Home

Ghana's Legal and Regulatory Framework

Ghana's Legal and Regulatory Framework is defined under Chapter 4 and Article 11 of the 1992 constitution. It is made up of

1. The Constitution;
2. Acts of Parliament;
3. Orders, rules and regulations made by persons or authorities under a power conferred by the Constitution;
4. Existing laws prior to the coming into force of the Constitution; and
5. Common Law

The Constitution

The 1992 Constitution (also commonly referred to as the Fourth Republican Constitution) is the parent law in Ghana.

Acts of Parliament

The Parliament of Ghana is responsible for passing Acts under the Constitution. The President gives assent to the Acts, after which they are gazetted. Acts of Parliament are numbered chronologically.

Orders, rules and regulations

These are also called subsidiary legislation and are mainly made up of

1. Regulations, in the form of Legislative Instruments
2. Executive Instruments
3. Constitutional Instruments

Existing Laws

These are made up of all other laws (including previous Acts of Parliament, decrees, subsidiary legislation and other laws that have not been repealed by the coming into force of the 1992 Constitution, as long as the provisions therein do not conflict with the 1992 constitution.

Common Law

Comprised of the Common Law, the doctrines of equity and customary law, including judicial precedents set by the Supreme Court.