Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, has called for a national discussion on extending Ghana’s presidential term. She said the current four-year mandate is too short for any government to achieve lasting progress.
Ms. Muslim said the short political cycle causes instability and wasteful spending. She explained that frequent elections make it hard for governments to plan and deliver long-term results. “The four-year term is wholly insufficient if we are truly to change the path of our development,” she stated. “Expensive elections that start soon after another ends are not a practical way to manage scarce resources.”
She noted that new governments spend the first year on appointments and the rest preparing for elections. “Year one is spent making appointments, and by year two, people already talk about the next election,” she said.
Ms. Muslim warned that repeated elemight lead to abuse of power but said constitutional reforms could ensure accountability.
“Even if we do not extend term limits, political parties should be allowed to keep a performing leader for more than two terms if citizens agree,” she suggested.
She stressed that voters remain the ultimate check on power. “If we have a bad president, we simply don’t vote for that person again,” she said.
Ms. Muslim added that keeping capable leaders longer could give governments up to 15 years to deliver steady progress. However, she cautioned that a longer stay in office does not always mean good leadership. “Citizens must use their power to demand change when leadership fails,” she said.
She urged policymakers to use the ongoing constitutional review to rethink Ghana’s governance system. “It would be harmful to the country if we fail to have this conversation,” she concluded.
