Editing Politics of Ghana

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{{Politics of Ghana}}

'''Politics of Ghana''' takes place in a framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[president of Ghana]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a two party system. The seat of government is at [[Golden Jubilee House]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the government and [[Parliament of Ghana|Parliament]]. The [[judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ghana - Government and society|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Ghana|access-date=2021-03-07|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

The constitution that established the Fourth Republic provided a basic charter for republican democratic government. It declares Ghana to be a [[Unitary state|unitary]] republic with sovereignty residing in the Ghanaian people. Intended to prevent future [[coup]]s, dictatorial government, and [[one-party state]]s, it is designed to establish the concept of [[separation of powers|powersharing]]. The document reflects lessons learned from the abrogated constitutions of 1957, 1960, 1969, and 1979, and incorporates provisions and institutions drawn from British and [[United States|American]] constitutional models. One controversial provision of the Constitution indemnifies members and appointees of the [[Provisional National Defence Council]] (PNDC) from liability for any official act or omission during the years of PNDC rule. The Constitution calls for a system of checks and balances, with power shared between a [[Heads of State of Ghana|president]], a [[unicameral]] parliament, a [[Council of State (Ghana)|council of state]], and an independent judiciary.

Shortly after independence, the dominant political party in Ghana established a [[One-party state|one-party]] [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] system of government. Prior to its [[democratic transition]] in 1992, Ghana had one-party rule and [[Military dictatorship|military rule]].<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last1=Oduro |first1=Franklin |title=Ghana |date=2023 |work=Democratic Backsliding in Africa? |pages=112–136 |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/oso/9780192867322.003.0005 |isbn=978-0-19-286732-2 |last2=Selvik |first2=Lisa-Marie |last3=Dupuy |first3=Kendra|doi-access=free |hdl=20.500.12657/60999 }}</ref> The foundations of Ghanaian democracy are rooted in the 1992 Constitution which established an independent [[Electoral Commission of Ghana|Electoral Commission]] and independent court system.<ref name=":0" /> {{Democracy Index rating|Ghana|flawed democracy|2022}}

==Executive Branch==
Nana Akufo-Addo is established in the Office of the Presidency, together with their [[Council of State (Ghana)|Council of State]]. The president is head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the armed forces. They appoint (buffalo) the vice president. According to the Constitution, more than half of the presidentially appointed ministers of state must be appointed from among members of Parliament.<ref name="nordeatrade.com">{{Cite web |title=The political framework of Ghana - Economic and Political Overview - Nordea Trade Portal |url=https://www.nordeatrade.com/en/explore-new-market/ghana/political-context |access-date=2021-03-07 |website=NordeaTrade.}}</ref>
{{office-table}}
|[[President of Ghana|President]]
|[[Nana Akufo-Addo]]
|[[New Patriotic Party]]
|7 January 2017	
|-
|[[Vice-President of Ghana|Vice-President]]
|[[Mahamudu Bawumia]]
|[[New Patriotic Party]]
|7 January 2017
|}
Nana Akufo-Addo is established in the Office of the Presidency, together with his [[Council of State (Ghana)|Council of State]]. The president is head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the armed forces. He also appoints the vice president. According to the Constitution, more than half of the presidentially appointed ministers of state must be appointed from among members of Parliament.<ref name="nordeatrade.com"/>

The outcome of the [[December]] 2012 elections, in which [[John Dramani Mahama]] was declared President by the Ghana Electoral Commission,<ref>{{Cite news|date=2012-12-10|title=Ghana election: John Mahama declared winner|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20661599|access-date=2021-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mahama declared winner of Ghana election |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2012/12/11/mahama-declared-winner-of-ghana-election |access-date=2021-03-07 |website=Aljazeera. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Welle (www.dw.com) |first=Deutsche |title=Incumbent wins Ghana's presidential election {{!}} DW {{!}} 09.12.2012 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/incumbent-wins-ghanas-presidential-election/a-16440469 |access-date=2021-03-07 |website=DW. |language=en-GB}}</ref> was challenged by [[Nana Akufo-Addo]], [[Mahamudu Bawumia]] and [[Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey]] at the Supreme Court of Ghana, which came out with the verdict that Mahama legally won the 2012 presidential election<ref>{{Cite news|date=2012-12-28|title=Ghana election: NPP challenges John Mahama's victory|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20859813|access-date=2021-03-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ghana's Main Opposition Party to Challenge Election |url=https://www.voanews.com/africa/ghanas-main-opposition-party-challenge-election |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415182555/https://www.voanews.com/africa/ghanas-main-opposition-party-challenge-election |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 April 2021 |access-date=2021-03-07 |website=voanews. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Welle (www.dw.com) |first=Deutsche |title=Ghana's Supreme Court upholds election result {{!}} DW {{!}} 29.08.2013 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ghanas-supreme-court-upholds-election-result/a-17054771 |access-date=2021-03-07 |website=DW. |language=en-GB}}</ref>

