Politics and Development Pathway Dynamics of Ghana’s Fourth Republic, 1992-2023

Abstract

This paper analysed the politics of the development trajectory of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. The political economy of development planning posits that every development decision is a political decision. The impact reality of politics and development policies on Ghana’s economy of the Fourth Republic which began in 1992, thus underpins the analytical relevance of the paper. Informed by the emerging political and economic crises in the country, the discussion is situated within the context of the theoretical framework of political rationalisation. Employing desktop study design, we draw mainly on textual data from multiple data sources. The results of the analysis and discussions revealed that the problem of Ghana’s socioeconomic issue is leadership failure. Also, the nature of the political democracy in Ghana, in particular, the “winner-takes-all syndrome” coupled with massive corruption and political vendetta is the crust of the matter confronting the pace of the country’s development. It concludes that the country’s fragile democracy may be further jeopardised if not managed with circumspection. Based on this conclusion, we developed an agenda for the future to avoid the pitfalls of the recent past. There is also the need for an entrenched clause for national development in the constitution to bind successive governments for the continuity of state ongoing projects. Finally, development-planning process should be widened to allow for broader political and economic participation in governance.