Central and West Africa: Ghana
Ghana Update
Since 1992, NDI has worked to strengthen election processes, the legislature and civic participation in Ghana. From December 1997 to October 2000 NDI implemented a three-year program to strengthen the Ghanaian Parliament, enhancing its ability to play an effective role in the legislative process, and to improve the understanding of nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) of the policy-making process and their capacity to use opportunities for public participation in that process, on behalf of their constituents. Ghana is currently one of the countries included in a regional Africa Political Party Finance Initiative. In partnership with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, NDI is conducting research and will support local efforts to increase discussion and debate on party finance.
Election Processes
In 1992, NDI helped develop, in conjunction with the Carter Center, a plan for a parallel vote tabulation of Ghana's first multiparty election. In 1996, NDI conducted a program to assist civic groups to monitor that year's presidential election. With NDI's assistance, these groups formed a coalition known as NEDEO, Network of Domestic Election Observers, and recruited, trained and deployed 4,500 observers to monitor and report on the elections. NDI also organized an international pre-election assessment mission to evaluate electoral preparations, the legal electoral framework and the prevailing political environment. NDI later sent an international delegation to observe the elections. The international observer mission and NDI-supported domestic observation efforts enhanced the confidence of Ghanaians to participate in and endorse the outcome of the election.
Strengthening the Parliament
One of NDI's goals during its three-year program in Ghana was to provide Parliament with training and technical assistance, with emphasis on training staff and strengthening the committee system. In the course of the program, NDI sponsored six parliamentary staffers to attend a drafting course offered by the International Legislative Drafting Institute at the Public Law Center of Tulane University. NDI conducted a similar course in country for 20 staff members and MPs at the Ghana Parliament for 11 weeks. NDI also produced a manual to assist MPs and parliamentary staff in researching and analyzing legislation. In addition, NDI provided technical assistance to strengthen the committee system in parliament. NDI's technical assistance to parliamentary staff and committees strengthened the legislatures capacity to draft legislation independent of the executive branch and the legislature's oversight of the executive.
Strengthening Pro-Democracy NGOs
Node's civic program activities sought to encourage Ghanaian NGOs to participate actively in the lawmaking process. Through its Town Hall program, NDI encouraged local NGOs to take the lead in convening and organizing public meetings with legislators and assisted groups in developing their capacity to coordinate these constituent-legislator forums. NDI also facilitated orientation meetings between civic organizations and parliament to strengthen links between NGOs and the legislature and conducted workshops to strengthen NGO lobbying and advocacy skills. Through these activities, NGOs had a rare opportunity to meet with their elected representatives to voice their concerns on local issues, to become familiarized with key committees in parliament and to help initiate dialogue that could later facilitate civil society input in the legislative process.
Contact Information
For further information on NDI programs in Ghana, please contact:
Karen Snow, Program Officer
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Updated March 2004
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