Dr. Kofi Takyi Asante, Senior Research Fellow, ISSER, speaks on citizen-state relations and the democratic dividend at the GAAS Public Forum 2026.
Dr Kofi Takyi Asante, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), delivered a lecture at the 2026 edition of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) Public Forum. Speaking on "The Elusive Democratic Dividend: Citizen-State Relations and the Crisis of Political Legitimacy in Ghana", he argued that Ghana's strong democratic record has not translated into meaningful development gains for most citizens, and that closing this gap requires a deeper, more people-centred form of democracy.
Drawing on his own ISSER research alongside Afrobarometer surveys, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) voter data, and Ghana Statistical Service figures, Dr. Asante presented what he called the central paradox of the Fourth Republic: a surplus of elections alongside a shortage of meaningful democracy. Public approval of government performance has trended sharply downward, falling below 30% for the first time just before the 2024 elections. Education, health, and economic security consistently top citizens' priorities. Yet, youth unemployment stands at 32% for those aged 15 to 24, and over 12.5 million Ghanaians are currently food insecure.
Why development lags
Dr Asante argued that patronage politics in Ghana is not simply a matter of elite failure; it is a predictable outcome of structural conditions. In commodity-dependent economies with large informal sectors, political leaders have limited tools to reward supporters through formal policy, making clientelist exchanges both rational and resilient to reform. He traced these dynamics to Ghana's long-standing role as an exporter of primary commodities and to historical constraints on economic diversification, including the influence of international financial institutions on the domestic policy space.
Makes case for deep democratisation
Dr Asante called for deep democratisation -- moving beyond elections to foster genuine citizen empowerment, inclusive economic development, and a renewed social contract. Pointing to civic mobilisation in Senegal and Sri Lanka as examples of how organised citizens can reshape entrenched political systems, he stressed the importance of building civic power independent of political parties.
Closing with a line from Frederick Douglass (the 19th-century American abolitionist and freedom fighter), “Power concedes nothing without a demand,” Dr Asante urged citizens, and especially young people, to channel their discontent into constructive change.
The lecture was delivered on 1 June 2026 at the Kwame Nkrumah Auditorium of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, as part of the GAAS Public Forum 2026 on the theme "Citizens and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana: Rights, Obligations and Duties." The forum was chaired by Emerita Prof. Isabella Akyinba Quakyi, President of GAAS. Dr. Asante shared the platform with NCCE Chairperson Ms. Kathleen Addy, who delivered a complementary lecture on renewing Ghana's social contract. A recording of the full lecture is available here.
Dr Kofi Takyi Asante is a Senior Research Fellow at ISSER whose work lies at the intersection of political, economic, and historical sociology. His research focuses on state formation, citizenship, social policy, natural resource governance, and the political economy of development. Learn more about him here
- Log in to post comments