Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has backed a proposal to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that the current arrangement does not give governments enough time to implement their development plans.
In an interview with JoyNews’ Evans Mensah on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Kufuor said an additional year would allow governments to focus on their programmes before turning their attention to the next general election.
“Four years is too short for a young nation that is trying to develop,” he said.
According to the former president, the fourth year of a government’s tenure is often dominated by election campaigns, leaving little room for sustained attention to development projects.
He argued that a five-year term would give governments four years to implement their policies, with the fifth year serving as the period for electioneering.
“… fourth year is an election year, election year anywhere in the world is a mud 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? Fourth year, if the government is good, the people will know, and then the fifth year is election year, allowing the politicians,” he noted.
Kufuor, who served as president from 2001 to 2009, said his position was informed by his experience in office and was not intended to extend his own stay in power.
“I believe in the two terms (a system that allows an individual to become president for two separate 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 added.
His comments come despite opposition to the proposal from his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Kufuor, however, said he remained committed to his position even if the party disagreed with him.
“Now I say five years, if for whatever reason my party (NPP) says no, that is their point of view,” he emphasised.
The proposal forms part of Ghana’s ongoing constitutional review discussions. Any change to the presidential term would require the necessary constitutional amendment process before it could take effect.
@gistupdates1Kufuor declares stance on 5-year presidential term
Source: Ghanaweb
