The government has backed a recommendation by the Constitutional Review Committee to extend the tenure of the President and Members of Parliament from four years to five years.

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, said the proposal would provide governments with more time to develop, implement and evaluate policies without the disruption caused by frequent election cycles.

Dr Ayine announced the government’s position at a press briefing at the Jubilee House on Thursday, 30 July 2026, after the Constitutional Review Committee submitted its final report to President John Dramani Mahama.

He explained that the current four-year political cycle leaves limited time for administrations to execute their development programmes, as the early months are often spent on transition processes while the final year is dominated by election activities.

“The government has accepted the recommendation to extend the term of office of the president from four years to five years with the term of parliament extended to correspond with this. Our thinking is practical.

“Under the current four-year cycle, the early months of every administration are consumed by transition and the final year is consumed by election. A five-year term provides a more realistic timeframe for the formulation, implementation and the assessment of every government,” Dr Ayine said.

The proposed extension forms part of a broader set of reforms presented by the Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh.

The committee’s report includes recommendations on governance structures, the powers of state institutions and the tenure of elected officials as part of efforts to review aspects of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.