Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, has questioned the push to reduce the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 30, arguing that there is no pressing need to alter the existing constitutional threshold.
He said while younger Ghanaians should be encouraged to participate actively in politics, lowering the eligibility age for the presidency should not be treated as the main avenue for achieving greater youth participation.
Mr Ansa-Asare urged political actors to allow the existing constitutional framework to operate, warning against what he described as repeated attempts by political parties to tinker with the Constitution.
“Let the constitution work. We have gone with 40 years for many years. It has served us well. What is this rush in trying, you know, to lower the age, you know, to 30, when we cannot even, you know, do anything.”
The debate follows the Constitutional Review Committee’s recommendation to reduce the presidential eligibility age from 40 to 30. Government, however, has proposed a threshold of 35 years, while accepting the age reduction in principle.
The committee’s broader constitutional reform proposals include extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four years to five years, among other changes. The government has accepted the five-year term proposal.
Mr Ansa-Asare also stressed that his position should not be interpreted as opposition to youth participation in Ghana’s political process.
“I’m not saying that we shouldn’t think of encouraging the youth to participate, you know, in the political activities of the country.”
He made the comments during an interview on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News on Thursday, September 17.
He further cautioned against constitutional amendments that do not address what he considers more fundamental national concerns, urging a measured approach to the ongoing reform process.
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