Vol.16, No.1:STRENGTHENING STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION IN DECENTRALIZED PLANNING SYSTEMS IN GHANA 08 March, 2018 A major feature of Ghana's decentralization anddevolution process is the increased involvement of local communities, the citizenry, either by themselves as individuals or through association, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), peoples' organizations (POs), civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, ... read more

	Vol.15, No.4: ETHNIC POWER RELATIONS AND CONFLICT: LESSONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD 12 January, 2016 The vast majority of armed conflicts since World War II have been intra-state wars, and most of them have been fought along ethnic lines. The examples range from the Biafra war in Nigeria and the genocide in Rwanda to the ... read more

Vol.15, No.3: WHERE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED IN THE NAME OF POLITICS:ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM OF GROUP 15 July, 2015 Following a period marked by unconstitutional changes of government in the immediate post-independence decades, Ghana has emerged as a beacon of democracy in Africa,1 having organized six successful elections and two democratic alternations of power since 1992.2 These successes notwithstanding, ... read more

	Vol. 14 No. 3 November, 2014 Promoting Transparency And Accountability In Oil And Gas Contracti 01 April, 2015 Following the discovery of oil in 2007, Ghana onDecember 15, 2010, joined the league of oilproducing countries. In light of this, there has been agrowing discussion about what mechanisms arenecessary to ensure that both companies and theGhanaian government are held ... read more

	Vol.15, No.2: INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF THE SADA PROGRAM IN NORTHERN GHANA 11 March, 2015 In an effort to bridge the north – south developmental gap, the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA)1 was established by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) governing party through an Act of Parliament (Act 805) in 2010. SADA stresses strong social ... read more

Vol. 13 No. 4 October, 2014 Technological Invasion Of Privacy: The Need For Appropriate Respons 04 December, 2014 In this media-saturated postmodern era, the proliferation of portable, affordable digital electronic recording devices has facilitated individual agency, while creating hitherto unimaginable threats to privacy. For example, the average person today, using a smartphone, can record and disseminate evidence of ... read more

	Vol. 13 No. 1 July, 2014 GHANA’S 1992 Constitutional Review Process: Avoiding Errors And Omissi 04 December, 2014 Promulgated in 1992, the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana is 22 years old this year. This makes it the longest lasting constitution in Ghana’s post-independence experience. It has become the reference for discussions on the nation’s political and economic ... read more

	Vol. 14 No. 4 November, 2014 The Case Of Rejected Ballots In Ghana: Illiteracy, Political Prote 28 November, 2014 One of the fundamental principles underlying Robert Dahl’s Polyarchy is that in a democracy, every citizen should receive equal and adequate representation from their elected officials. Equal access to the right to vote has historically been a challenge for many ... read more

	Vol.14 No.2 Disability And Public Basic School Infrastructure In Ghana 20 November, 2014 Education has been regarded in all societies andthroughout human history both as an end in itself andas a means for the individual and society to grow. It isnot only “the key to sustainable development,” but also“a fundamental human right (Bruns ... read more

	Vol.15 No. 1 State of Infrastructure In Ghanaian Schools 07 November, 2014 Improving education is a top priority for the Government of Ghana (GoG). Actual education expenditure increased from 5.3% in 2008 to 6.1 % in 2011 after the rebasing1 of the GDP. Primary Education accounts for 68.7% of the total expenditure ... read more

	Vol.14 No.1 The Provision Of Gender Friendly Infrastructure In Public Basic Schools In Ghana 03 November, 2014 In recent years, governments in the developing world have focused on a drive towards gender parity in school enrolment, an agenda driven largely by the goal of meeting MDGs 2 and 3 (See box 1)1. Two of the18 targets for ... read more

Vol.13 No.3 Gaps In Public Basic Education Delivery In Ghana: Perspectives Of Community Scorecards I 10 September, 2014 The importance of education, particularly primaryeducation, in advancing economic and socialdevelopment and in reducing poverty is welldocumented. In Ghana, the importance of basic education to a child’sfuture is well reflected in the 1992 Constitution whichprovides for education to be “free, compulsory ... read more

