Africa-Press – Ghana. Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, former Majority Leader in Parliament, has cautioned against any move to alter Ghana’s constitutional provision that restricts a president to a maximum of two four-year terms.
Delivering a lecture on Wednesday in Accra as part of the Founder’s Week celebration of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS), Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said such ideas threatened the foundation of the country’s democracy.
He said recent suggestions that a president could return to office after serving two terms must be “decapitated” and never entertained.
“The language of Article 66(2) of the Constitution is unequivocal. A person shall not be elected to hold office as president of Ghana for more than two terms. That dream of a third term must be decapitated and not be allowed any further procreation in whatever form,” he said.
The former Member of Parliament for Suame recalled that similar discussions first emerged in 1999 when suggestions were made that a president could serve two terms, step aside, and later return for another two terms.
“That dream perished,” he said, adding: “but it appears to have been resurrected again, not in drinking spots but in more formal circles. It must not be allowed to live.”
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu delivered the lecture on the theme: “Presidential Transitions: Comparing practices from Ghana and other jurisdictions.”
The lecture reviewed Ghana’s Presidential (Transition) Act, 2012 (Act 845), and identified gaps in its implementation and enforcement.
He said Ghana’s democracy, though admired for peaceful transfers of power, continued to face challenges such as administrative lapses, under-resourced transition teams, and the politicisation of civil service processes during handovers.
“Nearly every successful handover since 1992 has been preceded by moments of administrative chaos and operational friction,” he noted, adding that those weaknesses reduced the efficiency of new governments and eroded public trust.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu called for stronger enforcement of Act 845 and the establishment of a Presidential Transition Trust Fund to provide guaranteed funding for transition activities.
That, he indicated, would prevent logistical and budgetary delays that often hampered the process.
He proposed that the role of the Administrator-General – the official responsible for overseeing transitions – should be strengthened and insulated from political interference, with clear sanctions for non-compliance.
“Continuity requires cash,” he said, citing the United States model, where incoming administrations received resources, office space, and technical support even before inauguration to ensure a smooth transfer of power.
He compared Ghana’s system with those of Kenya, South Africa, Singapore and China, highlighting lessons in institutional discipline, security coordination, and civil service neutrality.
He recommended that Ghana’s National Security Coordinator and security chiefs be mandated by law to prepare a comprehensive national security briefing for the president-elect immediately after the certification of election results.
“We must move beyond merely celebrating peaceful transitions to ensuring they are professional, timely and seamless,” he said.
The lecture formed part of activities marking the GAAS Founder’s Week celebration, held on the theme: “Navigating Political Transitions in Ghana: Issues and Lessons.”
The Academy’s annual event brings together scholars, policymakers and political leaders to deliberate on governance challenges and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
For More News And Analysis About Ghana Follow Africa-Press
