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The 2020 presidential election and the political situation in Ghana
 
PIIS032150750014282-2-1
DOI10.31857/S032150750014282-2
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Tatyana Denisova 
Occupation: Leading Research Fellow
Affiliation: Institute for African Studies, RAS
Address: Moscow, Russian Federation
Sergey Kostelyanets
Occupation: Head, Centre for Sociological and Political Sciences Studies, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Affiliation: Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameAsia and Africa Today
EditionIssue 3
Pages49-57
Abstract

At the end of 2020, the first term of the presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo came to an end. On December 7, a general election was held, which resulted in the victory of the incumbent president. However, he received just over half of the votes. To a certain extent, this was due to an increase in corruption, a deterioration in the financial situation of citizens in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the destabilization of the political situation caused by separatist demonstrations in the east of the country and their harsh suppression. Nevertheless, the authors note the government's successes in the socio-economic sphere: significant economic growth in the pre-COVID-19 period, effective implementation of programs for the development of industry, agriculture and infrastructure, the introduction of free school education, the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs, etc.

 

Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the reasons and preconditions for the emergence of the separatist sentiment in the Volta region, which is populated by the Ewe. It is pointed out that Ewe separatism is rooted in the colonial period and that, to a certain extent, all governments of independent Ghana had to deal with it. It is concluded that the idea of gaining independence by the region is futile, primarily due to the introduction of divisive and repressive tactics by the government, which has so far been successful in curbing separatism. Besides, the separatist demands are untenable, since they do not reflect the will of all ethnic groups living in the region. The paper points out that the attacks by the separatists in September 2020, which were timed to coincide with the presidential election, indicate that the visible political stability in Ghana masks serious and long-standing unresolved problems.

KeywordsGhana, Nana Akufo-Addo, presidential elections, COVID-19, separatism, political situation, West Togoland
AcknowledgmentСтатья опубликована в рамках проекта «Посткризисное мироустройство: вызовы и технологии, конкуренция и сотрудничество» по гранту Министерства науки и высшего образования РФ на проведение крупных научных проектов по приоритетным направлениям научно-технологического развития (Соглашение № 075-15-2020-783).
Received15.01.2021
Publication date28.03.2021
Number of characters30835
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