Political Stability

Though located in a region notorious for political instability and armed conflicts, Ghana remains an oasis of peace. The country has had a consolidated multi-party constitutional democracy since 1992, after more than ten years of military dictatorship. In 2001, the then ruling party peacefully handed over power to the opposition party that had won the general elections of 2000. This feat was celebrated worldwide for many reasons, not least including the fact that it is a rarity in the developing world, particularly Africa.

The country has a pluralistic media landscape, representing the diverse political and social opinions and ideologies in the country. There are over 200 radio stations throughout the country and one interesting feature about this is the opportunity given to listeners to phone-in and either complain about inefficiencies in the provision of public services or question the policies of government. This environment of free speech is guaranteed by the constitution and the government has largely refrained from either interfering with the editorial content of the media or stifling criticisms. Ghanaians therefore debate political issues in a climate free of intimidation and coercion. Several political parties exist and they are free to propagate their ideologies without harassment from the state. Human rights are well respected in Ghana including freedom of expression, association and religion. Though several religions are practiced in Ghana and the people belong to diverse ethnic groups, tolerance is relatively high.