Democratic Institutions and Political Accountability: A Case Study of Ghana's Fourth Republican Parliament

Abstract

The research examines the nature of political accountability exercised by the democratic institutions of Ghana focusing on the legislature of the Fourth Republic. Specifically, it investigates how members of Parliament exercise horizontal accountability to hold the executive in check to avoid the abuse of office based on the theory of separation of powers and checks and balances. Using personal interviews and administration of questionnaires on Members of Parliament, the study finds that only the committee system and the budget approval system prove to be effective tools used by the legislature in holding the executive accountable. However the provisions of Article 78(1) and politicization