The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has rejected the Constitutional Review Committee’s (CRC) recommendation to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four years to five years, insisting that the existing four-year mandate should be maintained.
The party said the four-year term remains an important tool for democratic accountability, allowing citizens to regularly assess the performance of an elected government and decide whether to renew or withdraw its mandate.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, September 17, 2026, the Member of Parliament for Gushegu, Sulemana Tampuli Alhassan, said the NPP had taken a different position from both the government and the CRC on the proposed extension.
“The Attorney General informed Ghanaians that the government has accepted that recommendation. Now we have taken a different position from the position of government and the CRC,” he said.
According to him, the NPP does not support the proposed five-year presidential term and instead favours the retention of the current four-year mandate.
“We do not support the extension, and we support the retention of the existing four-year term,” Hon Tampuli stated.
He argued that the proposed change to the election timetable, particularly the rescheduling of presidential elections from December to November, would already provide an incoming administration with additional time to prepare for an orderly transition and assumption of office.
He also maintained that retaining the four-year mandate would strengthen the ability of voters to hold governments accountable.
“A four-year mandate promotes democratic accountability by allowing citizens to regularly assess the performance of a government and renew or withdraw their mandates,” he said.
The NPP’s position comes as discussions continue over the CRC’s recommendations on proposed reforms to Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
