TEMA, Ghana, 1st August: Abraham Koomson, Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), has commended the work of the Constitution Review Committee (CRC), saying he wished the proposed constitutional amendments could take immediate effect to enable President John Dramani Mahama to continue in office beyond his current constitutional mandate.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme on Saturday, August 1, 2026, Mr. Koomson said he supports the committee’s recommendations, particularly the proposal to extend the tenure of both the President and Members of Parliament from four to five years.
According to him, if the proposed amendment were already in force, President Mahama would have been eligible for an additional year to complete what he described as his development agenda.
He further stated that he would have welcomed a constitutional arrangement that allowed the President to seek another term.
“I was okay with the constitutional amendments, but I wished they took immediate effect so President John Dramani Mahama could continue with the extra one-year extension to complete his mission, or even be eligible to contest for another term,” Mr. Koomson said.
The GFL Secretary-General argued that elections should primarily be about improving the lives of citizens rather than merely changing political leadership.
“After all, people vote for the development of the country and better living conditions, not just to make choices of leaders who are concerned about parochial interests,” he added.
Mr. Koomson’s comments follow the government’s acceptance of several key recommendations contained in the Constitutional Review Committee’s final report.
Among the proposals endorsed in the government’s White Paper is the extension of the presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five years, subject to approval through a national referendum.
Other accepted recommendations include reducing the minimum age requirement for presidential candidates from 40 to 35 years, capping the number of Members of Parliament at 300 including constituency representatives and reserved seats for women, youth, and persons with disabilities and requiring the President to pay taxes in accordance with the law.
The Constitutional Review Committee, chaired by Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, undertook nationwide consultations before presenting its final report to President Mahama. The committee’s work forms part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen Ghana’s democratic governance and constitutional framework.
Other members of the committee include Justice Sophia Adinyirah, Prof. Kwame Karikari, Charlotte Osei, Dr. Godwin Djokoto, Ibrahim Tanko Amidu, and Dr. Esi Ansah, with Dr. Rainer Akumperigeya serving as Secretary to the committee.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