In Ghana, the Judiciary, Electoral Commission, The Police Service , Civil Service, Armed Forces, and Traditional Authorities are constitutionally and legally required to maintain neutrality.
Religious leaders and civil society, though not legally bound, are ethically expected to do the same.
Yet, as practice shows, neutrality in Ghana’s political landscape whether among state institutions, civil society, religious or traditional leaders rarely exists in absolute terms.
The Bible says in Proverbs 26:24: “They disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them…”
What is portrayed as neutrality often conceals deeper partisan sympathies, strategic alignments, or material interests.
Without malice , I dare say, Neutrality then, is often a carefully staged performance.
History and theory alike demonstrate that neutrality is rarely the absence of choice; it is often the most strategic choice of all.
Thus, in Ghana’s political landscape, neutrality has become less a virtue of impartiality and more a currency of relevance.
So those who claim it often do so not to stand apart, but to remain influential within the contest for power.
