Political governance and public sector expert Dr. Daniel Appiah has thrown his weight behind proposals to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, arguing that the current system does not provide enough room for sustained national development.
According to Dr. Appiah, Ghana must carefully reconsider its development model, noting that several countries that successfully transitioned from developing to developed economies did not achieve that transformation solely under short-term democratic cycles.
He argued that countries such as Rwanda, Germany and South Korea pursued long-term development and industrialisation policies that ensured continuity in national planning.
“If Ghana wants to move from a developing country to a developed country while maintaining the four-year-term policy, then we may be deceiving ourselves,” he argued, stressing that the country must prioritise industrialisation and long-term national policies.
Dr. Appiah further suggested that Ghana’s development challenges go beyond the length of a four year presidential term.
He identified that Ghana could not develop after the overthrow of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah because we ignored patriotism, competence, meritocracy, the rule of law, civic education, truthfulness and strong institutions as critical values that must guide the country’s governance system.
He also referenced Ghana’s political history, arguing that the country adopted the four-year presidential term under the 1992 Constitution without adequately considering its long-term implications for development.
Dr. Appiah maintained that Ghana needs a governance framework that allows governments sufficient time to implement major policies and infrastructure projects while preserving democratic accountability.
