Ghana and the APRM

Ghana was the first country to complete all five stages of the APRM process, affording the country eminent status amongst its peers as the first country to undergo peer review. The country has received numerous accolades from APRM institutions, the APR Panel, Ghanaian and African civil society and international observers for its inclusive and transparent self-assessment process. The Ghanaian model for conducting self-assessment has been held up as an example of how other countries should conduct their own assessments, with a National APRM Governing Council (NAPRM-GC) established entirely outside of the structures and influence of the Ghanaian government, ensuring the complete independence of the NAPRM-GC in the execution of its tasks and responsibilities.

Although Ghana demonstrated from the conception of the APRM an eagerness to participate in the mechanism, the decision to establish the NAPRM-GC outside of the government appears to have also been based on the consideration that during the country's self-assessment, elections were due to take place, making it possible that the government might undergo a post-election transition which could potentially disrupt the work of the NAPRM-GC, were it to be housed within government structures. Whilst this was most likely a contributing factor in the decision to establish the NAPRM-GC outside of the government, the decision had the added bonus of enhancing national perceptions of the impartiality of the council and removed any suspicions of government interference in the process.