Ghana’s democracy reset: The constitutional changes that could change how power works

Should Ghana's president serve five years instead of four?

Should ministers stop doubling as Members of Parliament?

Should chief executives be appointed differently?

And who should decide how much public officials are paid?

These are some of the questions that could reshape Ghana's democracy as the government moves closer to what may become the country's most significant constitutional reforms since the 1992 Constitution came into force more than three decades ago.

On Tuesday, Cabinet entered its third and final meeting to decide the government's position on sweeping proposals to amend parts of the Constitution, a process that could eventually lead to parliamentary votes and, for some changes, a nationwide referendum.

Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the meeting would conclude Cabinet's deliberations before the government's position paper is made public.

The decisions taken behind closed doors are expected to determine which recommendations will move forward, which will be modified and which will be rejected.

Why this matters

The review goes far beyond legal language.

If approved, some of the proposed reforms could fundamentally alter how Ghana is governed.

Among the recommendations under consideration is extending the presidential term from four years to five, a proposal supporters argue would give future governments more time to implement long-term policies before returning to the electorate.

Another proposal seeks to end the long-standing practice of appointing ministers from Parliament; a system critics say weakens Parliament's ability to hold the executive to account.

Other recommendations include creating an independent Emoluments Commission to determine the salaries and benefits of public office holders and reforming how Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are appointed.

Together, the proposals represent one of the most ambitious attempts to reform Ghana's governance system since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1993.

A review years in the making

The Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by constitutional lawyer Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, spent months consulting Ghanaians across the country before submitting its final report to President John Dramani Mahama in December 2025.

The committee reviewed earlier constitutional reform efforts while gathering fresh views from citizens, legal experts, traditional authorities, civil society organisations and political stakeholders.

President Mahama has repeatedly said the intention is not to replace the Constitution but to strengthen it.

"The 1992 Constitution has served us well," he has said, arguing that carefully considered reforms could make it more responsive to the country's evolving democratic needs.

The road ahead

Once Cabinet approves the government's position paper, it is expected to be published, allowing the public to see which recommendations have been accepted and which have been set aside.

The Attorney General's Department will then work with legal experts to prepare the necessary constitutional amendment bills before they are presented to Parliament.

Some proposals could become law through parliamentary approval.

Others, particularly those affecting entrenched provisions of the Constitution will require approval by the Council of State before being put to a national referendum.

That means ordinary Ghanaians could ultimately have the final say on some of the most significant constitutional questions facing the country.

Calls for urgency

Civil society groups have welcomed progress on the review but are urging the government to publish a clear implementation timetable.

They argue that constitutional reform is often slowed by political disagreements and warn that delays could make it difficult to complete the process before attention shifts to future election cycles.

"The window for completing this reform is closing," one coalition of reform advocates has cautioned.

A defining moment

Constitutional reform has featured in Ghana's political debate for decades, with successive governments acknowledging the need for change while struggling to build consensus.

Whether this latest effort succeeds will depend not only on Cabinet's decisions but also on Parliament, political parties, civil society and, ultimately, the Ghanaian electorate.

If the reforms proceed, they could redefine the relationship between the presidency, Parliament and local government—and shape how Ghana is governed for generations to come.

For a Constitution that has underpinned more than 30 years of democratic rule, the coming months could prove

to be among the most consequential since it first came into force.