Politics & Government Guide · GhanaPolitics & Government Guide in Ghana
Political system, governance structure, stability indicators, and democratic institutions
Ghana operates as a presidential republic with a unicameral parliament, having transitioned to democratic governance in 1992. The country has recently elected President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress in January 2025. The government is implementing significant decentralization reforms and has achieved notable macroeconomic improvements, with inflation declining substantially and fiscal deficits narrowing, while prioritizing industrial development and local governance strengthening through its 2026-2030 policy framework.
Political Stability
Moderate
Corruption Index
Below Average
Democracy Index
Moderate
Government Type
Presidential Republic
Legal System
Mixed legal system based on English common law and customary law
Head of State
President John Dramani Mahama(since 2025)
Head of Government
President John Dramani Mahama(National Democratic Congress)since 2025
Political Indicators
Political Stability
Scale: 0-1
Moderate
World Bank Political Stability Index (2024)
Corruption Index
Scale: 0-100
Transparency International (2024)
Press Freedom
Scale: 0-100
Good
Reporters Without Borders (2024)
Democracy Index
Scale: 0-10
Flawed Democracy
Economist Intelligence Unit (2024)
Legislature
Major Political Parties
Center-left
Center-right
Non-partisan
Voting Rights
All citizens aged 18 and above have the right to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections. Voting is based on universal adult suffrage without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, or religion.
Recent Developments
- Launch of National Decentralization Policy 2026-2030 focusing on political, fiscal, and administrative decentralization with emphasis on local economic development
- Inflation declined sharply from 23.8% in December 2024 to 5.4% in December 2025, demonstrating improved macroeconomic stability
- 2026 Budget prioritizes industrial revitalization and AfCFTA development with projected fiscal deficit of 2.2% of GDP
- Implementation of Feed Ghana Programme as flagship vehicle for achieving sustainable development agenda
- Government funding increased to 72% of total budget in 2026 to support decentralization implementation and development initiatives
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