This precedent which was set by  [[Nana Akufo-Addo]] and the NPP party in 2012 was followed by [[John Dramani Mahama]] the then president, and now opposition leader and the NDC party when they petition the Highest Court of the Land to overturn the election victory of  [[Nana Akufo-Addo]] and the NPP party on the grounds that the victory was illegal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Welle (www.dw.com) |first=Deutsche |title=Ghana opposition seeks to overturn Akufo-Addo's election win {{!}} DW {{!}} 30.12.2020 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ghana-opposition-seeks-to-overturn-akufo-addos-election-win/a-56096712 |access-date=2021-05-23 |website=DW. |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-04 |title=Ghana: Supreme Court throws out NDC petition on presidential election results |url=https://www.theafricareport.com/69815/ghana-supreme-court-reads-verdict-over-election-result/ |access-date=2021-05-23 |website=The Africa Report. |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=2020 ELECTION PETITION HEARING| date=9 February 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t4Ja09qwuU| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/_t4Ja09qwuU| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2021-05-23}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Legislative Branch==
Legislative functions are vested in [[Parliament of Ghana|Parliament]], which consists of a unicameral 275-member body plus the Speaker. To become law, legislation must have the assent of the president, who has a qualified [[veto]] over all bills except those to which a vote of urgency is attached.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parliamentary Detail |url=http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/core/parliamentInfo.aspx?Committee=GHANA |access-date=2021-03-07 |website=cpahq.}}</ref>

Members are elected for a four-year term in single-seat [[constituency|constituencies]] by [[Plurality voting system|simple plurality vote]].  As it is predicted by [[Duverger's law]], the [[voting system]] has encouraged Ghanaian politics into a [[two-party system]], which means that there are two dominant [[political parties]], with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party.  Elections have been held every four years since 1992.  Presidential and parliamentary elections are held alongside each other, generally on 7 December.

== Recent political developments ==

Nana Akufo-Addo, the ruling party candidate, was defeated in a very close election by [[John Atta Mills]] of the [[National Democratic Congress (Ghana)|National Democratic Congress]] (NDC) following the [[Ghanaian presidential election, 2008]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kokutse |first=Francis |date=3 January 2009 |title=Opposition leader wins presidency in Ghana |work=USA Today |agency= |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-01-03-ghana-election_N.htm |url-status=live |access-date=9 May 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121209072058/http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-01-03-ghana-election_N.htm |archive-date=9 December 2012}}</ref><ref>Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, "The 2008 Freedom House Survey: Another Step Forward for Ghana." ''Journal of Democracy'' 20.2 (2009): 138–152 [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/262756/summary excerpt].</ref> Mills died of natural causes and was succeeded by vice-president [[John Dramani Mahama]] on 24 [[July]] 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Atta Mills dies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/25/world/africa/john-atta-mills-ghanas-president-dies-68.html|work=The New York Times|date=25 July 2012|access-date=9 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709161829/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/25/world/africa/john-atta-mills-ghanas-president-dies-68.html|archive-date=9 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the [[Ghanaian presidential election, 2012]], [[John Mahama|John Dramani Mahama]] became President-elect and was inaugurated on 7 [[January]] 2013.<ref name="Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama sworn in">{{cite news|url=http://english.sina.com/world/p/2013/0107/545991.html|title=Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama sworn in|publisher=[[Sina Corp]]|date=7 January 2013|access-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005011622/http://english.sina.com/world/p/2013/0107/545991.html|archive-date=5 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Ghana was a stable democracy.<ref name="Elections in Ghana">{{cite web |title=Elections in Ghana |url=http://africanelections.tripod.com/gh.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530060759/http://africanelections.tripod.com/gh.html |archive-date=30 May 2012 |access-date=1 June 2013 |work=AfricanElectionsTripod.}}</ref>

