Ghana’s government has endorsed proposals to extend the presidential term of office from four years to five and lower the minimum age for candidates to 35, Justice Minister Dominic Ayine said.
The changes form part of the government’s response to recommendations from a Constitution Review Committee established by President John Dramani Mahama. Parliament’s term would also rise to five years so that both arms of government share the same electoral cycle.
“The government has accepted the recommendation to extend the term of office of the president from four years to five years,” Ayine told journalists. He explained that the current four-year cycle leaves limited time for governance, with the early months taken up by transition matters and the final year dominated by election campaigning.
A five-year term, he said, would give administrations a more realistic period to formulate, implement and assess policies. The committee had proposed cutting the presidential eligibility age from 40 to 30, but the government settled on 35 as a balance between broader youth participation and the need for maturity and experience.
The reforms will not take effect immediately. They require parliamentary approval and must then pass a national referendum, expected in 2027, that demands both high voter turnout and a strong majority in favour. Officials have stressed that any changes would apply only to future presidents and parliaments.
Ghana has maintained multi-party democracy and peaceful transfers of power since returning to constitutional rule in 1992. The proposed amendments rank among the most significant constitutional adjustments under consideration in the West African nation in recent decades.
