Dr Jabir Mohammed, an economist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, has argued that presidents should be able to implement their manifestos within the existing four-year term rather than seek an additional year in office.
He said candidates must plan how to address the country’s challenges before assuming power, instead of using the time spent organising their administrations as a reason to extend their mandates.
“An additional year is a waste. I know that I have just four years to achieve my manifesto. I don’t have to extend beyond four years,” he said.
Dr Mohammed said presidential candidates should use the campaign period to identify solutions and prepare for governance, taking into account the need to accommodate people from different regions and ethnic groups in their administrations.
“In the process of campaigning, you should be able to identify how you are going to fix it,” he said.
He argued that presidents-elect could also identify their ministers before inauguration to reduce delays in setting up government.
“If you look at the US and other places, what normally happens is that before even the government is inaugurated, the president has already appointed his cabinet and made his cabinet known to the people,” he said.
Dr Mohammed cited former President Nana Akufo-Addo as an example, saying he had identified many of his appointees before taking office.
He maintained that proper preparation before assuming office would help presidents make better use of the four years available to them.
