Ghana
 Keyfacts
POPULATION (Census 2000): 18,912,079
AREA: 238,533 sq km
CAPITAL: Accra
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: -
CURRENCY: Ghanaian cedi (GHS)
HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT: President John Atta Mills
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: constitutional republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: unicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: English (official) Akan, Dagaare, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, Nzema (government-sponsored)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS: last: 2008; turnout: 69.5%; next: 2012
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: 2010; turnout: - next: 2014
Summary
Ghana is a constitutional democracy with two spheres of government: central and local. Local government is enshrined in the constitution, as is decentralisation, and the main relevant legislation is the Local Government Act 1993. There are three types of assemblies, which are the highest levels of local government: metropolitan, municipal and district. There are also sub-structures that do not hold any legislative or rating powers and undertake activities delegated to them by the assemblies: sub-metropolitan, district, urban, town, zonal and area councils and unit committees. The district assemblies are responsible for the setting and collecting of local revenue. There are also numerous grants transferred from central to local government, the most important of which is the District Assemblies’ Common Fund, where not less than 7.5% of GDP must be transferred to and distributed by the assemblies annually. The assemblies are responsible for the provision of basic education,
although central government retains control over education policy. The districts are also responsible for public health, environmental protection and sanitation, whilst social welfare is a shared responsibility.
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Related links
Commonwealth Local Government Good Practice Scheme in Ghana
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