Political parties in Ghana: agents of democracy?

Osei, Anja

doi:10.1080/02589001.2013.839227

Cited by 22 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…In particular, intra-party democracy in leadership transition has been problematic as incumbents often handpick their successors (Osei 2013). In some respect, the Zambian experience has shown that the participation of ordinary members is mainly limited to the implementation of party policies -a relic of the Second Republic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Refractory Frontier: Intra-party Democracy in the Zambian Polity

Bwalya

Sichone

2018

ModAfr

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Despite the important role that intra-party democracy plays in democratic consolidation, particularly in third-wave democracies, it has not received as much attention as inter-party democracy. Based on the Zambian polity, this article uses the concept of selectocracy to explain why, to a large extent, intra-party democracy has remained a refractory frontier. Two traits of intra-party democracy are examined: leadership transitions at party president-level and the selection of political party members for key leadership positions. The present study of four political parties: United National Independence Party (UNIP), Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) demonstrates that the iron law of oligarchy predominates leadership transitions and selection. Within this milieu, intertwined but fluid factors, inimical to democratic consolidation but underpinning selectocracy, are explained.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Refractory Frontier: Intra-party Democracy in the Zambian Polity

Bwalya

Sichone

2018

ModAfr

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“…Ghana's quest to solidify its teething democracy since 1992 has revolved around two relatively stable political parties in alternating power (Brierley, 2012). The presence of these parties which has ushered in competitive elections with vibrant opposition party serving as a watchdog on the government indicates the potency of Ghana's democracy because no fully-fledged modern democracy lacks political parties who perform these functions (Morrison, 2004;Osei, 2013).…”

Section: Background Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Personalising and relegating party operations to few members, which are prominent in most African countries, may not be widely accepted for the enhancement of democracy. It makes citizens passive members of the polity (Osei, 2013;Sandbrook, 1996).…”

Section: Research Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Party’s presidential primaries and the consolidation of democracy in Ghana’s 4th Republic

Addae

2021

Cogent Social Sciences

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Democracy under any system of rule is associated with vibrant political parties and credible elections. Both are indispensable in a representative democracy. The good conduct of elections within a political party promotes and consolidates democracy. Political parties in Ghana have suffered internal conflict resulting in factions, break-away, and the formation of new parties because of undemocratic party operations especially in the conduct of primaries. This act threatens the country's attempt to consolidate its democracy. Internal party reforms are adopted to ensure democratic practices and operations. The reforms include widening the electoral base of the party in the selection of candidates, simultaneous conduction of polls across constituencies, and restriction of candidates eligible for elections. These reforms are to reduce vote-buying, intimidation, physical assault, and fierce competition to enhance legitimisation of election results and the acceptability of candidates. The paper assessed how the various reforms adopted by the two major political parties in Ghana have influenced and legitimised the conduct of presidential primaries. The paper adopted a qualitative research design through interviews and reviewed extant literature to set the theoretical basis of the study. It is realised ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Amoako Addae is an Mphil candidate at the University of Ghana, Legon with the Department of Political Science. He holds a Bachelor in Arts (BA) degree from the same University. His research interest covers elections, governance, democracy, gender and national development. This paper was based on the author's research in shaping and contributing to effective party politics in Ghana. The work examines how political parties can contribute to the consolidation of democracy in Ghana.

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“…But it was too little, too late. The NPP could not successfully shake off the accusation that it was a party for the rich, thereby losing the 2008 election to the NDC (Osei 2013;Nugent 2007;Gyimah-Boadi 2009).…”

Section: Politics In the Aftermath Of The Healthcare Bills' Enactmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The politics of healthcare reforms in Ghana under the Fourth Republic since 1993: a critical analysis

Wahab

Aka

2020

Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des étud

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This article analyzes the politics behind the consensus on healthcare by major political parties in Ghana's Fourth Republic since 1993. Using Ghana over the period under review as a case in point, the paper's main argument is that politics matters when it comes to the origination, design and implementation of healthcare programs, including the influence of constitutional design and practice, evidenced in a relative paucity of veto points, in facilitating the enactment of legislation on healthcare reforms; and the extent to which healthcare is defined as a human right. A high point of the paper is a critical assessment of the effectiveness of Ghana's healthcare initiative based on the extent to which it meets the needs of citizens, from a human rights standpoint, in the face of a public health emergency of the type that the world currently faces with the COVID-19 pandemic. RÉSUMÉ Cet article examine la politique sous-jacente au consensus sur les soins de santé des principaux partis politiques de la Quatrième République du Ghana depuis 1993. En prenant le Ghana comme exemple pour la période examinée, le principal argument de l'article est que la politique est importante lorsqu'il s'agit de l'origine, de la conception et de la mise en oeuvre de programmes des soins de santé, y compris l'influence de la conception et de la pratique constitutionnelles, attestée par une relative rareté des points de veto, dans la facilitation de la promulgation de la réglementation relevant des réformes des soins de santé ; et de la mesure dans laquelle les soins de santé sont définis comme un droit humain. L'un des points forts de cet article est une évaluation critique de l'efficacité de l'initiative des soins de santé du Ghana, basée sur la mesure dans laquelle elle répond aux besoins des citoyens, du point de vue des droits humains, face à une urgence de santé publique du type de celle à laquelle le monde est actuellement confronté avec la pandémie de la COVID-19.

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Political parties in Ghana: agents of democracy?

Cited by 22 publications

References 27 publications

Refractory Frontier: Intra-party Democracy in the Zambian Polity

Refractory Frontier: Intra-party Democracy in the Zambian Polity

Party’s presidential primaries and the consolidation of democracy in Ghana’s 4th Republic

The politics of healthcare reforms in Ghana under the Fourth Republic since 1993: a critical analysis

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