	Vol.12 No.4 Citizens' Experiences With School Infrastructure And Learning Inputs In Public Primary S 19 August, 2014 Education has been acknowledged as one of the ways through which poverty and other forms of deprivation can be eliminated. As a result, governments and policy makers all over the world have been exploring ways through which the promised benefits ... read more

Vol.12 No.13 Satisfaction With Education Service Delivery In Public Primary Schools In Ghana 20 May, 2014 In contemporary times, and within the context ofEducation for All [(EFA) a global commitment toensure that all children, irrespective of theirbackgrounds have access to universal basic educationby the year 2015] which is aimed at improvingeducation quality and outcomes and strengthenaccountability ... read more

	Volume 12 Number 2 Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) 14 November, 2012 The Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology for election observation has become a powerful tool for citizen observer groups to monitor, inrealtime,developments on Election Day. Significantly, PVT enables citizen groups to independently analyze the integrity of voting and counting processes and ... read more

	Vol.12 No.1 Storage and Management of Textbooks in Public Primary Schools in Ghana 30 August, 2012 The key role that textbooks, supplementary readers and other printed instructional materials play in enhancing the quality of education is universally recognized. This role is especially important in Sub-Saharan Africa where there is generally inadequate supply of reading materials and ... read more

Vol.11 No 4 School Level Structures and the Management of Education Resources in Public Primary Sc 13 August, 2012 Ghana’s commitment to providing quality basic education for all, as prescribed by the Education Act 2008 (Act 778), and otherinternationaldevelopmentframeworks such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA)-Fast Track Initiative (FTI) has witnessed relative progress on ... read more

	Vol. 11 No. 1 Political Accountability in Ghanaian Slums:Evidence from the Grassroots 10 August, 2012 More than 5.5 million Ghanaians live in slums. The majority of these people live in the Greater Accra Region. Contrary to popular portrayals of these communities as criminal havens and cut off from the state, slums are important spaces for ... read more

	Vol.10 No.4: Governance in Africa's Oil and Gas Exporting Countries: Evidence from the Ibrahim Idex 02 May, 2012 Several African nations have recently joined or are about to join the ranks of the continent’s Oil Producing Countries (OPCs). This has raised hopes as well as anxieties about the governance prospects of the new OPCs. On one hand, it ... read more

	Vol. 10 No. 3: The 2011 Ibrahim Index on African Governance (IIAG) Rankings: Some Issues for Analysi 21 November, 2011 The Ibrahim Index measures the delivery of public goods and services to citizens by governments and non-state actors across 86 criteria. The four main categories of indicators used as proxies for the quality of the processes and outcomes of governance ... read more

	Vol. 10 No. 2: The Re-demarcation and Reapportionment of Parliamentary Constituencies in Ghana 19 October, 2011 In February, 2011, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) released provisional results of the 2010 Population and Housing Census. All eyes are now on Ghana’s National Electoral Commission (EC), as it is constitutionally required to use the new census data to ... read more

Vol.10 No.1: Tracking Capitation Grant In Public Primary Schools In Ghana : Edward Ampratwum & Danie 06 April, 2010 The abolition of school fees especially at the basiceducation level has been adopted by many countries asone of the key policy interventions for influencing education outcomes. In 2004, Ghana adopted a schoolfees abolition policy, the Capitation Grant (CG), to spurthe attainment ... read more

Vol.9 No.4: The Cultural Foundations of Disability: An Ethno-Communication Approach : Kwesi Yankah 02 November, 2009 Any discussion on disability in Ghana or anywhere that seeksanswers or explanations to attitudes, or seeks policyinterventions, without reference to culture is an exercise infutility. That is why appreciation is extended to the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) for providingthis ... read more

Vol. 9 No.3: Averting the Resource Curse in Ghana; the need for Accountability by Anna Cavnar 01 October, 2008 Since Ghana struck oil in its western waters last year, thegovernment has been busy. In the euphoric days immediatelyfollowing the discovery, the President declared that Ghanawould avoid the “resource curse” and use its new-found oilwealth to transform the country’s economic ... read more

	Vol.9 No.2: Reframing the Discourse on Oil in Ghana: A Problemof Politics : Eric Kramon 04 August, 2008 Ghana’s 2007 discovery of oil in commercialquantities has sparked much discussion about howgovernment, and Ghana in general, should govern thefast-growing oil industry and future revenues that will accrue to the state as early as 2010. In light of this,the government ... read more

