5-year presidential term not worth it – Ayariga

Extending the four-year presidential term by a year will make no difference, presidential nominee of the All People’s Congress, Mr Hassan Ayariga, has said.

“I don’t think there is a difference between the four and the five years, because if you cannot do it within the period of four years, I don’t think you can equally do it in the period of five years,” Mr Ayariga said in an interview with Emefa Apawu on Class91.3FM’s 505 news programme on Thursday August 11.

Former President John Kufuor re-ignited the debate on Thursday at a conference organised by the International Society for African Philosophy and Studies (ISAPS), which was held in Accra on the theme: ‘Democracy, Justice and Development in Africa: 50 Years after Independence’.

It is recalled that in 2012, Mr Kufuor said: “If we have a five-year term, the third year will see to the maturing of policies and laws, the fourth year will see the good policies that would serve the nation. By the fifth year when people are canvassing for power, the good works can be judged by all.” He made a similar call in his last address to parliament before leaving office.

However, Mr Ayariga argued: “It is not the number of years that determines how good a leader is. It is the institutions and the leadership style of the person that determine how good the person is.”

In his view, parties that win elections waste a whole year revelling in their victory, a situation he believed robbed the government of time to execute its programmes and policies. “When people win elections, instead of putting in place policies to govern the country, they waste a whole year jubilating over their victory,” he observed.