Ghana Government, Constitution, Flag, and Leaders

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Ghana Government


Browse the listing below to find government information for Ghana, including flags, leaders, and constitution information. Factrover also has complete information on Ghana at its Ghana Country Page.

  • Ghana People
  • Ghana Geography
  • Ghana Economy
  • Ghana History

    Government
    Type: Democracy.
    Independence: March 6, 1957.
    Constitution: Entered into force January 7, 1993.
    Branches: Executive--president popularly elected for a maximum of two 4-year terms. Legislative--unicameral Parliament popularly elected for 4-year terms. Judicial--Independent, Supreme Court Justices nominated by president with approval of Parliament.
    Subdivisions: Ten regions. Council of State--presidential-appointed consultative body of 25 members required by the constitution.
    Political parties: New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, People's Convention Party, National Convention Party, People's National Convention, et alia.
    Suffrage: Universal at 18.

    Government of Ghana
    The Constitution that established the Fourth Republic provided a basic charter for republican democratic government. It declares Ghana to be a unitary republic with sovereignty residing in the Ghanaian people. Intended to prevent future coups, dictatorial government, and one-party states, it is designed to establish the concept of powersharing. The document reflects lessons learned from the abrogated constitutions of the 1957, 1960, 1969, and 1979, and incorporates provisions and institutions drawn from British and American constitutional models. One controversial provision of the Constitution indemnifies members and appointees of the PNDC from liability for any official act or omission during the years of PNDC rule. The Constitution calls for a system of checks and balances, with power shared between a president, a unicameral parliament, a council of state, and an independent judiciary.

    Executive authority is established in the Office of the Presidency, together with his Council of State. The president is head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the armed forces. He also appoints the vice president. According to the Constitution, more than half of the presidentially appointed ministers of state must be appointed from among members of Parliament.

    Legislative functions are vested in Parliament, which consists of a unicameral 200-member body plus the Speaker. To become law, legislation must have the assent of the president, who has a qualified veto over all bills except those to which a vote of urgency is attached. Members of Parliament are popularly elected by universal adult suffrage for terms of four years, except in war time, when terms may be extended for not more than 12 months at a time beyond the 4 years.

    The structure and the power of the judiciary are independent of the two other branches of government. The Supreme Court has broad powers of judicial review. It is authorized by the Constitution to rule on the constitutionality of any legislation or executive action at the request of any aggrieved citizen. The hierarchy of courts derives largely from British juridical forms. The hierarchy, called the Superior Court of Judicature, is composed of the Supreme Court of Ghana, the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, regional tribunals, and such lower courts or tribunals as Parliament may establish. The courts have jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters.

    source: http://www.state.gov

  • Ghana People
  • Ghana Geography
  • Ghana Economy
  • Ghana History