	Vol. 9, No.1: The Discovery of Oil in Ghana- Time for a Reality Check, by Kwadwo Mensah 03 March, 2008 The discovery of oil in Ghana has led to optimism about theprospect for Ghana’s economy. President Kufuor has neverlost an opportunityto applaud this fact, suggesting at leastimplicity, at every opportunity that the discoveryof oil is anunfettered good for Ghana. The ... read more

Vol. 8, No. 4: Ghana’s Fourth Republic: Championing the African Democratic Renaissance?,, By E.Gyima 31 January, 2008 Freedom,prosperity,and unity were the main goals of Ghanaianindependence. Unfortunately, much of Ghana’s 50- year experience with nationhood was dominated by false starts aswell as twists and turns. The lofty dreams turned largelynightmarish in much of the first 30years of Ghanaian ... read more

	Vol. 8, No. 3: A 'United States of Africa' by 2015? 04 June, 2007 The main item on the agenda for the African Union (AU)Summit in Accra in July 2007 is the creation of the UnitedStates of Africa. This returns to the center stage an ideawhich has been popular with many pan-Africanists sincethe inception ... read more

	Vol. 8, No. 1: The Millennium Challenge Account: A New Chance for Ghana 04 August, 2006 In 2002 United States President George W. Bush established the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as a ?common sense? compact for global development to link the ?greater contributions from developed nations to greater responsibility from developing nations.? President Bush also pledged ... read more

	Vol. 8, No. 1: The Millenium Challenge Account: A New Chance for Ghana 01 August, 2006 In 2002 United States President George W. Bush established the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as a “common sense” compact for global development to link the “greater contributions fromdeveloped nations to greater responsibility from developing nations.” President Bush also pledged new ... read more

Vol. 7, No. 4: Assessing and Reforming Public Efforts to Control Corruption, by Larry Diamond 14 September, 2005 There is wide agreement both within Africa and internationally that extensive corruption constitutes one of the principal obstacles to economic development in Africa. Corruption undermines the effective deployment of public resources for development. Development requires that the resources of government ... read more

Vol. 7, No. 3: Enhancing The Credibility of The Public Office Holders Asset Declaration Regime 01 June, 2005 The need for an effective asset declaration regime:A credible and effective asset declaration regime is anessential component of the ensemble of rules and structuresnecessary for democratic governance. It helps to: ? Prevent abuse of power by holders of public office ? Protect ... read more

	Vol. 7, No. 2: Invigorating Ghana?s lagging anticorruption agenda: Instruments for enhanced civic in 02 May, 2005 The casual reader of the 2004 edition ofTransparency International?s Corruption PerceptionIndex may have seen in Ghana?s score a cause formodest celebration. The country posted a score of3.6 out of a ?clean? 10, a slight improvement overits score of 3.3 in ... read more

	Vol. 7, No. 1: Appointment and 'vetting' of ministerial nominees: constitutional and other challenge 22 April, 2005 The casual reader of the 2004 edition of Transparency International?s Corruption Perception Index may have seen in Ghana?s score a cause for modest celebration. The country posted a score of 3.6 out of a ?clean? 10, a slight improvement over ... read more

	Vol. 6, No. 6: Abuse Of Incumbency, State Administrative Resources, And Political corruption In Elec 06 December, 2004 The political campaigns were in full gear when the previous abuse of incumbency reports were released in October and November 2004. Incumbents and challengers alike were busy seeking to convince the electorate that they were the person for the job. ... read more

	Vol. 6, No. 5: Abuse of Incumbency, State Administrative Resources, And Political corruption In Elec 06 October, 2004 The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD) was pleased with the massive amounts of feedback, both positive and negative, recieved in response to the first Report on Abuse of Incumbency released on 4 November 2004. Print,radio, and television outlets all ... read more

Vol. 6, No. 4: Abuse Of Incumbency, State Administrative Resources, And Political corruption In Elec 05 October, 2004 The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana) is pleased to present the first in the series of planned public releases on monitoring abuse of incumbency/administrative resources and political corruption during the upcoming 2004 elction. This report covers the first ... read more

