Research Africa > West of Africa > Ghana > Politics

Politics        0  690 reads

1) Government
 

Administrative divisions
 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Capital city Accra
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 5 33 N, 0 13 W
Capital city > Name Accra
Capital city > Time difference
 UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Head of Government John Kufuor
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Title President
Constitution approved 28 April 1992
Copyright > Reference Art. 12,
Corruption 3.5 [66th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection 70 pma
CPIA equity of public resource use rating 4 [17th of 75]
CPIA quality of public administration rating 3.5 [24th of 75]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission
 Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy
 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [233] (21) 741-389
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P. O. Box 194, Accra
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [233] (21) 741-000
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery
 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission
 Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI

Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general New York
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 785-1379
Elections > Head of state Direct election
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address 1 Clemow Ave.
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood The Glebe

Executive branch > Cabinet
 Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament

Executive branch > Chief of state
 President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Executive branch > Election results
 John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 52.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 44.6%

Executive branch > Elections
 president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December 2008)

Executive branch > Head of government
 President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001)

Flag description
 three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Flag modification 28 [23rd of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment February 17, 1993
Foreign relations of Western Sahara > States recognizing the SADR > Date of recognition August 24, 1979
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth 7.15 % [33rd of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ 263,244,800 constant 2000 US$ [101st of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita) 11.905 constant 2000 US$ per c [114th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU 1512726000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU 14888840000000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ 1,641,088,000 $ [83rd of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP) 0.153 $ per $1 of GDP [66th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita) 74.214 $ per capita [117th of 184]
Government type constitutional democracy
Independence 6 March 1957 (from UK)
Independence Day > Date March 6

International organization participation
 ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch Supreme Court
Legal origin
 English

Legal system
 based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch
 unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Legislative branch > Election results
 percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1
Legislative branch > Elections
 last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held 7 December 2008)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 March
Parliamentary seats > Female 9% [72nd of 143]
political parties > Two party •

Political parties and leaders
 Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders
 Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform)

Procedures to build a warehouse > number 16 [93rd of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita) 0.724 per 1 million people [128th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number 29 [103rd of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita) 1.311 per 1 million people [131st of 171]
Procedures to register property > number 7 [58th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita) 316.559 per 1 billion people [118th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > % 10.9 % [113rd of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number 12 [42nd of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita) 0.543 per 1 million people [121st of 171]
Status
democracy
Suffrage
 18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days 127 days [134th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days 552 days [69th of 171]
Time required to register property > days 382 days [6th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days 81 days [19th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours 304 hours [59th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years 1.9 years [117th of 151]
Trademarks, nonresidents 358 [78th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita) 20.717 per 1 million people [114th of 146]
Trademarks, residents 171 [82nd of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita) 9.896 per 1 million people [111st of 142]

Transnational Issues > Disputes > International
 Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

UN membership date 8 Mar. 1957
United Nations mission
 http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/foreign_affairs/
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood Cleveland Park


SOURCES
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbook, 14 June, 2007 ; Wikipedia: Commonwealth Heads of Government ; Wikipedia: List of countries' copyright length ; Transparency International; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Elections by country ; Wikipedia: List of embassies and high commissions in Ottawa ; Flagspot; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia ; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Western Sahara ; Wikipedia: Independence Day ; CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook; Wikipedia: List of political parties ; electionworld.org; Wisconsin High School Model United Nations; Wikipedia: List of Washington, D.C. embassies

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Ghana, Republic of Ghana

Democracy
 

Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 6.76 [18th of 118]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 6.99 [31st of 119]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 7.9 [22nd of 119]
Civil and political liberties 4.5 [55th of 140]
CPIA gender equality rating 4 [23rd of 75]
CPIA policies for social inclusion/equity cluster average 3.7 [18th of 75]
CPIA property rights and rule-based governance rating 3.5 [26th of 75]
CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average 3.7 [9th of 75]
CPIA transparency, accountability, and corruption in the public sector rating 3.5 [19th of 75]
Electoral system first-past-the-post
Electoral system type plurality
Female candidacy 1,954 [62nd of 161]
Female ministers 28.6% [20th of 125]
Female parliamentarians 9% [104th of 157]
Female suffrage 1954
First female parliamentarian 1960 (appointed)
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.984772261393004 [4th of 183]
Homosexuality laws of the world > Homosexuality laws > Laws against homosexuality Yes
Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes 1.6% [70th of 110]
Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 61.2% [111st of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Total vote 6,546,700 [41st of 154]
Parliamentary elections > Turnout 64.6 [57th of 117]
Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 10,698,700 [39th of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 10,141,400 [45th of 163]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population (per capita) 462.107 per 1,000 people [113rd of 162]
Presidential elections > Invalid votes 1.5% [39th of 61]
Presidential elections > Registered voter turnout 78.2% [27th of 86]
Presidential elections > Total vote 7,257,980 [20th of 87]
Presidential elections > Turnout 82.5 [10th of 82]
Presidential elections > Voter registration 9,279,600 [20th of 86]
Presidential elections > Voting age population 8,799,420 [26th of 91]
Presidential elections > Voting age population (per capita) 400.958 per 1,000 people [70th of 91]


SOURCES
Bertelsmann Transformation Index online, 2006; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation ... /BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; World Development Indicators database; No comment is being made on the state of democracy. Categorizations are based on the electoral law, or the last competitive election held; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva.; Source: Millennium Development Goals Database | United Nations Statistics Division; Wikipedia: Homosexuality laws of the world ; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Ghana, Republic of Ghana

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