Imagine a Ghana where presidents unleash bold reforms without glancing over their shoulders at the next ballot. No endless campaigning. No resource-draining reelections. Just pure, legacy-driven governance.

Today, the Constitutional Review Committee has ignited this vision by recommending an extension of the presidential term from four to five years. This is no timid tweak — it’s a courageous acknowledgment that our 1992 Constitution needs evolution to match Ghana’s maturing democracy.

Kudos to the Committee for their exhaustive consultations and forward-thinking proposals. They’ve built on past reviews, engaging stakeholders to craft reforms that could separate the executive from Parliament and streamline our system. Their report isn’t just paper — it’s a blueprint for progress. Bravo!

But let’s not stop at five years with the option for two terms. Ghana deserves better —a single, unbreakable seven-year presidential term. Why? Because reelection breeds rot. Sitting presidents, eyeing a second shot, often abuse incumbency like a personal ATM—tapping state resources to tilt the scales. In Africa, this power play has undermined fair play, from rigged campaigns to suppressed opposition and Ghana isn’t immune. A one-term limit slams the door on such temptations, forcing leaders to govern for the people, not the polls.

Picture this: A president with just one chance hits the ground running. No time to waste on political posturing. They’re laser-focused on leaving an indelible legacy. Think transformative infrastructure, economic overhauls, and climate action that outlast their tenure.

Without the reelection itch, they prioritize long-term wins over short-term populism. It’s the ultimate motivator: Build big, or fade into obscurity. And the violence? Our elections have turned bloody battlegrounds. In 2020 and 2024 alone, 12 cases of electoral mayhem claimed 15 lives and injured 40 other innocent Ghanaians caught in partisan crossfire.

Frequent polls fan these flames, with incumbents stoking tensions to cling to power. A single seven-year term halves the chaos, giving security forces breathing room and letting democracy breathe.

Then there’s the waste — a fiscal black hole. Winning the presidency now costs a jaw-dropping $150 -$200 million, mostly siphoned from public coffers into ads, rallies, and influence-peddling.

Every four years, we bleed billions on logistics and voter drives, starving healthcare and education. Stretch it to one seven-year cycle, and watch resources flow to real priorities. No more donor dependencies or corruption traps, just efficient, accountable rule.

Critics cry “authoritarianism!” But a strict one-term cap, etched in stone, guards against that. We’ve seen it work elsewhere in Mexico (one 6-year term), South Korea (One 5-year term), Philippines, and Guatemala, blending stability with fresh blood.

Ghana, beacon of African democracy, can pioneer this. The Committee’s five-year nod is a spark—let’s fan it into a flame. Parliament, civil society, citizens: Debate, refine, adopt. Our hard-fought freedom demands no less. Legacy awaits — who’s ready to seize it?