The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has thrown its weight behind the proposal to extend Ghana’s presidential term from four to five years, but says the move must come with reforms to strengthen governance and accountability.
The Union said it has noted government’s acceptance of the proposal, but cautioned that a longer tenure could also expose Ghanaians to the effects of bad governance for a longer period.
It, therefore, wants the extension to be tied to other constitutional reforms that will improve the governance architecture of the country.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, September 9, TUC Secretary-General Joshua Ansah said extending the presidential term without fixing other defects in the governance system would undermine the broader goal of the constitutional review.
“One cannot therefore merely agree to tenure extension and leave everything else the same,” the TUC stated.
The Union has also endorsed the proposal to prevent sitting Members of Parliament from serving as Ministers of State, Deputy Ministers or Regional Ministers.
However, the TUC disagrees with a separate recommendation that would bar an MP who resigns from Parliament from being appointed as a Minister within the same parliamentary term.
It argues that such a restriction could unduly limit government’s ability to appoint competent persons into ministerial roles.
