Four years should be enough for president to deliver – Ansa-Asare

Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kweku Ansa-Asare, has rejected the proposed extension of Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, describing the move as unnecessary.

According to him, a president who cannot deliver within the existing four-year mandate should not seek the presidency in the first place.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Thursday, September 17, Mr Ansa-Asare said he was disappointed with what he described as the government’s decision to fast-track the constitutional review process.

“My initial reaction is one of disappointment in a sense that the government appears to have fast-tracked the process beyond our imagination,” he said.

He said the timing of the proposed constitutional changes was particularly concerning because 2028 is an election year.

“The government is aware that 2028 is an election year, and if it puts in place the process for referendum and all that, it is likely to hit into the election year and go beyond the election,” he said.

Mr Ansa-Asare said he was opposed to the proposed five-year presidential term because, in his view, it could create opportunities for abuse of public resources.

“I have already made my position clear on the five-year presidential term, that it is another way of corruption to enable the president to amass wealth, loot state coffers and all that,” he said.

He argued that extending the mandate would give elected officials an additional year in office without necessarily improving their ability to deliver on their responsibilities.

“Already, the four years, we have seen the corrupt practices of government functionaries. And if we are to extend by another year, by the time we get to another amendment in, say, 20 years’ time, which will increase the term from five years to, say, ten years, we will have no state coffers in this country,” he said.

Mr Ansa-Asare maintained that four years should be sufficient for a president to implement their programme.

“I am opposed to the five years, because if anyone who decides to conduct a presidential election cannot function within four years, then the president has no business entering the race at all,” he said.

He also criticised the practice of presidents and governments taking time after assuming office to develop their policy plans.

“You don’t have to wait until you win, and then you use one year to gather the blueprint for your minister, instead of you to do that before you can get into office,” he said.

“On principle, I’m totally against the five years,” he added.