Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

“The DCSP advances an authentic approach to democracy in Africa.”

Background In October last year at a launch event in Accra, Ghana’s political leadership presented their Democratic Consolidation Strategy Paper (DSCP) to the public. Supported by NIMD and the Accra-based Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), the Paper offers both a comprehensive review of the state of democracy in Ghana and a roadmap on how to enhance its performance. IEA Administrator Jean Mensa explains how the DCSP is contributing to tangible political change.

In 2006, following almost three years of discussion, the political parties undertook a groundwork study on the various arms of government and democratic institutions in the country. They really wanted to assess how democracy has fared here since a new constitution came into effect in 1992.

The parties appointed a representative team of consultants who spoke with all significant stakeholders - from party members, parliament, the judiciary, and civil society associations to grassroots groups, including women's organizations, youth, chiefs and religious leaders - to gather their views on these issues.

As a result, the DSCP is joint analysis of the country's democratic system and it proposes a number of practical reforms.

Let’s take the legislature for example. The constitution provides that the majority of our ministers be appointed from the legislature. Yet the general consensus is that taking good MPs away from parliament weakens the oversight ability of the legislature, and inhibits our system of checks and balances. The DSCP identifies this gap and makes a practical reform proposal.

Another area is the judiciary. The president can appoint any number of judges on a case-by-case basis to the supreme courts, entitling him or her to basically pack the courts. The DSCP makes a recommendation to set upper limits.

Constitutional review is another important area. I remember that on the 10th anniversary of the constitution there was much discussion as to whether it should be amended or not and, depending on which side of government you were on, you either said yes or no. In the DSCP political parties agree for the first time that to go forward as a nation, we have to review the constitution. In the run up to the elections in December 2008, all the parties adopted this proposal into their manifestos. As result, constitutional reform is firmly on the political agenda this year.

The DSCP also recommends that a fund be set up for the electoral commission to help it maintain its independence. Our new president, John Atta Mills, has promised to set up this fund, in keeping with the recommendation.

Indeed, the political parties have adopted many of the proposals in the DSCP, and three bills have been produced in the process: the funding of political parties, the review of the political parties law itself, and the presidential transition bill. The parties have all pledged in their manifestos that they would pass these bills. The new government seems firmly fixed on implementing the proposals, acknowledging that it is a product of a multiparty collaboration. Honestly, without the DSCP this would not have happened.

Because they have been included and acknowledged, people feel their ideas are valued. In this regard, the DSCP has done much to cultivate a sense among the political parties that the democratic process is important, and that relations between the parties are as integral to the health of our nation as any of the political goals they pursue individually. And that for us has been the beauty of it.

Ultimately the DCSP advances an authentic approach to democracy in Africa. We certainly hope that it sets an example, inspiring our neighbours to examine their own democratic practices and find ways to improve them.”

Jean Mensa is Administrator of the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), Ghana

Download a copy of the DCSP