CDD-Ghana Urges Stronger Media, Civil Society Action Against Democracy Capture in Africa
The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has called on civil society organisations and the media across Africa to step up efforts to resist the escalating threat of democracy capture on the continent.
This call was made during the launch of the inaugural Democracy Capture Index (DEMCAP Index) on July 7, 2025. The launch event, themed “Resisting Capture and Strengthening Democratic Resilience in Africa,” brought together key governance stakeholders from across the region to discuss growing vulnerabilities in democratic systems and explore strategies to counter undue influence by powerful political and economic interests.
Speaking during the event, Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, Democracy and Development Fellow at CDD-Ghana, warned that despite current levels of resilience, civil society and the media remain vulnerable to future forms of capture and manipulation.
“When asked about their vulnerability to future capture, these institutions—particularly the media—ranked high,” Dr. Osae-Kwapong noted. “In Ghana, when public discourse becomes highly partisan and polarised, we often turn to these institutions to mediate and bring focus back to national priorities.”
Dr. Kojo Asante, CDD-Ghana’s Director for Policy Engagement and Partnerships, stressed that the DEMCAP Index is part of a wider effort to strengthen democracy in Africa.
“This report, alongside other research initiatives, forms part of a deliberate strategy to counter democratic backsliding, build resilience, and reimagine the future of democratic governance across the continent,” he said.
About the DEMCAP Index
The DEMCAP Index is a pioneering assessment tool designed to track and address structural weaknesses that allow powerful individuals or groups to manipulate democratic systems for personal or political gain. It evaluates risks related to elite capture, institutional subversion, and the erosion of democratic checks and balances.
CDD-Ghana hopes the index will spark reforms and enhance cooperation among democratic actors to protect the integrity of democratic institutions throughout Africa.
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