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A three-term limit should be established for Members of Parliament (MPs) as recommended by research from the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).
However, other participants opposed term limits, arguing that experienced MPs help maintain parliamentary productivity.
On presidential term limits, majority of the participants suggested that the current four-year presidential term, with a maximum of two terms to ensure electoral accountability, should be maintained.
The Director of Policy Engagement and Partnerships of CDD-Ghana, Dr Kojo Pumpuni Asante, announced this at a dissemination forum in Accra to share findings from its town hall meetings on citizens’ expectations of the new government.
The meetings were held across 12 regions between February and March 2025.
Participants in the meetings included Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), members of the media, traditional leaders, youth groups and assembly members, along with local district assembly officials from each region, totalling 1,331.
Dr Asante said there was a general agreement on the need for a defined and limited campaign period, with suggestions for the duration varying between three months and six months.
Regarding whether the Electoral Commission (EC) should subsidise political parties’ activities, he stated that participants had divergent views on the subject.
He said those in favour of EC support indicated that it would ensure fairness in internal elections, while some suggested the abolition of election fees altogether to ensure fair participation.
He said other participants also recommended the implementation of transparent campaign financing regulations that required public disclosure of all contributions with established reasonable spending caps.
Dr Asante said some citizens were in favour of proportional representation for women, youth, Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and other marginalised groups at the district level.
They, however, maintained that proportional representation should not lead to mere symbolic representation, but that competency must be ensured if proportional representation for marginalised groups is implemented to guarantee meaningful representation.
On the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), he said the findings advocated aligning the election of MMDCEs with the general election to reduce cost and enhance voter participation.
The report further suggested non-partisan local elections and feasibility pilot projects prior to a national rollout.
Dr Asante said that those in favour of the election of MMDCEs explained that it would allow preliminary tests of the system to address logistical challenges before full implementation.
Addressing the participants, the Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration), Nana Oye Bampoe, stated that the report should serve as a guide for government performance reviews and policy reforms.
She emphasised the significance of people-centred governance and advocated feedback mechanisms as a permanent feature of Ghana’s democracy.
She was optimistic that the government and its partners would review the findings and utilise them to shape policies that reflected the needs and expectations of Ghanaians.
The Head of the Political and Governance Team at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Hooman Nouruzi, acknowledged the initiative to amplify the voices of citizens in remote areas.
He said democracy involved not only elections but also active public participation in decision-making.
Dr Asante stated that many participants supported the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative aimed at recovering national assets from corruption deals and suggested its expansion to the districts and communities to tackle grassroots corruption.
He, however, revealed that the participants expressed concerns regarding ORAL’s effectiveness and the risk of politicisation due to its lack of prosecutorial powers and overlap with existing anti-corruption bodies.
He said the participants further suggested the need to strengthen existing anti-corruption institutions and monitor their effectiveness before the implementation of a new ORAL.
