Also read: NPP haunts Supreme Court over two-term presidential limit
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews on Wednesday, Mr Kufuor, who served as President of Ghana from 2001 to 2009, argued that a five-year presidential term would give governments more time to implement their programmes and demonstrate their performance before seeking another mandate from voters.
He said the additional year could allow citizens to assess the records of incumbent administrations more meaningfully, rather than having governance increasingly overshadowed by preparations for another election.
The former President said his position was informed by his practical experience in government and is not motivated by a desire to extend his own stay in office.
He recalled raising a similar proposal during his final term, specifically in his last State of the Nation Address.
“I believe in the two terms, but four years for a developing young country like ours, and I have gone through the experience, so I spoke from practical experience, and it was my last State of the Nation Address that I brought it up. I didn’t say it to lengthen my stay,” he said.
Mr Kufuor stressed that he remains committed to the principle of a two-term presidential limit but believes each term should be extended from four years to five.
He also acknowledged that his political party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), may hold a different position on the proposal.
“Now I say five years, if for whatever reason my party (NPP) says no, that is their point of view,” he added.
The proposal raises questions about the structure of Ghana’s presidential tenure and the time available to successive administrations to execute development policies and programmes.
Under the 1992 Constitution, the President is elected for a four-year term and may serve a maximum of two terms.
Any extension of the presidential term to five years would therefore require the relevant constitutional amendment process to be completed before the change could take effect.
The debate centres on whether an additional year in office would improve policy implementation, provide greater continuity for development projects and reduce the pressure of frequent election cycles.
Supporters of the proposal argue that a longer term could give governments more time to deliver on campaign promises before returning to the electorate. However, the proposal would also require careful consideration of its implications for democratic accountability and the constitutional framework governing presidential elections.