Ghana is considered one of the most stable countries in West Africa since its transition to multi-party democracy in 1992.

The country has a vibrant civil society and has made major strides towards consolidating its democratic achievements. There have been relatively peaceful multi-party electoral politics and successful administration transitions.

Nonetheless, Ghanaian politics is also underpinned by patron-client relations which organise power around factions instead of ideologies. The issue of economic mismanagement and corruption are symptoms of the underlying distribution of power and economic benefits amongst elites that affect development outcomes. Grand as well as petty corruption are still common in a culture of gift-giving and reciprocity. This foundation of informal norms and practices undermines developmental efforts for the public good, as well as the sustainability of changes brought about by political will and “Winner-Takes-All” politics syndrome that is prevalent in Ghana.

Most recently, ASI’s STAAC programme has worked across the criminal justice chain, from detection and investigation, to prosecution and adjudication, providing support for anti-corruption activities. STAAC leverages Ghana’s vibrant civil society and works with a select cadre of CSOs, media, and the private sector to push for reform and accountability of government, including supporting those agencies in the anti-corruption chain. ASI has also supported well-planned urban development as well as strong governance of Ghana’s mining industry.