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Improving Democracy and Accountability in Ghana: The Importance of Parliamentary Oversight Tools
Author(s) -
STAPENHURST RICK,
PELIZZO RICCARDO
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
governance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.46
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1468-0491
pISSN - 0952-1895
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0491.2012.01573.x
Subject(s) - parliament , accountability , legislature , legitimacy , public administration , democracy , reputation , corporate governance , good governance , language change , political science , politics , economics , law , management , art , literature
In this research note, we examine the nature of, and influences on, parliamentary oversight in Ghana. We find that while macro‐institutions are important when examining good governance and legislative effectiveness, meso‐level institutions (such as oversight tools) are more important than previously acknowledged. We also detect a positive relationship between an increase in legislative oversight facilities and the reputation of parliament and its members, the legitimacy of democracy and political institutions, and the success in curbing corruption. And finally, we confirm that the successful functioning of institutions depends on the presence or absence of specific contextual factors. In the case of Ghana, these factors are a relatively low level of partisanship at the committee level, parliament's ability to find alternative sources of information, and the demand for good governance.