Ghana

Chapter 6

Governance

Women in Parliament and the courts, everyday experiences of corruption, whether citizens feel heard, and participation in elections.

Sources: Parliamentary Service, Judicial Service, GSS Governance Series
Latest: 2025

Women in Parliament

14.9%

2025, 9th Parliament

8.5% in 1993 (1st Parliament)

Women High Court judges

48.8%

2025

Court of Appeal 39.0%, Supreme Court 25.0%

Gifts to public officials

16.8%

2025

18.4% in 2024

Right to vote knowledge

98.1%

2024, adults 18+

Know voting is a basic right

No say

29.7%

2025

42.4% in 2024

Women in leadership

Gradual gains in Parliament; strong representation in the lower courts, weakest at the top.

§6.1 · pp. 85–86

Women representation in Parliament

Share of parliamentary seats held by women, %

1993–2025 (1st–9th Parliaments)

14.9%

9th Parliament, 2025

About 15 in 100 seats

+6.4 pp since 1993

Every Parliament, % of seats

The seat diagram is illustrative: 100 seats with 15 highlighted (14.9%). The total number of seats is not given in the publication. Women are 50.7% of the population.

Source: Parliamentary Service of Ghana · Figure 6.1, p. 85

View data· Published figures

Women in Parliament
Year	Parliament	Women (%)
1993	1st	8.5
1997	2nd	9.5
2001	3rd	9.5
2005	4th	10.9
2009	5th	8.7
2013	6th	11.3
2017	7th	13.8
2021	8th	14.5
2025	9th	14.9

Percentage of women judges

Women as % of judges in each court

2008–2025

High Court
48.8%
2025
Court of Appeal
39.0%
2025
Supreme Court
25.0%
2025

High Court
Court of Appeal
Supreme Court

Each court has its own denominator, so the lines must not be added. Revised in the final edition: the Supreme Court series differs from the draft in every year, and 2012 is now reported. Chapter 11 of the publication still quotes the draft 2025 values (High Court 48.6%, Court of Appeal 40.3%); Figure 6.2 and Table 2.1 give 48.8% and 39.0%, which are used here.

Source: Judicial Service of Ghana · Figure 6.2, p. 86

View data· Published figures

Women judges by court
Year	Supreme Court (%)	Court of Appeal (%)	High Court (%)
2008	27.3	12.5	20.0
2009	35.7	15.4	19.0
2010	35.7	17.4	15.2
2011	35.7	17.4	15.4
2012	41.7	18.2	20.2
2013	38.5	34.6	23.3
2014	38.5	37.5	23.5
2015	28.6	37.0	27.6
2016	28.6	37.0	29.6
2017	30.8	37.0	29.2
2018	26.7	37.9	34.4
2019	21.4	44.0	38.8
2020	27.8	42.4	44.1
2021	31.3	39.4	45.3
2022	38.5	48.4	45.0
2023	46.2	41.0	44.8
2024	33.3	40.6	44.7
2025	25.0	39.0	48.8

Accountability and public trust

Fewer people report giving gifts to officials, though requests for gifts rose in late 2025.

§6.2 · p. 87

Direct requests for gifts by public officials

% of people directly asked for a gift by an official

Jan–Dec 2024; Jan–Jun 2025; Jul–Dec 2025

38.6%Jan–Jun 2025

50.5%Jul–Dec 2025

+11.9 ppworse: more people were asked

About 5 in 10 people were asked for a gift in the second half of 2025, close to the full-year Jan–Dec 2024 level (51.3%).

Requests refer to periods of different length (a full year in Jan–Dec 2024, half-years in 2025), so compare the two half-years. Being asked and actually giving are separate measures.

Source: GSS Governance Series Waves 2–3 · Figure 6.3, p. 87

View data· Published figures

Direct requests for gifts
Period	Directly asked for a gift (%)
Jan–Dec 2024	51.3
Jan–Jun 2025	38.6
Jul–Dec 2025	50.5

Giving gifts to public officials

% of people who gave a gift to a public official

2021, 2024 and 2025

26.7% per cent2021
18.4% per cent2024
16.8% per cent2025

About 2 in 10 people (2025)

Reported giving fell by 9.9 percentage points between 2021 and 2025: an improvement.

