CRC proposes 30-year minimum age for presidential candidates

The Constitution Review Committee has put forward a proposal to reduce the minimum age required to contest Ghana’s presidency from 40 years to 30 years.

It describes the move as a step toward widening political participation and aligning leadership eligibility with the country’s youthful population.

The recommendation was announced on Monday, December 22, 2025, when the committee formally presented its report. Speaking at the event, Committee Chair Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh explained that the proposal seeks to amend Article 62(b) of the 1992 Constitution to remove age-related restrictions that limit access to the highest political office.

Beyond the proposed age adjustment, the committee has also recommended changes aimed at strengthening equity and accountability in public office. One of the key proposals calls for amendments to Article 68(5) to ensure that the President’s remuneration and official benefits are subject to taxation, consistent with Ghana’s tax laws. The proposal further states that the President should pay indirect taxes, including import duties on goods and services, under the same conditions as other citizens.

Addressing the broader framework for public sector compensation, Prof. Prempeh noted that the committee is advocating for reforms to Article 71. He stated:
“The Committee recommends an amendment to clauses (1) and (2) of Article 71 to provide that the salaries and allowances and the facilities and privileges available to persons holding public office generally, including the President and the holders of the other offices listed under clauses (1) and (2), shall be determined by the proposed Independent Public Emoluments Commission.”

The Constitution Review Committee was set up by President John Dramani Mahama in January 2025 to undertake a comprehensive review of the 1992 Constitution. The committee is chaired by Prof. Prempeh, who also serves as a Professor of Law and Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).

Its membership includes a mix of legal, academic, and governance experts, among them Justice Sophia Adinyira, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and member of the United Nations Appeals Tribunal; Charlotte Osei, a lawyer and former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission; and Professor Kwame Karikari, a journalism and mass communication scholar. Other members are Dr. Godwin Djokoto, Ibrahim Tanko Amadu, Dr. Esi Ansah, and Dr. Rainer Akumperigeya, who serves as Secretary to the committee.

The committee’s mandate focuses on addressing implementation gaps identified in previous constitutional review processes, including those conducted in 2010 and 2023, with the aim of modernising Ghana’s constitutional governance framework.