DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE explosive especially before, during and after elections. Stakeholders are particularly pleased about the orderly succession from one party and President to another through the peaceful and internationally acknowledged free and fair elections held since 1992. 39. A number of problems are, however, likely to diminish the competitiveness and sustainability of democratic politics. There is concern about the inadequacy of resources, notably the human, financial and logistic capacity of the Electoral Commission, and particularly the sustainability of its donor-dependent budget. Another concern is the lack of internal democracy within the parties and its potential long-term effect in weakening democracy in the country. The matter of low representation of women in politics and what this portends for participation and representation in politics has been raised. Some stakeholders are dissatisfied with the ethnic voting pattern that seems to be emerging in national elections. Decentralisation 40. Stakeholders generally agree that decentralisation is not working as it should. At various meetings countrywide, they have made it clear to the CRM that real power (be it administrative, financial or political) should be delegated and extended from the centre to the decentralised structures at the regional, metropolitan, municipal and district levels. This would make for more accountable, participatory and transparent political governance, financial management and socio-economic development at those critical, grassroots levels. Several stakeholders have expressed their preference for elected District Chief Executives and District Assemblies. Security forces and the rule of law 41. Members of the security and uniformed services among the stakeholders have admitted that human rights abuses and violations are committed by these forces. They insist, however, that the situation is being rectified and is changing, and that human rights education has been incorporated into their curriculum. Iii. Recommendations 42. The Panel recommends that the Government of Ghana: ? Make provision in the electoral law for the continuous registration of voters as and when the need arises, to ensure citizenship electoral entitlements. 25