The Constitutional Review Committee has placed youth inclusion and fiscal fairness at the centre of its proposed constitutional reforms, submitting a final report to President John Dramani Mahama that seeks to recalibrate who can lead the country and how the highest office relates to the tax system.
Emerging from months of nationwide consultations, the proposals signal a deliberate attempt to align political leadership with Ghana’s youthful population while addressing long-standing concerns over executive privilege and public confidence in the tax regime.
The report recommends lowering the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 30 years, a change intended to broaden political participation and expand the leadership pipeline. Proposing an amendment to Article 62(b) to “lower the minimum age a person must attain to qualify for election as President from forty (40) years to thirty (30) years,” the Committee is effectively opening the presidency to a new generation of leaders. This reflects Ghana’s demographic reality, where a large proportion of the population is under 35, and carries implications beyond politics into economic policy priorities, labour markets and innovation-led growth.
Younger leadership is increasingly associated with stronger engagement with digital transformation, entrepreneurship, technology adoption and employment policies tailored to a modern workforce. The reform could reshape leadership pipelines and influence future policy debates around start-ups, skills development and productivity, particularly as Ghana seeks to deepen private-sector-led growth.
Equally significant is the Committee’s proposal to end tax exemptions for the presidency, an initiative that strikes at the heart of fiscal equity and public trust. The report recommends amending Article 68(5) so that “the salary, allowances and facilities payable to the President … shall be subject to tax in accordance with applicable law,” adding that the President should pay indirect taxes on goods and services, including import duties, “on the same terms as every other person.” The change would align the presidency with the broader taxpaying public and dismantle a long-standing perception of fiscal exceptionalism at the top of government.
While the direct revenue impact may be limited, the broader effect could be substantial. Taxing the presidency sends a powerful signal at a time when Ghana continues to pursue revenue mobilisation, improve compliance and rebuild confidence in the tax system. For businesses and individuals facing heightened enforcement and compliance pressures, the reform could strengthen tax morale by reinforcing the principle that no office is above the tax laws.
The Committee extends this logic to the wider public sector, recommending that salaries, allowances and privileges for the President and other senior office holders be determined by a proposed Independent Public Emoluments Commission. Removing remuneration decisions from direct political control, the reform aims to introduce transparency, predictability and restraint into public sector compensation, with potential implications for wage bill management and fiscal sustainability.
Beyond youth inclusion and taxation, the report outlines a broader restructuring of executive power and accountability. It proposes extending the presidential term from four to five years, arguing that the current cycle “was too short” for effective policy implementation, while maintaining the two-term limit and noting that “we couldn’t find a place for a third term.” Parliament’s term would also be extended to five years to align the legislative and executive cycles, potentially reducing election-related policy disruptions.
The Committee further recommends tightening post-office accountability by allowing civil proceedings against former presidents at any time, subject to limitation laws, and criminal proceedings within four years for acts committed in a personal capacity. This, it argues, would strengthen oversight and reinforce confidence in the rule of law after tenure.
Structural reforms to government size and composition also feature prominently. The report proposes barring Members of Parliament from serving as Ministers or Deputy Ministers to strengthen legislative independence, capping the total number of ministers at 57, and eliminating Deputy Regional Minister positions, except where Parliament approves additional appointments.