As a result of the [[Ghanaian presidential election, 2016]],<ref>{{cite web |date=7 December 2016 |title=What the world media is saying about Ghana's 2016 elections – YEN.COM.GH |url=https://yen.com.gh/85240-what-world-media-ghanas-2016-elections.html#85240 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208122522/https://yen.com.gh/85240-what-world-media-ghanas-2016-elections.html#85240 |archive-date=8 December 2016 |access-date=7 December 2016 |work=yen ghana}}</ref> [[Nana Akufo-Addo]] became President-elect and was inaugurated as the fifth President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana and eighth President of Ghana on 7 January 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 Presidential Results|url=http://www.thumbsapp.com.gh/|website=Ghana Electoral Commission|access-date=18 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519211542/http://www.thumbsapp.com.gh/|archive-date=19 May 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2020, President Nana Akufo-Addo was re-elected after a tightly contested [[2020 Ghanaian general election|election]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-55236356|title = Ghana election: Nana Akufo-Addo re-elected as president|work = BBC News|date = 9 December 2020}}</ref>

==Judicial branch==
{{main|Judiciary of Ghana}}

[[File:Supreme Court of Ghana.jpg|thumb|[[Supreme Court of Ghana]].]]
The structure and the power of the judiciary are independent of the two other branches of government. The Judiciary of Ghana is responsible for interpreting, applying and enforcing the laws of Ghana, and exists to settle legal conflicts fairly and in a more competent way.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Judicial Service of Ghana {{!}} ARAP-Ghana {{!}} Accountability, Rule of law, and Anti-Corruption Programme |url=http://www.arapghana.eu/stakeholders/js#:~:text=JS&text=The%20Judicial%20Service%20(JS)%20of,all%20regions%20of%20the%20country. |access-date=2021-02-23 |website=ArapGhana Europe}}</ref> The [[Supreme Court of Ghana]] has broad powers of judicial review. It is authorized by the Constitution to rule on the constitutionality of any legislation or executive action at the request of any aggrieved citizen. The hierarchy of courts derives largely from British juridical forms. The courts have jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters. They include the Superior Courts of Judicature, established under the 1992 Constitution, and the Inferior Courts, established by Parliament. The Superior Courts are, from highest to lowest, the Supreme Court of Ghana, the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, and the ten Regional Tribunals.  The Inferior Courts, since the Courts Act 2002, include the Circuit Courts, the Magistrate Courts, and special courts such as the Juvenile Courts.<ref name="criminal court system">{{cite web |url=http://www.acclawyers.org/resources/ghana/ |title=Ghanaian criminal court system |publisher=Association of Commonwealth Criminal Lawyers |access-date=2011-01-28 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130112080043/http://www.acclawyers.org/resources/ghana/ |archive-date=12 January 2013 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

