UK to stop funding for Ghana’s electoral activities

Desmond Swayne

The UK government has announced that it will stop funding Ghana’s democratic activities beginning next year. Ghana has benefited from donor support for its elections over the last two decades, but according to the UK Minister of International Development, Desmond Swayne, Ghana’s democracy has matured over the years and does not need financial support from the UK. Mr. Desmond Swayne announced that a £4-million programme to strengthen democratic governance would mark the UK’s last investment in democratic structures in Ghana. Under this Programme, personnel of the Electoral Commission (EC), the Ghana Police Service, the Judiciary and civil society organisations (CSOs) will be supported to undergo training to upscale their skills in handling security and judicial issues related to elections and other democratic governance matters.

He said the £4-million package was to strengthen the EC, the police, the Judiciary and CSOs for them to deal promptly with good governance issues and further enhance Ghana’s image as a beacon of democracy in the sub-region.

Speaking at a forum in Accra, Mr. Swayne described Ghana as having established a fearsome reputation as being a beacon for development in Africa hence the decision to cease the donor support. “…Because of that and because of the fact that Ghana is becoming low middle income country, I anticipate that this will be the last of such investment that we will make in democratic structures of this sort.”

Mr. Swayne entreated Ghanaians to view this move as a recognition of Ghana having come of age as far as having a sustainable democracy is concerned. “That is a measure of your success that we expect you as you go forward to be able to fund your democracy from your own resources.”