SDG 16.5.1 bribery incidence. Lower is better.

Source: GSS Ghana Corruption Survey (2022) and Governance Series Waves 2–3 · Figure 6.4, p. 87

View data· Published figures

Gave a gift to a public official
Year	Gave a gift (%)
2021	26.7
2024	18.4
2025	16.8

Public perception on inclusive and responsive decision-making

More people feel heard: both measures fell by about 10 percentage points in a year.

§6.2 · p. 88

No inclusiveness in decision-making

% who feel they have no say in government decisions

2013, 2024, 2025

59.9% per cent2013
42.4% per cent2024
29.7% per cent2025

About 3 in 10 people (2025)

−30.2 ppsince 2013; lower is better

A perception, not a measure of service delivery. The 2013 figure is cited in the text; Figure 6.5 shows 2024 and 2025.

Source: GSS Governance Series Wave 3 · Figure 6.5, p. 88

View data· Published figures

No inclusiveness in decision-making
Year	% of respondents
2013	59.9
2024	42.4
2025	29.7

Non-governance responsiveness

% who feel they cannot influence government action

2024, 2025

43.2% per cent2024
33.0% per cent2025

About 3 in 10 people (2025)

−10.2 ppsince 2024; lower is better

A perception, not a measure of service delivery. Only 2024 and 2025 are reported.

Source: GSS Governance Series Wave 3 · Figure 6.5, p. 88

View data· Published figures

Non-governance responsiveness
Year	% of respondents
2024	43.2
2025	33.0

Right to vote

Knowing the right and using it are separate measures.

§6.3 · p. 89

Knowledge of the right to vote

% of adults aged 18 and over

2024

98.1%2024

About 98 in 100 adults know voting is a basic democratic right

Knowing that voting is a right is not the same as registering or voting; it is not a turnout measure. Each square is 1% of adults.

Source: GSS Governance Series · p. 88

View data· Published figures

Knowledge of the right to vote
Year	% of adults
2024	98.1

People who have never voted, by region

% of respondents who have never voted in each type of election

Governance Series Wave 1

National elections
District elections

Western2.5 · 9.1
Oti *0.6 · 8.5
Eastern2.2 · 8.2
Northern2.5 · 7.8
Upper West *4.0 · 7.7
Ashanti1.4 · 7.6
Western North0.7 · 7.2
Bono1.6 · 7.0
Central1.7 · 6.2
North East3.4 · 6.2
Savannah0.5 · 4.7
Greater Accra *2.5 · 4.0
Ahafo0.0 · 3.8
Upper East1.5 · 3.6
Volta0.6 · 3.0
Bono East *2.1 · 0.5

0%5%10%nat. · dist.

Almost every adult knows voting is a right (98.1%, 2024), but knowing the right and using it differ. Never voting is more common in district elections than in national ones. * In the district-election map, four labels conflict with their shading (Bono East 0.5%, Greater Accra 4.0%, Oti 8.5% and Upper West 7.7% are shaded above 10%); labels are shown as printed. The wave’s reference period and national totals are not printed.

Source: GSS Governance Series Wave 1 · Figure 6.6, p. 89

View data· Published figures

Never voted by region
Region	National elections (%)	District elections (%)	Note
Western	2.5	9.1
Central	1.7	6.2
Greater Accra	2.5	4.0	District label 4.0% but shaded in the “above 10%” class
Volta	0.6	3.0
Eastern	2.2	8.2
Ashanti	1.4	7.6
Western North	0.7	7.2
Ahafo	0.0	3.8
Bono	1.6	7.0
Bono East	2.1	0.5	District label 0.5% but shaded in the “above 10%” class
Oti	0.6	8.5	District label 8.5% but shaded in the “above 10%” class
Northern	2.5	7.8
Savannah	0.5	4.7
North East	3.4	6.2
Upper East	1.5	3.6
Upper West	4.0	7.7	District label 7.7% but shaded in the “above 10%” class