Akufo Addo’s assurance on two-term limit gives public peace of mind - MP

The Member of Parliament for Mpohor Constituency, Mr John Kobina Abbam Aboah Sanie says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s assurance to leave peacefully after his two-term limit will give the public some peace of mind to go about their normal duties.

According to him, although it has always been the case that a sitting President under the Fourth Republic leaves office after two terms, a section of the public was skeptical if Akufo Addo will also leave peacefully or not, saying the assurance had become very necessary.

President Akufo Addo, speaking at the 2nd Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum, held at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), on Wednesday, 8th December 2021, pledged to continue to respect the tenets of the ECOWAS Protocol on democracy and good governance.

Specifically, the President stated that “I will not make or cause to be made any substantial modification to the electoral laws in the last six months before the next election; and I will respect the two-term limit for the exercise of presidential authority, as stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana”.

Continuing, he stressed that “I will not be an impediment to the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections and I will hand over power to the next elected President on 7th January 2025.”

President Akufo Addo assured participants that he will rally his fellow ECOWAS Heads of States to take the pledge, “and support them as they continue to work towards democracy and good governance in their respective countries”.

Speaking on Atinka TV‘s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Aboah Sanie noted that some African Presidents during their last term try to change their constitution in order to stay in power longer than usual.

A typical example is what happened in Guinea recently where its President, Alpha Conde was overthrown for changing the Constitution and staying longer than usual in power.

Mr Aboah Sanie said, “Some were skeptical whether he will go or not so once he has come out to say that after the election, he will hand over peacefully to the winner, it brings some assurance and calmness which will make everyone have the peace of mind to go about their normal duties.”