Dissident voices in Ghana complain that politics in their country is dominated by regional loyalties, vote-buying and showbusiness style campaigning – in other words, not too different from some western countries. With four elections since 1992 and the country’s first transfer of power from an incumbent administration through the ballot box in 2000, Ghana is a rare example of a maturing democratic culture in West Africa where the recent histories of many of its neighbours have been marked by civil wars, coups or lasting incumbent rule.

The climate of politics since 2000 is in sharp contrast to the years of military rule under Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, who led bloody purges against his opponents and undertook unpopular austerity measures before facing domestic and international pressure to hold elections – which he won – in 1992.