Government & politics — Ghana

• History: Several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992,
• entered into force 7 January 1993 Amendments: Proposed by Parliament; consideration requires prior referral to the Council of State, a body of prominent citizens who advise the president of the republic; passage of amendments to "entrenched" constitutional articles (including those on national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the branches of government, and amendment procedures) requires approval in a referendum by at least 40% participation of eligible voters and at least 75% of votes cast, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote in Parliament, and assent of the president; amendments to non-entrenched articles do not require referenda; amended 1996

• chief of state: President
• President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers; nominated by the president,
• approved by Parliament election/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); the president is both ch
• ief of state and head of government most recent election date: 7
• December 2024 election results: 2024: John Dramani MAHAMA elected president in the first round; percent of vote- John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 56.5%, Mahamudu BAWUMIA (NPC) 41%, other 2.5% 2020: Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (NPP) 51.3%, John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 47.4%, other 1.3% (2020)
• expected date of next election: 7 December 2028

Description

Unicameral Parliament (275 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

Elections

Last held on 7 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)

Election Results

• Percent of vote by party - NA
• seats by party (preliminary) - NPP 137, NDC 137, independent 1;

Composition

men 235, women 40, percent of women 14.5%

• Highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chie
• f justice and 13 justices) Judge selection and term of office: Chief justice appointed by the president in consultation with the Council of State (a small advisory body of prominent citizens) and with the approval of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Council (an 18-member independent body of judicial, military and police officials, and presidential nominees) and on the advice of the Council of State; justices can retire at age 60,
• with compulsory retirement at age 70 Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Circuit Court; District Court; regional tribunals

• All Peoples Congress or APC [Hassan AYARIGA]
• Convention People's Party or CPP [Onsy Kwame NKRUMAH, acting]
• Ghana Freedom Party or GFP [Akua DONKOR]
• Ghana Union Movement or GUM [Christian Kwabena ANDREWS]
• Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Henry Herbert LARTEY]
• Liberal Party of Ghana or LPG [Kofi AKPALOO]
• National Democratic Congress or NDC [John Dramani MAHAMA]
• National Democratic Party or NDP [Nana Konadu Agyeman RAWLINGS]
• New Patriotic Party or NPP [Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO]
• People's National Convention or PNC [Janet NABIA]
• Progressive People's Party or PPP [Paa Kwesi NDUOM]
• United Front Party or UFP [Dr. Nana A. BOATENG]
• United Progressive Party or UPP [Akwasi Addai ODIKE]
• Note: Ghana has more than 20 registered parties; included are those which participated in the 2020 general election

• No Citizenship by descent only: At least one parent or grand
• Yes Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Chief of Mission

Ambassador Virginia E. PALMER (since 16 June 2022) Embassy: No. 24, Fourth Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra, P.O. Box 2288, Accra Mailing address: 2020 Accra Place, Washington DC 20521-2020

Telephone

[233] (0) 30-274-1000

Email address and website

• ACSAccra@state.gov
• https://gh.usembassy.gov/

Chief of Mission

Ambassador Alima MAHAMA (since 7 July 2021)

Chancery

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone

[1] (202) 686-4520

FAX

[1] (202) 686-4527

Email address and website

• info@ghanaembassydc.org
• https://ghanaembassydc.org/

consulate(s) general

New York