Constitution-Making and Constitutional Rule in Ghana

Abstract

A constitution enjoys a special place in the life of any nation; a fact which makes constitution-making and constitutional practice a useful starting point for analyzing the government, politics and development of any state. Additionally, a constitution regulates not only the exercise of political power, but also the relationship between political entities and between the state and citizens. With this at the backdrop, the chapter examines the trajectories of constitution-making and constitutional practice in Ghana over the half-century since independence, taking into consideration issues like what accounted for the quick succession and varied nature of constitutions in Ghana over the last fifty years? How inclusive have the various constitution-making impacted on the practice of constitutional rule in Ghana? To what extent have changes in constitutional arrangements affected politics in Ghana? What has sustained the current constitutional dispensation in spite of the initial hiccups? Among other compelling issues