The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOSAG) is pushing for a national conversation on extending Ghana’s presidential term, arguing that the current four-year mandate is inadequate for sustainable development.
At a policy forum held in Accra on October 29, 2025, Dr. Daniel Appiah, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, said Ghana’s short presidential cycle disrupts long-term planning and implementation of national projects.
“Ghana currently has the shortest presidential term across the African continent. A developing country cannot use a four-year development cycle to produce magic. If we want real progress, we must insulate the civil and public service from short-term political cycles and reconsider the tenure of presidents,” Dr. Appiah noted.
According to him, frequent changes in government result in abandoned projects, policy reversals, and weak institutional continuity factors that hinder national development.
He stressed that instead of exiting presidents solely based on time limits, performance-based benchmarks should guide leadership evaluation.
“If we don’t review the current system, we should forget achieving anything meaningful,” he said.
Former Head of Civil Service, Nana Agyekum Dwamena, echoed the call, emphasizing that extending presidential tenure could enhance policy consistency and allow major national programmes to mature without political disruptions.
He also highlighted the need for reduced partisan interference in the public service to ensure institutional stability.
“With a longer term, we can pursue sustainable development initiatives without constant political interruptions,” he argued, urging policymakers to reconsider former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s proposal for a seven-year presidential term.
CLOSAG believes that such reforms would strengthen public administration, safeguard national priorities, and accelerate progress. The call for extended tenure is expected to spark fresh debate on constitutional reforms, governance efficiency, and democratic accountability in Ghana.
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Source: Deborah Bubune Ashiagbor/ATLFMNEWS
