Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has described the four-year presidential term in Ghana and Nigeria as inadequate for delivering sustainable national development.
Speaking as a guest at the Executive Leadership Retreat in Ada, Ghana, Jonathan addressed Ministers and senior government officials on the complexities of governance in West Africa, highlighting the limitations of the current tenure system.
“In Nigeria and Ghana, our tenure for president is so short. In Africa, it is only Nigeria and Ghana that have a four-year tenure of presidency. Most countries have five years. What can somebody do in four years?” he questioned.
He noted that the structure of the four-year term significantly hampers a new president’s ability to implement long-term policies.
“If you are a new person and you just came in, you need about a year before you will adjust. You work for two years, the next year is an election year. So time to really move your country is very limited,” he added.
Dr. Jonathan’s comments come amid ongoing debates in both countries about the effectiveness of their presidential terms and the broader impact on governance and national progress.