Ensuring Violence-Free December 2004 Elections In Ghana: Early Warning Facilities : E. Gyimah-Boadi 01 June, 2004 The assertion in the EU Election Observation Missions Handbook that ?democracy is not just about elections, but genuine elections are necessary for democracy? is conventional wisdom by now. Indeed,scarcely anyone would seriously doubt that even successful elections are not a ... read more

Vol. 6, No. 3: Non-Custodial Sentences And Its Relevance in The Justice System, By Sandra Coffie 03 May, 2004 In Ghana, sentencing policy has ensured that courtsplace more emphasis on custodial sentences than onother forms of punishment: for most, if not all, criminal convictions, Ghanaian courts imposecustodial sentences as a matter of course. As a result,Ghana's prisons now contain more ... read more

Vol. 6, No. 1: Liberty ‘Versus’ Security: Protecting Human Rights And Public Safety In A Democracy, 20 May, 2003 The apparent tension between liberty and security is a longstanding one. For non-democratic regimes that tension seems easy to resolve--and it is typically resolved in favor of security. In the context of a nondemocratic regime, security often means regime security, although ... read more

	Vol. 5, No. 1: A Response to K. Afari-Gyan’s Preparations Towards Election 2004: Prospects And Chall 01 April, 2003 In his recent paper, Preparations Towards Election 2004: Prospects and Challenges? (CDDGhana Briefing Paper : Vol. 5, No. 1, February2003), the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Dr. K. Afari-Gyan, raised a number of important issues that need to ... read more

	Vol. 4, No. 3: Meeting the Challenges of Disability in Ghana: Legislative Proposals -CDD 04 November, 2002 This issue of Briefing Paper presents input fromstakeholders and experts aimed at improving thequality of the draft bill on persons with disability.The Paper begins with an outline of the mainchallenges facing persons with disability inGhana. This is followed by a ... read more

	Vol. 4, No.1: National Reconciliation in Ghana: Prospects and Challenges, By E. Gyimah Boadi 01 May, 2002 In recent years, many countries have welcomed reconciliation as a means of confronting the fractious legacies of the past. The purpose of these Commissions is to unify people and move them forward to democratic development. Nations as diverse as Guatemala and ... read more

Vol. 3, No. 3: Key Elements Of A Sustainable National Reconciliation Program In Ghana, By Vasuk 03 December, 2001 Truth and reconciliation commissions have become themechanism of choice adopted by countries to confrontlegacies of repression and human rights abuse. A truth andreconciliation commission provides an avenue for examiningpast violations with the view towards reform as well asreconciliation among victims, ... read more

	Vol. 2, No. 5: Why Ghana Needs Freedom of Information Legislation by E. Gyimah- Boadi 05 October, 2000 In lieu of an introduction the discussion begins with an account of two incidents in my life as an academic researcher and a policy analyst. Both incidents occurred within the period of return to constitutional rule and apparent abatement in ... read more

	Vol. 2, No. 3: Promoting Public Access To Information , By Kofi Kumado 03 July, 2000 It is an acknowledged axiom in our contemporary worldthat information is knowledge. Information is alsopower. Knowledge and power rule our world today. Therefore promoting access to information amounts toempowering the people, the citizenry, to participate ingovernment in an informed manner. In ... read more

	Vol. 2, No. 2: Ensuring 'Free and Fair' Elections in Ghana, H Kwesi Prempeh 02 May, 2000 As the various political parties and their candidates crisscross the country in the run-up to Election 2000, the vexing issue of access to the state-owned media has come into sharp focus once again, with the competing political parties making claims ... read more

Vol. 1, No. 4: Democracy and Economic Reform in Africa, By Peter Lewis 01 November, 1999 Africa was beset by economic crisis throughout the1980s. Suffering acute fiscal problems, declining growthrates, stagnant production, rising external debt, and widening domestic poverty, many governments, turnedto the IMF and the World Bank for new resources ordebt relief. With the sponsorship of ... read more

	Vol.1, No 3: Manstreaming the Participation of Women, By Ken Attafuah 11 August, 1999 Women make up approximatetly 52% of the world's population. Nevertheless, they are predominantly concentrated at the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder in most nations. They have the least education, own less than 23% of the world's property, and constitue ... read more

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