Democratic consolidation and transformed local governance in Ghana

The projects seeks to deepen democratic governance and facilitate reforms in Ghana’s local governance system. While the central government is elected on a multiparty basis, local government is not elected on party lines, and the political parties are legally prohibited from participating in and interfering in local government.  This arrangement, which has been described as a hybrid regime, is enshrined in the Constitution of 1992 and despite the democratic stability and peace dividend otherwise yielded by the Constitution, this local-government regime has been widely criticized for being unaccountable to the electorate and ineffective in sustaining development and structural transformation of the economy and society.

IDEG will through this project support the national dialogue, seeking to reset the constitutional amendment agenda and contribute to the establishment of a roadmap for the reform of the hybrid local government system. It will also undertake work aimed at strengthening the electoral process in Ghana and finally initiatives will be launched to also strengthen the institutional capacity of IDEG. Focus will be on partnership mobilization and management, financial and technical resources, and the coordination of the strategies and networks.

The key strategic partners for this project include the Presidency, Parliament, National House of Chiefs, Selected Regional Houses of Chiefs, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Institute of Local Government Studies, NALAG, CLOGSAG, CSOs, the Electoral Commission, Political Parties, Development Parties, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and media, among others.

Visit IDEG's website here.