By Emelia B. Addae
Koforidua, Aug. 5, GNA – A constituency executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has backed proposals to extend presidential and parliamentary terms to five years, arguing the reform would strengthen governance, accountability and policy implementation.
Mr John Nyakpo, a Constituency Executive Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ofoase/Ayirebi Constituency of the Eastern Region, welcomed the government’s acceptance of a proposal to extend the tenure of the President and Members of Parliament from four to five years.
He said Ghana’s democracy had matured to a stage where key aspects of the country’s governance structure required review to improve policy implementation and accelerate national development.
Mr Nyakpo, who is also an educationist, made the remarks in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) following the government’s acceptance of the Constitution Review Committee’s recommendation for five-year presidential and parliamentary terms.
The government’s position was announced by Dr Dominic Ayine, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, at a news conference in Accra on the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee.
Mr Nyakpo noted that the current four-year constitutional mandate for the Executive and Legislature was insufficient for governments to fully implement their development programmes.
“The current four-year mandate is not enough for any government to fully realise its development agenda,” he said.
He observed that Ghana’s democratic experience showed that many flagship government programmes achieved their full impact only during a second term, which strengthens the case for a longer first mandate.
Mr Nyakpo stated that the proposed extension would enable governments to plan and execute development programmes within a single term rather than leaving major projects for completion after re-election.
He noted that the existing arrangement often encouraged governments to prioritise securing a second mandate before fully delivering on their development commitments.
“Most governments use that argument as a basis to seek a second term in office. However, a second-term mandate should be earned through performance and not mere political rhetoric,” he stated.
Mr Nyakpo observed that a five-year tenure would place greater responsibility on political office holders to deliver on campaign promises within a reasonable timeframe.
He said the proposal would also strengthen accountability by requiring governments and Members of Parliament to demonstrate measurable achievements before seeking another electoral mandate.
“A five-year term means that upon assumption of office, leaders must do everything possible to achieve their targets within that period instead of leaving backlogs for a second term. If they satisfy the expectations of the people, they can then seek re-election with a new vision,” he said.
Mr Nyakpo said Members of Parliament would equally benefit from the proposed reform because it would provide adequate time to implement constituency development programmes and respond more effectively to the needs of their constituents.
He expressed optimism that, if approved through the appropriate constitutional process, the reform would deepen democratic governance, promote policy continuity and support Ghana’s socio-economic development.
GNA
Editing by D.I. Laary/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Emelia B. Addae
Email: [email protected]