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Ghana’s rule of law and justice sees the worst decline in Africa over the past decade – Report

Ghana’s rule of law and justice system, which guarantees equal and fair application of laws, safeguarding rights and preventing abuse of power, has experienced the steepest decline among 54 African countries over the past decade.

According to the 2024 Ibrahim Index of African Governance report, Ghana saw a 14.9-point drop in its index score between 2014 and 2023, marking the most significant deterioration across the continent.

The report underscores this as a critical issue, particularly as the country approaches the December 2024 elections.

“However, all security and rule of law related sub-categories have declined since 2014, spearheaded by Rule of Law & Justice (-14.9) and Security & Safety (-8.5), both on trajectories of increasing deterioration… concerning results in security and rule of law, with a presidential election scheduled in December 2024,” the report indicated

The rule of law and justice category of the report was measured using the following indicators: “executive compliance with the Rule of Law, impartiality of the judicial system, judicial processes, equality before the law, law enforcement, property rights, and public perception of the rule of law. All these indicators have witnessed a decline in the past decade.

Here’s how the country fared in each of these sub-categories:

  • Executive compliance with the Rule of Law

This indicator evaluates the degree to which the executive adheres to the constitution, the government respects court rulings, and power transitions follow the rule of law. It has seen a 1.6-point decline.

  • Impartiality of the Judicial System

This indicator measures the impartiality of the judicial system, focusing on the independence of the courts, the autonomy of judges, and the judicial appointment process. It peaked at 97 points when the current government took office but has since dropped significantly to 68.3. Over the past decade, the impartiality of the judicial system has experienced a 30% decline.

  • Judicial processes

This indicator evaluates the accessibility and affordability of justice, the guarantee of due process and the rights of the accused, the timeliness of trials, and the effective enforcement of justice. Over the past decade, this process has seen a 13-point decline.

  • Equality before the law

This indicator evaluates the degree to which there is equality before the law and ensures that civil and criminal justice systems remain impartial and free from discrimination.

  • Law enforcement

This indicator evaluates the reliability of the police, the effectiveness of misconduct investigations and sanctions, and the functionality of the criminal investigation and prosecutorial system. Law enforcement effectiveness has also declined.

Ghana’s overall governance improved by +1.2 points, placing the country 7th among 54 African nations in 2023, up from 8th in 2014. This improvement was driven by strong progress in critical economic and human development areas, including public administration (+9.7), education (+9.4), infrastructure (+9.2), health (+7.4), and business & labor environment (+7.2).

 

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