TUC backs five-year presidential term, calls for reforms to strengthen governance

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has backed the proposed extension of Ghana’s presidential tenure from four to five years but says the change must be accompanied by reforms to strengthen governance and public confidence in the democratic system.

TUC Secretary General Joshua Ansah said the union supports the extension only as part of a broader package of constitutional reforms aimed at improving the quality of governance.

“The TUC draws attention to the fact that in the event of misgovernance, a five-year tenure also means citizens will have to endure the consequences for a longer period than under the current dispensation,” Mr Ansah said.

He added that extending the tenure without implementing complementary reforms would not address the concerns surrounding Ghana’s governance system.

“In other words, this recommendation is tied to other recommendations that are intended to strengthen and improve governance. One cannot, therefore, merely agree to tenure extension and leave everything else the same,” he said.

Mr. Ansah made the remarks at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, where the TUC presented its position on the review of the 1992 Constitution, the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee and the government’s response.

President John Dramani Mahama initiated the latest constitutional review process in January 2025 when he appointed an eight-member committee chaired by Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh to undertake a comprehensive review of the 1992 Constitution.

The committee was formally inaugurated on January 30, 2025, and tasked with engaging stakeholders and making recommendations for constitutional reforms.

After extensive consultations, the committee submitted its final report to President Mahama on December 22, 2025, recommending, among other reforms, that the presidential and parliamentary terms be extended from four to five years.

The government subsequently considered the recommendations, with Cabinet completing its review in July 2026. The Attorney-General was then tasked with preparing the government’s position on the proposals.

On July 30, 2026, the government formally presented its position on the recommendations and accepted the proposed five-year presidential and parliamentary terms, arguing that the longer period would provide more time to formulate, implement and assess government policies.

The process has since moved to implementation. In August 2026, an 11-member Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) was inaugurated under the chairmanship of Presidential Legal Counsel Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew to examine the government’s position alongside the committee’s recommendations and develop a framework for implementing the accepted reforms.

The TUC also supports proposals to amend Article 70 to reduce the President’s appointment powers, although it agrees with the government that the categories proposed by the review committee require clearer definition.

“The TUC will work with the Constitution Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) as it develops a more appropriate and practical classification system for limiting the appointment powers of the President,” Mr Ansah said.

He argued that reducing partisan influence over key independent constitutional bodies would strengthen their independence and improve public confidence in those institutions.

The union’s position forms part of its broader response to the proposed constitutional changes, with the TUC calling for reforms that strengthen accountability, democratic institutions and effective governance rather than focusing on tenure extension alone.