Constitutional amendment: Five-year presidential, parliamentary terms will weaken accountability – NPP

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected a proposal to extend Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five years, arguing that the longer tenure could weaken democratic accountability.

This comes after the Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, recommended extending the presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five years.

The committee said the current four-year cycle leaves governments with limited time to settle into office, implement policies and prepare for the next election.

The government has subsequently accepted the proposal, with Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, saying a five-year term would provide more time for policy formulation, implementation and assessment

Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Sulemana Tampuli Alhassan, stated the NPP’s position at a press conference on Thursday, September 17.

“The CRC recommended that the presidential term be extended from four to five years. Now, we have taken a different position from the position of government and the CRC. We do not support the extension, and we support the retention of the existing four years," he said.

He said the party had carefully considered the proposed extension and concluded that the current four-year presidential term should be maintained.

The NPP, however, maintains that the longer tenure could reduce the frequency with which elected leaders are required to account to voters.

“Extending the term weakens the principle of regular accountability,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, the party has accepted the proposal to reduce the age limit for Presidential candidates to 30 years, rejecting the 35 years recommended by the government.