Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s victory in Senegal has reignited a debate in Ghana. Due to the Country’s youthful population, there is a growing call to review and remove the Constitutional clause that bars anyone under 40 from contesting the Presidency.
According to Chapter 8, Article 62 of the 1992 Constitution
A person shall not be qualified for election as the President of Ghana unless—
(a) he is a citizen of Ghana by birth.
(b) he has attained the age of forty years; and
(c) he is a person who is otherwise qualified to be elected a Member of Parliament, except that the disqualifications set out in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of clause (2) of article 94 of this Constitution shall not be removed, in respect of any such person, by a presidential pardon or by the lapse of time as provided for in clause (5) of that article.
Article 62, 1992 Constitution.
Data from the Ghana Statistical Service showing the age composition of Ghana’s 31 million population, based on 2021 census data, indicates that about 35% are children (0-14 years), 38% are young people (15-35 years), and about 4% are in the older population category (65+).
Despite its youthful population, Nana Addo, the current President is 80 years old. Consequently, John Mahama and Mahamudu Bawumia, the leading candidates for the impending 2024 elections, are 65 and 60 years respectively.
Speaking at a conference on inclusivity organized by the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly with funding from the Canadian Embassy and the Rep Foundation, Professor Gyampo bemoans the constitutionally imposed age limit that restricts the Membership of Parliament and the Presidency to people above the age of 21 and 40 years respectively. According to Prof Gyampo
“What this means is that our 1992 Constitution sidelines young people from the core areas of governance, reducing them as vote-getters, foot-soldiers, and voting machines.”
Obstacles to youth leadership
While it is difficult to grasp the rationale for this limitation by the framers of the Constitution, many reasons and opinions have been given to justify its continuity despite repeated calls for review and reforms.
It is often said that the youth are inexperienced and untested and can’t be entrusted with running the country. The proponent of this viewpoint emphasizes the importance of experience in addition to expertise in policy formulation and implementation.
Rather than being given the nod to lead the country, the youth should be mentored and guided to acquaint themselves with the necessary skills, expertise, and experience to successfully manage the affairs of the state. However, Professor Gyampo criticizes this view.
“The political elites are quick to mobilize the youth for support during elections. They are used as agents to foment violent electoral conflict. But when government is being constituted, the youth are suddenly described as immature, inexperienced and an age of people who are dangerous to themselves and the nation.”
Prof. Ransford Gyampo
In addition to the issue of experience, in Ghana, youthful age is associated with exuberance and “recklessness”, while adulthood is attributed with cautiousness, wisdom, balance, and the stability that family life teaches and bestows on the individuals.
These attributes are argued to be lacking in the youth hence the widespread scepticism of giving them power. Besides, culturally, marriage bestows prestige and the perception of being pragmatic on a person.
Therefore, bachelors and married people without considerable marital experience are deemed “unfit” for the level of maturity and pragmatism of governing a country.
On the structural side, it is argued that the nature of Ghana’s party politics requires several years of service and sacrifice for a political party to qualify one for a reward with a leadership position, which makes it impractical for the youth to excel.
The need for a rethink
The immediate solution would be the review or reform of those inhibitive constitutional clauses. The age limit can be eliminated or lowered to favour the youth. Moreover, amending those laws would protect the nation’s interest by allowing it to benefit its huge youthful population and its dynamism.
On the cultural dimension, a societal rethink will be helpful. In the highly digitalized environments of the current globalized world, exposure, connections, and opportunities matter more than age.
The Ghanaian connecting wisdom to age should be given a second look. It is quite out of sync with twenty-first-century reality.
Finally, on the structural side, merit rather than longevity should become the cornerstone upon which party promotion should be determined. For its benefit, the party needs strong, competent, and dynamic leaders to help it manage the affairs of the country.
In doing this, they would enjoy good leadership and good policies. The net effect is that it would allow the party to become the electorate favourite thus extending its stay in power.