In 2007, [[Georgina Theodora Wood|Georgina Wood]] became the first-ever female chief justice of the [[Supreme Court of Ghana|Ghanaian Supreme Court]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=IAWL|date=2021-03-07|title=Women in Leadership: Justice Georgina Theodora Wood|url=https://www.africanwomeninlaw.com/post/women-in-leadership-spotlight-justice-georgina-theodora-wood|access-date=2021-05-23|website=African Women in Law|language=en}}</ref> On May 11, 2011, Nana Akufo-Addo nominated [[Sophia Akuffo|Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo]] the Chief Justice of Ghana to replace Georgina Wood. She was officially inaugurated into the position on June 19, 2017<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sophia Akuffo, Biography |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Sophia-Akuffo-4091 |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=www.ghanaweb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=GhanaPoliticsOnline.Com |date=2017-05-12 |title=President Nana Addo appoints Justice Sophia Akufo as Chief Justice |url=https://ghanapoliticsonline.com/president-nana-addo-appoints-justice-sophia-akufo-as-chief-justice/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=GhanaPoliticsOnline.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and she retired on 20 December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tigo |first=Joshua |date=2019-11-29 |title=Ghana Bar Association eulogizes Chief Justice |url=https://www.adomonline.com/ghana-bar-association-eulogizes-chief-justice/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Adomonline. |language=en-US}}</ref> On Tuesday, January 7, 2020, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, sworn into office  [[Kwasi Anin-Yeboah]] as the next Chief Justice of Ghana replacing Sophia A. B. Akuffo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Biography |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/person/Kwasi-Anin-Yeboah-4028 |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=GhanaWeb.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-12 |title=Nana Addo nominates Anin Yeboah as new Chief Justice |url=https://citinewsroom.com/2019/12/nana-addo-nominates-anin-yeboah-as-new-chief-justice/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Judicial |title=Justice Anin Yeboah is 14th Chief Justice of Ghana |url=https://www.judicial.gov.gh/index.php/publications/news-publications/js-latest-news/item/392-justice-anin-yeboah-is-14th-chief-justice-of-ghana |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=www.judicial.gov.gh |language=en-gb}}</ref> He retired on 24 May 2023 after having served 21 years as a judge and 3 years as the head of the Judiciary of Ghana.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-24 |title=Justice Anin-Yeboah officially retires; Justice Dotse takes over |url=https://citinewsroom.com/2023/05/justice-anin-yeboah-officially-retires-justice-dotse-takes-over/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah retires today |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/chief-justice-kwasi-anin-yeboah-retires-today |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=MyJoyOnline. |date=24 May 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=info@theghanareport.com |first=Gloria KAFUI Ahiable / |date=2023-05-24 |title=Chief Justice Anin Yeboah Retires Today, Marking The End Of Illustrious Judicial Career |url=https://www.theghanareport.com/chief-justice-anin-yeboah-retires-today-marking-the-end-of-illustrious-judicial-career/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=The Ghana Report |language=en}}</ref> The current Chief Justice is [[Gertrude Torkornoo|Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo]], she was sworn-in into office on 12 June 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Prez Akufo-Addo swears in new Chief Justice Torkornoo |url=https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/chief-justice-2/2023/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Justice Gertrude Torkornoo sworn-in as Chief Justice |url=https://citinewsroom.com/2023/06/justice-gertrude-torkornoo-sworn-in-as-chief-justice/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=GNA |date=2023-06-12 |title=Torkornoo takes office as new Chief Justice |url=https://gna.org.gh/2023/06/torkornoo-takes-office-as-new-chief-justice/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Ghana News Agency |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Administrative divisions ==
{{main|Administrative divisions of Ghana}}
Ghana is divided into sixteen regions:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Map & Regions in Ghana |url=https://www.ghanamissionun.org/map-regions-in-ghana/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Ghana Permanent Mission to the United Nations |language=en}}</ref> 
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Region
!Capital
|-
|[[Ashanti Region|Ashanti]]
|[[Kumasi]]
|-
|[[Ahafo Region|Ahafo]]
|[[Goaso]]
|-
|[[Bono Region|Bono]]
|[[Sunyani]]
|-
|[[Bono East Region|Bono East]]
|[[Techiman]]
|-
|[[Central Region (Ghana)|Central]]
|[[Cape Coast]]
|-
|[[Eastern Region (Ghana)|Eastern]]
|[[Koforidua]]
|-
|[[Greater Accra]]
|[[Accra]]
|-
|[[Oti Region|Oti]] 
|[[Dambai]]
|-
|[[Northern Region (Ghana)|Northern]]
|[[Tamale, Ghana|Tamale]]
|-
|[[North East Region (Ghana)|North East]]
|[[Nalerigu]]
|-
|[[Upper East Region (Ghana)|Upper East]]
|[[Bolgatanga]]
|-
|[[Upper West Region (Ghana)|Upper West]]
|[[Wa, Ghana|Wa]]
|-
|[[Volta Region|Volta]]
|[[Ho, Ghana|Ho]]
|-
|[[Western North Region|Western North]]
|[[Sefwi Wiawso|Sefwi Wiaso]]
|-
|[[Savannah Region|Savannah]]
|[[Damongo]]
|-
|[[Western Region (Ghana)|Western]]
|[[Sekondi-Takoradi]]
|}

==International organization participation==
Ghana is member of [[ACP countries|ACP]], [[African Development Bank|AfDB]], [[African Union|AU]], [[Commonwealth of Nations|C]], [[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]], [[FAO]], [[Group of 24|G-24]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]], [[International Criminal Court|ICCt]], [[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[International Criminal Police Organization|Interpol]], [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], [[International Organization for Migration|IOM (observer)]], [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], MIGA, [[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|MINURSO]], [[MONUC]], [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], [[Organization of American States|OAS (observer)]], ONUB, [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[UNAMSIL]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[UNIFIL]], [[United Nations Institute for Training and Research|UNITAR]], UNMEE, [[United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo|UNMIK]], UNMIL, UNOCI, [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]].

==See also==
* [[Government of Ghana]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20130414213646/http://report.globalintegrity.org/ghana Global Integrity Report: Ghana] has information on Ghana's anti-corruption efforts* [http://www.vibeghana.com Latest Political News From Ghana ]

{{Ghanaian elections}}
{{Ghana topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Ghanaian English|date=January 2021}}

[[Category:Politics of Ghana| ]]