Mahama Backs Sweeping Constitutional Overhaul with Five-Year Terms and Elected MMDCEs

The Mahama administration has unveiled an ambitious package of constitutional reforms that could fundamentally reshape Ghana’s governance architecture, endorsing proposals to extend presidential and parliamentary terms to five years, expand Parliament to 300 seats, elect all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and constitutionally cap the number of ministers at 60.

The proposals, contained in the government’s White Paper on the Constitutional Review Committee’s report, represent the most comprehensive attempt to reform the 1992 Constitution in more than three decades. The reforms now require parliamentary approval and, for entrenched provisions, a national referendum expected to coincide with the 2027 District Assembly elections.

Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine said the government accepted the recommendation that both the President and Parliament serve five-year terms, arguing that the current four-year cycle leaves little time for effective governance after transitions and election-related activities.

Among the headline reforms is the expansion of Parliament from 276 to 300 members. The additional 24 seats would be filled through proportional representation and reserved for women, persons with disabilities and young people, in a bid to broaden representation in the legislature.

The government also endorsed lowering the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35 years, opening the country’s highest office to a younger generation of political leaders.

In a major shift in local governance, the administration rejected a phased approach to decentralisation in favour of the direct election of all MMDCEs. Under the proposed model, the President would nominate five candidates, including at least two women, before three candidates—one of whom must be a woman—contest local elections.

The White Paper also supports removing constitutional barriers preventing dual citizens from serving as Members of Parliament or occupying several high public offices, while proposing that the President pay taxes on salaries and allowances by ending the office’s blanket tax exemption.

To curb executive expansion, the government endorsed a constitutional cap of 60 ministers, slightly above the committee’s recommended ceiling of 57.

Institutional reforms extend to the judiciary, where the Chief Justice would serve a single non-renewable 10-year term or until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70, while the Supreme Court would be limited to 19 justices.

The administration also accepted proposals to abolish the death penalty, replacing capital punishment with life imprisonment, and establish an independent Public Emoluments Commission to determine remuneration for Article 71 office holders.

In another significant structural change, the Office of the Attorney-General would be separated from the Cabinet. A standalone Ministry of Justice would oversee justice-sector administration, while the Attorney-General would focus exclusively on criminal prosecutions and legal advice with enhanced security of tenure.

The White Paper further embraces reforms aimed at deepening internal party democracy by requiring all members in good standing to vote in presidential and parliamentary primaries, reflecting the Supreme Court’s recent ruling against delegate-only electoral systems.

With constitutional amendment bills expected by October 2026 and a referendum planned for 2027, the reforms could usher in a new era of governance, decentralisation and institutional accountability, subject to parliamentary approval and the verdict of Ghanaian voters.