Former Director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa‑Asare, said on Eyewitness News on Thursday, September 17, that proposals to lower the minimum age for presidential candidates from 40 to 30 are unnecessary and that the current requirement has served the country well.
He questioned the need to reduce the age limit, noting that while he supports greater youth participation in politics, the focus should be on allowing existing constitutional provisions to work rather than on “repeated tinkering” with the Constitution by political parties.
“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,” he said.
Ansa‑Asare acknowledged the importance of encouraging young people to engage in political activities but questioned whether lowering the presidential age was the most necessary constitutional reform.
His remarks come amid debate over the government’s response to recommendations by the Constitutional Review Committee, which proposed a 30‑year threshold while the government has suggested 35. The committee also recommended extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years.
He urged the government to reconsider the direction of proposed reforms, arguing that changes should address more fundamental issues affecting the country.
Observers will watch how the government responds to Ansa‑Asare’s critique as the constitutional review process moves forward.
