Ghana should see the latest US human rights assessment not as criticism to rebut, but as a vital tool for strengthening democracy, urges policy analyst Kelvin Gyimah.
The 2024 US Human Rights Practices Report highlighted arbitrary arrests, media restrictions, and prolonged detentions in the country.
Speaking to Asaase News, Gyimah a doctoral researcher at Brunel Law School called the findings a “wake-up call” demanding urgent reforms.
“The report is like an annual check-up, not a final verdict,” he stressed. “A healthy democracy must confront weaknesses to grow stronger.”
He pushed for concrete steps: bolstering judicial independence, enforcing oversight of detentions under global anti-torture treaties, and weaving rights-based principles into police culture.
“Embedding human rights into policing isn’t a one-off activity,” Gyimah insisted. “It needs continuous training and monitoring to balance enforcement with civil liberties.”
The annual US review evaluates civil freedoms and rule of law worldwide. For Gyimah, it’s Ghana’s chance to prove institutions can self-correct.
