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GHANA’S DEMOCRACY; A GULVANIZED DICTATORSHIP

Over the years many have painted Ghana’s democracy with flamboyant colors. BBC report describes Ghana has “genuine democracy where people are aware of their rights and actively tried to find out what their politicians are up to”. The international community has often lauded Ghana as a beacon of peace and stability as if that is not enough the U.S. president Barack Obama called Ghana a "model for democracy" in Africa.

 One this score l asks what kind of spectacles does these international bodies wears to assess Ghana’s democracy. This quickly reminds me of what Ghana’s veteran journalist, the late Komla Dumor says no foreigner can tell the true story of African. In this light, I say it unequivocally that, Ghana’s democracy is a galvanized autocracy.One will wonder to ask, what l mean by GHANA’S DEMOCRACY; A GALVANIZED AUTHOCRACY. This means that, Ghana has all the features and structures of a democratic state but practice autocracy. The presence of the JUDICIARY, LEGISLATURE, ELECTORIAL COMMISSION and some democratic institutions are just window dressing in Ghana’s democracy. These democratic institutions are toothless bulldog since the Executive or Presidency has massive control on these bodies, making it cumbersome for these institutions to perform their role ringer apogee.

To begin with, a look at the work relationship between the EXECUTIVE and the LEGISLATURE, the constitution provides the avenue for checks and balance between these bodies (Article 106 of the 1992 constitution). Unfortunately, article 78(1) gives the president the mandate to establish his executive from the parliament. This means that, the president will choose his ministers among members of his political party who are also members of parliament. As if that is not enough, Article 111 of the Constitution says that the Vice President and those of the President’s ministers who are not elected members of parliament shall be entitled to participate in the proceedings of parliament with all the rights and privileges of a member of parliament, except voting. What this means is that, the minority caucus will be made powerless hence the mantra “Minority will have their say but the Majority will have their way”.

The presidents' greedy penchant for dominancy does not spare the JUDICIARY. Article 125 of the constitution postulates that justice emanates from the people and shall be administered in the name of the Republic by the Judiciary which shall be independent and subject only to this constitution. But it seems with Ghana’s democratic dispensation, successive ruling government suspends this section of the constitution. For instance the constitution mandates CHRAJ to investigate allegations of corruption and human rights violations. Unfortunately, after CHARJ conducting these investigations, she reports to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, whose head is politically appointed by the government in power. This means that the ruling government can comfortably ignore the investigation done by CHRAJ when it implicates the ruling government. The woes of CHRAJ gets worse, as CHRAJ does not have any avenue of funding than to rely on the annual budget from the Ministry of Finance, whose head his politically appointed by the ruling government? This is gives the platform for members of the party in power to engage themselves in corruption with impudence after all their government is in power  and the constitution has amass lot of power in therefore, they are untouchable and such practice these not defines a democratic state.

What is more, despite the constitutional guarantee for independent judiciary, Contrary the same constitution gives the President the power to appoint the Chief Justice and other Judges of the superior court either in consultation with the Council of State or the Judicial Council. But the sad news is that members in both consultative bodies gets their appointment from the ruling President. This brings to play the principle of “I SCRATCH YOUR BACK, YOUR SCRACTH MINE”.


In addition to the above, the electoral commission likewise the Judiciary also faces the same challenges. The Chairman for the electoral commission is not elected through universal adult suffrage but he/she get appointments from the ruling President, besides the electoral commission rely on the same ruling President for her annual budget. This makes the electoral commission liable for manipulation and questions the impartiality of the electoral commission.

 Democracy is when the wish of the people and all democratic institutions are being put onto account in the process of administering the state.  Democracy will make true meaning when it is the kind of governance that advertises true people power and not the concentration of power in the hands of the ruling President, this provides recipe for dictatorship. 


BY: STEPHEN CUDJOE (0265565679, 0270905916)

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