Kufuor renews calls for extension of 4-year presidential term

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has renewed calls for an extension of the tenure of presidents, saying the framers of the 1992 constitution may have overlooked the fact that a four year presidency is not enough for effective development.

According to him, the constraints of leading a developing nation like Ghana require more than four years to make any meaningful impact in terms of development.

Former President Kufuor reiterated the comment at the International Conference of African Philosophy and studies at the University of Ghana on the theme “Democracy; Justice and Development in Africa: 50 Years after Independence”.

Just before he ended his tenure in 2008, Mr. Kufuor suggested that the presidential term should be increased to five years. But speaking at the ceremony, he indicated that a six-year term would even be preferable.

In his last address to Parliament after two four-year terms, he opened a debate about the presidential tenure when he suggested that five-year tenure would be more suitable for the African situation than the four-year system which he says we simply copied from the American democracy.

According to the former President, “If the framers of the constitution had really addressed the issue of development for our young struggling communities, I am sure copying the American four years wouldn’t have been part of the constitution.”

“But we just went in there, talked about multi-party democracy, set four-year terms and said if people chose and proposed a government and other things, that would be the end of it making it seem like we expect much development, much transformation within four years of governance.”

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