GOVERNMENT
The 1993
constitution that established the Fourth Republic provided a basic
charter for the republican democratic government. It declares
Ghana to be a unitary republic with sovereignty residing in the
Ghanaian people. Intended to prevent future coups, dictatorial
government, and one-party states, it is designed to establish
the concept of power sharing. The document reflects lessons learned
from the abrogated constitutions of 1957, 1960, 1969, and 1979,
and incorporates provisions and institutions drawn from British
and American constitutional models. One controversial provision
of the constitution indemnifies members and appointees of the
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 president, a unicameral
parliament, an advisory Council of State, and an independent judiciary.
Executive
authority is established in the Office of the Presidency, together
with his 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 presidential-appointed ministers of state
must be appointed from among members of Parliament.
Legislative
functions are vested in Parliament, which consists of a unicameral
230-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.
Members of Parliament are popularly elected by universal adult
suffrage for terms of 4 years, except in wartime, when terms may
be extended for not more than 12 months at a time beyond the 4
years.
The structure
and the power of the judiciary are independent of the two other
branches of government. The Supreme Court 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 hierarchy, called
the Superior Court of Judicature, is composed of the Supreme Court
of Ghana, the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, regional
tribunals, and such lower courts or tribunals as Parliament may
establish. The courts have jurisdiction over all civil and criminal
matters.
The government of John A. Kufuor appears to enjoy broad support among the Ghanaian population as it pursues a domestic political agenda based upon public commitment to the rule of law, basic human rights, and free market initiatives. So far, the government has taken steps to strengthen freedoms of expression by repealing colonial-era criminal libel laws, dropping a number of libel suits against journalists, abolishing sometimes abusive community tribunals, and introducing legislation to establish a juvenile justice system. As part of its anti-corruption efforts the Kufuor government has pursued some high-profile cases, including the prosecution of its Minister of Youth and Sports and several former high-level government officials. On September 3, 2002, Ghana inaugurated its National Reconciliation Commission, a South Africa-style commission established to investigate human rights abuses under Ghana's former military regimes. The National Reconciliation Commission completed its hearings in July 2004 and submitted its final report with recommendations in October 2004. The government responded with a White Paper in April 2005, accepting the recommendation to establish a Reparation and Rehabilitation Fund for victims of abuse, as well as directing security forces to study carefully the various recommendations on recruitment, training and deployment. Narcotics trafficked through Ghana to Western Europe and North America also pose a significant challenge for Ghana.
Principal
Government Officials
President--John Agyekum Kufuor
Vice President--Alhaji Aliu Mahama
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Akwasi Osei-Adjei
Minister of Defense--Albert Ken-Dapaah
Minister of Finance and Economic Planning--Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu
Minister of Trade & Industry--Joe Baidoe-Ansah
Minister of Justice and Attorney General--Joe Ghartey
Minister of Interior--Kwamena Bartels
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court--Georgina Theodora Wood
Speaker of Parliament--Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes
Ambassador to the United States--Kwame Bawuah-Edusei
Permanent Representative to the United Nations--Nana Effah-Apenteng
Ghana
maintains an embassy
in the United States at 3512 International Drive, NW, Washington,
DC 20008 (tel. 202-686-4500). Its permanent mission to the United
Nations is located at 19 E. 47th Street, New York, NY 10017 (tel.
212-832-1300).
Type: Democracy.
Independence: March 6, 1957.
Constitution: Entered into force January 7, 1993.
Branches: Executive--president popularly elected for a maximum of two 4-year terms; Council of State, a presidential appointed consultative body of 25 members required by the constitution. Legislative--unicameral Parliament popularly elected for 4-year terms. Judicial--independent Supreme Court justices nominated by president with approval of Parliament.
Subdivisions: Ten regions.
Political parties: New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, Convention People's Party, People's National Convention, others.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
