Ghana’s government has agreed to major changes to the country’s 1992 constitution, including extending the presidency from four years to five.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Dominic Awine announced the decision on Thursday. The move follows recommendations from a constitutional review committee set up last year by President John Dramani Mahama.
According to the government, the longer term is meant to give new administrations more room to work. “The early months of every administration are consumed by transition matters, and the final year is largely consumed by elections,” Awine said. Parliament’s term will also be extended to match the new five-year presidential cycle.
On candidate eligibility, the government accepted the idea of lowering the minimum age to run for president. The current requirement is 40. The review committee had proposed 30, but the government settled on 35 instead.
Other changes accepted include shifting presidential elections to the first week of November. Officials said this will create a bigger gap between voting and the January 7 inauguration.
The next steps: a new committee will draft two amendment bills, with a target of October 2026. The bill on term limits will then go to a national referendum in 2027.
For that referendum to succeed, at least 40% of registered voters must take part, and at least 75% must vote yes.
The review was ordered by Mahama after the 2024 elections. He was 66 at the time he spoke with Reuters in Accra in December.
Reporting based on information from Reuters, July 30, 2026.
