The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has rejected a proposal to extend the terms of office of Ghana’s President and Members of Parliament from four to five years.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the policy think tank said the existing four-year term provided sufficient time for an elected government to carry out its programme.

The proposal was made by the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh and subsequently accepted by the government on the grounds that a five-year tenure would provide more time for policy formulation, implementation and assessment.

The IEA, however, said there was insufficient justification for extending the tenure of elected officials.

“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.

The IEA acknowledged that the 1992 Constitution had provided the foundation for nine Parliaments, five Presidents and four peaceful transfers of political power. It nevertheless said institutional weaknesses and the excessive concentration of power in the Executive had made constitutional reform necessary.

President John Dramani Mahama established the Prempeh Committee in 2025 to review previous constitutional reform proposals, consult citizens and stakeholders, recommend amendments and develop a roadmap for implementation. The committee undertook nationwide engagements before presenting its recommendations to the President in December 2025.

Following the government’s consideration of the report, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine inaugurated an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee on Friday, August 28, 2026.

The implementation committee, chaired by Presidential Legal Counsel and former Attorney-General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, is mandated to examine the government’s position paper alongside the Prempeh Committee’s report and develop a framework for implementing the accepted proposals.

It is expected to translate the approved recommendations into constitutional amendment bills, legislation, institutional reforms and other practical measures. The first set of bills, particularly those affecting non-entrenched provisions, is expected to be ready for Parliament by November 2026.

The proposed extension of the presidential and parliamentary terms remains a recommendation and would only take effect after completing the constitutionally prescribed amendment process.