Ghana Country Profile
General Information
Official Name: Republic of Ghana Capital: Accra
Population: 34,777,522 (as of 2024)
Official Languages: The most widely spoken local language in Ghana is Twi, particularly in the southern regions. Other commonly spoken languages include Ewe, Fante, and Ga. English is the official language and is widely spoken across the country.
Currency: Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)
Geographic Location: Ghana is located in West Africa, bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The country covers a land area of about 238,533 square kilometers.
Major Ethnic Groups: Ghana is home to more than seventy native ethnic groups. The major groups include Akan (47.5%), Mole-Dagbon (16.6%), Ewe (13.9%), Ga-Dangme (7.4%), Gurma (5.7%), and others.
Religions: Christianity is the dominant religion, followed by Islam. Traditional African beliefs are also practised.
Median Age: 21.1 years(GHANA_Country Overview).
Nationality: Ghanaian
Political context
Government Type: Ghana is a unitary presidential constitutional republic. Since transitioning to democracy in 1992, the country has experienced over 30 years of uninterrupted democratic rule, making it a model of democracy in Africa.
Current Administration: The political landscape is currently dominated by preparations for the 2024 elections. President Nana Akufo-Addo's term is coming to an end, and the main political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are fielding candidates. Leading contenders for the presidency include Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia (NPP) and former President John Mahama (NDC).
Recent Political Events: Ghana has faced economic challenges, including high inflation, public debt, and a return to the IMF for financial support. These issues are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the 2024 elections.
Democratic Achievements: Ghana has completed eight elections since 1992, several of which resulted in peaceful transfers of power between incumbent and opposition parties, solidifying its democratic credentials.
Political Parties
National Democratic Congress (NDC): Founded by Jerry Rawlings, the NDC leans toward socialist policies. It has historically been one of the two major political forces in Ghana.
New Patriotic Party (NPP): The NPP is a liberal-conservative party with roots tracing back to the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC). It is the other dominant party in Ghana’s two-party system.
Other Parties: Although there are many smaller parties, they struggle to break through the NPP-NDC dominance. Several Nkrumahist parties, which follow the socialist traditions of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, have a limited presence.
Parliamentary Structure
Unicameral Parliament: Ghana has a unicameral parliament consisting of 275 members, elected from single-member constituencies every four years. Members of Parliament play a vital role in overseeing the executive and passing legislation.
Electoral Process: Presidential and parliamentary elections are held simultaneously every four years. The president is elected by an absolute majority, while parliamentarians are elected by a first-past-the-post system.
Hierarchy in the State
President: The president is both the head of state and government, responsible for military leadership, foreign policy, and domestic governance. The president appoints ministers and other key officials with parliamentary approval.
Vice President: The Vice President acts as the President's deputy, taking over presidential duties in the event of the President's absence, resignation, or death. The Vice President also assumes leadership if the President is temporarily incapacitated.
Cabinet: Comprising the President, Vice President, and no more than 19 ministers of state, the Cabinet helps determine the general policy of the government. Ministers are appointed by the President and are primarily drawn from Parliament.
Regional Ministers: Each of Ghana’s 16 regions has a Regional Minister appointed by the President, who represents the President in regional affairs and coordinates government administration in the region.
Advisory Councils: The President is supported by several advisory bodies, including the National Security Council and the National Development Planning Commission, which provide guidance on security, economic policy, and development planning. [13]
Table of Elections
Presidential Election: Held every four years, with the next election scheduled for December 7, 2024. A candidate must win more than 50% of valid votes to be elected President. Presidential candidates must be at least 40 years old and born Ghanaian citizens.
Parliamentary Elections: Also held every four years, in conjunction with the presidential election. The 275 members of parliament are elected from single-member constituencies through a simple majority vote.
Economic context
GDP: Ghana’s economy, valued at $74.3 billion in 2023, faces significant challenges, including high public debt and persistent inflation.
Key Sectors: The economy is driven by agriculture, oil, and gas, with the agricultural sector being a major employer. Cocoa remains the largest export crop, followed by oil and gold. The country has also diversified into tourism and services in recent years.
Challenges: Ghana continues to face serious macroeconomic challenges, including inflation (which peaked at 54.1% in December 2022), high public debt (projected to be over 82.1% of GDP by 2024), and a weak banking sector.
International Aid and Debt Management: The government has sought assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stabilize its economy after fiscal mismanagement and external shocks, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
[14]/[15]/[6]/[16]/[17]/[18]/[19]/[20]
International political context
Relations with the International Community: Ghana enjoys strong diplomatic relations, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). It also maintains good ties with major global players like the United States, China, and the European Union.
Trade Agreements: Ghana is a member of several key international trade agreements, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, providing the country with duty-free access to key markets.
Security Concerns: Ghana remains stable, though it faces growing threats from regional terrorism, particularly from jihadist groups in neighbouring countries. Additionally, land and resource disputes among ethnic groups in the north present domestic security challenges. [21]/[22]
