ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is a momentous juncture for us to be able to present the APRM Country Review report for the Republic of Ghana, the first country to be reviewed under this new African initiative. Preparing this report has been a challenging but enriching experience. The APR Panel is grateful to the African Heads of State and Government who, through their vision, have recognised the need to address governance issues in African countries so as to promote the achievement of the socio-economic objectives of the African Union. In pursuit of this endeavour, our leaders adopted the Memorandum of Understanding on the APRM and instituted the necessary structures and processes to bring the vision to fruition. The APR Panel notes with appreciation the growing number of countries that have volunteered for the process. In addition, the Panel expresses gratitude for the cooperation that has been received from many countries to develop the programme, both on a continental basis and at national level. The successful completion of this report for Ghana would not have been possible without the unreserved and fervent support of the country and its people. We thank His Excellency Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, President of the Republic of Ghana, and his government for their courageous decision to lead the way in the APR process. We also thank the Honourable Dr K.K. Apraku, Minister of Economic Cooperation and NEPAD, and the staff of his Ministry for their support. We have great appreciation for the work done by the Ghana APRM Governing Council, the national APRM Secretariat, the Technical Research Institutions and all the other Ghanaian institutions and individuals at all levels of life who have been active and constructive participants in the Ghana APR process. We would also like to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of our colleague, Dr Chris Stals, who led the Ghana review process and spent countless hours in research and other preparatory work. This has helped to enrich our understanding of the matters at hand and enhanced the guidance offered to the various task teams. In addition, the Panel would like to recognise the work done by the APR Secretariat and the support provided by the APRM strategic partners, namely the relevant organs of the African Union (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). We thank the various regional institutions that provided technical advice, data and research assistance. These include: African regional economic communities, policy research institutes, academic think-thanks, and the like. The process has also benefited from inputs from international organisations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and