POLITICAL PARTIES and DEMOCRACY IN GHANA'S FOURTH REPUBLIC & (J M u e c r y o p a P o ic t 'c r t l CilAVjCjQ_ L_|i5^jLtVc_e»-5i ^ a J v i l ' S2J} j[ Political Parties and Democracif in Ghana's Fourth Republic IDS Information Resource Unit University o f Sussex Palmer, Brighton BN I 9RE, UK PLEASE RETURN BY 10 .cO f [U-r-i-ccfUs-, ----- I f I f 1s t - IDS 2'Bj o ^ f c F P ' 007902 POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY IN GHANA'S FOURTH REPUBLIC Proceedings of a Seminar Organized In/ the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon on 2nd and 3rd July, 1992 Edited by Kwame A Ninsin and F. K. Drah INSTITUTE Of DeVROPMF~ STUDIES LIBRARY' WOELI PUBLISHING SERVICES ACCRA 1993 Published bx/ Woeli Publishing Services P.O. Box K601 Accra New Town © Department of Political Science, Legon 1993 ISBN 9964-978-14-6 Cover artwork S. A. ADom DesigneD anD typeset by Woeli Publishing Services PrinteD anD bounD by Assemblies of GoD Literature Centre, Accra TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface and Acknowledgements...........................................................vii OPENING REMARKS 1. Democratization in Black Africa VieweD from Westminister (Donald Anderson) ................................................3 Parti BASIS OF DEMOCRACY 2. Political Parties anD the Machinery of Democratic Government (K. G. Poison)..........................................................12 3. Legislation on Political Parties (Kofi Kumado) ..............................35 4. The Constitutional Framework of Democracy (Kofi Kum ado).................................................................................53 Part II SOCIETY AND POLITICAL PARTIES 5. The Socio-Cultural Context of Multi-Party Constitutionalism in Ghana (Kumi Ansah - Koi) ...................63 6. Civil Society anD the Transition to Pluralist Democracy (F .K .D rah)......................................................................................72 7. The Party System anD Democracy in Ghana (YawManu) ....................................................... 116 8. Political Parties anD Social Representation: The Case of Women ( J. Sandra Pepera) ................................................. 133 Part III POLITICAL PARTIES, REPRESENTATION AND DEMOCRACY 9. Political Parties, Representation anD Democracy (Donald Anderson)....................................................................... 149 10. Democracy Without Political Parties: The Case of District Assemblies (Mike O quaye)........................................154 11. The Electoral System, Elections anD Democracy in Ghana (Kzuame A. Ninsiti) ...................................................... 175 12. The Democratic Ethos anD Internal Party Democracy: The Case of Parties in the Fourth Republic (A. Essuman - Johnson)...............................................................192 Part IV INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS OF PARTY POLITICS 13. The Opposition in Democratic Government: Reflections on the Ghanaian Experience (G. K. Bluivey) ...................... 207 14. Political Parties anD Prospects for National Stability (K.Boafo Arthur) ....................................................................... 224 15. Financing Political Parties in Ghana: An Exploratory StuDy (Joseph R.A. Ayee) .......................................................... 246 List of Contributors............................................................................258 LIST OF TABLES 1. Results of the 1978 Elections.......................................................... 161 2. Percentage of Votes Cast Against RegistereD Voters in Three Elections ........................................................ 163 3. Occupational Distribution of Assembly Members ..................167 4. Occupational Distribution of Assembly Members (% BreakDow n)..........................................................................169 vi PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Once again the Department of Political Science, in pursuit of its outreach programme, has the pleasure to make available to the general public in book form the proceeDings of a two-day seminar held at the Christ the King Hall in Accra on 2 anD 3 July, 1992, on the theme "Political Parties anD Democracy in the Fourth Republic"; anD, as was the case with the one held on 21 June, 1991, on Ghana's transition to constitutional rule, the seminar was organizeD in collaboration with the FrieDrich Ebert Foun­ Dation of Germany. Significantly, that a seminar on such a theme could be conceiveD anD organizeD at all is because the ban on overt party political activities had been mercifully, if belateDly, lifted on 18 May 1992. The theme was DiscusseD unDer the following broaD heads: (i) The Constitutional anD Legal Basis of Democracy; (ii) Society anD Political