Ghana: A Consolidated Democracy?

Ghana has experienced three peaceful transfers of power over the past 26 years. There are effective systems in place that have been handling election-related issues in the country. The people have accepted democracy as the ‘only game in town’. The paper adopts an expository approach. It uses both primary and secondary sources of information such as press releases, news items, official reports from the EC and various election observer groups and international organizations. Interviews and focus group discussions were also undertaken. The study finds that Ghana still faces some challenges in terms of its ability to produce some democratic dividends despite the many years of enjoying a seemingly consolidated democracy. Massive unemployment persists; corruption exists in all branches of government; political elites usually escape the ambit of the law while the poor masses are always hemmed in. Are these really characteristics of a consolidated democracy? The paper submits that despite the fact that most of the conditions that fuel democratic consolidation exist in Ghana, the country is now on the second step of the democratic consolidation ladder- electoral democracy. In essence, there are better prospects for future democratic consolidation in the country.