The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng (Kwame A Plus), has renewed calls for the removal of presidential term limits in Ghana.
The lawmaker argued that the current democratic arrangement does not promote development or effective governance.
Opinions of Monday, 8 September 2025DisclaimerColumnist: Mensah Dekportor
Speaking on GHOne TV in an interview, the MP insisted that his position has been widely misunderstood, stressing that he has never advocated for a third term for a sitting president.
“I have never called for a third term for his excellency the president. I have called for an end to term limits. Give me one country in this world that has developed with this kind of democracy. Not one country, so, why is Ghana practicing something that has never developed any country?” he questioned.
A Plus questioned whether term limits have contributed to development anywhere in the world, arguing that countries which practice similar democratic systems only adopted them after achieving significant industrial and economic progress.
“Every country that is practicing this kind of democracy only adopted it after they had developed; industrialised,” he stated.
Using the United States as an example, A Plus noted that presidential term limits were introduced relatively late in the country’s history.
“America never had term limits until 1951 – the 22nd Amendment. In 1951, America was developed. When did America say they have landed a man on the moon? If they had landed a man on the moon, you think that was when they were going to develop?” he explained.
He further indicated that before the introduction of the 22nd Amendment, term limits in the US were based on tradition rather than law.
“America never had term limits until 1951… Was it George Washington or one of them? He stepped down after two terms and then it became a tradition, but it was not law. It was the 22nd Amendment that made it law so, until 1951, there was no term limit. Roosevelt or so contested for four terms and it was after that that they introduced the term limit,” the lawmaker argued.
A Plus said he would not oppose President John Dramani Mahama if the law permits him to contest again, while rejecting criticisms that calls to remove term limits amount to sycophancy.
“Personally, if His Excellency John Mahama can legally contest for another term, I don’t have a problem. We will have to test the law. Anybody who prevents people from testing the law is lawless. There are so many ways of testing the law. And you hear people say those who call for a third term or removal of term limits are sycophants,” he stressed.
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He concluded by questioning the performance of governments under Ghana’s Fourth Republic, arguing that the two-term limit reduces incentives for strong governance.
“… Tell me, since 1992, has there been one government that has performed better in the second term? There is no incentive to perform because they know they are leaving. So, every government comes, first term, second term, they don’t perform because there is no incentive to perform. Please, we have to remove term limit,” he emphasised.
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