Parties; (iii) Political Parties, Representation anD Democracy; anD (iv) The Institutional Mechanisms of Party Politics. Papers were presenteD by sixteen resource persons incluDing a representative of the British government, Mr. DonalD AnDerson, a Labour Opposition Front Bench Spokesman on Africa. For some technical reasons, two of the papers could not appear in this volume. It may be noticeD that the present work is, in a significant sense, a sequel to our recent publication, Ghana's Transition to Constitutional Rule publisheD in 1991. For, although each has a specific focus, both works are essentially concerneD with the problems anD prospects of Ghana's transition to constitutional-Democratic rule. It is also worth emphasizing that the reviseD papers haD alreaDy been submitteD to the publisher before the presidential anD parliamentary elections of November anD December, 1992, respectively; anD this is why it was not possible to upDate the material where necessary. Even so we believe that this does not Detract, to any appreciable Degree, from the major thrust anD significance of the book as a whole. It is our fervent hope that the valuable lessons containeD in this volume will inspire, warn anD guiDe us in our fourth attempt at evolving a free, just anD stable pluralist Democracy in Ghana. At this juncture, the Department wishes to place on recorD its Debt of gratituDe to a number of people. These incluDe, first, Prof. D.A. Akyeampong, then the Pro - Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana, vii Legon, who gave the keynote aDDress in lieu of Prof. G. Benneh, the Vice- Chancellor; seconDly, the chairmen of the various sessions — Mr. S. Y. Bimpong-Buta, Director,GhanaLawSchool,Mr.JusticeGeorgeLamptey, Appeal Court JuDge, anD Prof. G.K. Nukunya, then Head, Department of Sociology, now Pro-Vice Chancellor, Legon; thirDly, the seminar participants, incluDing representatives of some of the newly formeD political parties, for their lively and invaluable contributions to the Discussions; anD, fourthly, the Department's secretarial staff — espe­ cially Mr. GoDfrieD Mantey, Ms. Selina ODame and Mr. Daniel Nii Noi, for helping with the organization of the seminar anD preparing the typescripts for this volume. While very grateful to all these people, the Department in all honesty must acknowleDge its profounDest gratituDe to the FrieDrich Ebert FounDation and its Director in Ghana, Dr. G. Schirra — an inDefatigable champion of constitutional democracy — ably supporteD by the Programmes Officer, Mr. E. Biriku-BoaDu, and other staff mem­ bers. Fully aware of the crucial importance of a healthy anD vibrant competitive party system for the emergence anD thriving of constitu­ tional Democracy, Dr. Schirra reaDily accepteD the Department7s pro­ posal for the seminar and then — as he did in 1991 — successfully convinceD the FounDation heaDquarters to proviDe ample funDs for not only organizing it but also publishing its proceeDings. We have no Doubt whatsoever that, wherever he will be after his tour of Duty in Ghana, he will continue to aid the cause of constitutional democracy through such contributions as these. In the same vein, the Department is most grateful to the Overseas Development Agency (ODA) of the UK for supporting the participation of Mr. DonalD AnDerson. Finally, we would like to state that the responsibility for the views expresseD in this volume lies strictly with the inDiviDual contributors only, and not with the Department of Political Science, the FrieDrich Ebert FounDation nor the publisher. F.K. DRAH K.A. NINSIN Department of Political Science University of Ghana Legon Part I Basis of Democracy Chapter 1 DEMOCRATIZATION IN BLACK AFRICA VIEWED FROM WESTMINSTER Donald Anderson Introduction When I was inviteD to participate in this seminar, I askeD myself a simple question: "What is it from my backgrounD anD experience that I can contribute?" I am not steepeD in the acaDemic literature on the subject. I am a journeyman, national politician of some experi­ ence, who counts myself as a frienD of Africa anD 1 shall speak in that light. I am equippeD to give the perspective of a British anD European Parliamentarian to the Dramatic anD welcome Democratic aDvance in Africa. I hope to have the humility not to parachute into Ghana anD give prescriptive solutions. Hence this is a personal approach of a busy politician unsullieD by Foreign Office Duties! I stress a "British anD European Parliamentarian" because British foreign policy will increas­ ingly be influenceD by our membership of the evolving European Community. The Maastricht Treaty seeks to establish "a common foreign anD security policy baseD on co-operation between the member states." Such co-operation alreaDy exists at all levels. InDiviDual member states will be leaD countries in respect of states or regions