The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has warned that civil revolt and disobedience, rather than military takeovers, are more likely to damage Ghana’s democratic norms.
According to the Speaker, some Ghanaians believe that democracy has been detrimental to the country.
This, he claims, has resulted in an ‘erosion’ of trust and faith in the political elite among the population.
The Speaker made the statements while speaking at a public forum hosted by Parliament in Takoradi to honour 30 years of uninterrupted parliamentary democracy under the fourth republic.
He added that our military is not prepared to take over as we have witnessed in other countries and most recently, Niger.
In his view, there is a loss of confidence of the electorates in politicians because of corruption, impropriety, conflict of interest, influence peddling, crimes, economic hardships, and misdemeanours.
“There is a huge dissonance between our words as politicians and our actions. Our assurances are not supported by any empirical data. This has made political conduct highly transactional, with instant personal benefits to the voter as the currency. As a result, the trust and confidence that voters had in democracy have been trumped.”
“We cannot bury our heads in the sand like the ostrich and pretend all is well. Ghanaians are still not in agreement as to which political direction to go and how to get there.
“We the leaders and the people must understand each other, have a common appreciation of the direction, so that together, we can navigate this tortuous journey of democracy successfully, in joy and happiness,” the Speaker said.
He has therefore admonished political leaders to redevelop measures aimed at reversing the current trend to help regain the confidence of the people.
To achieve this, the Speaker proposed the introduction of policies that would bring the desired socio-economic growth of the people, while ensuring accountability and transparency within public institutions.
The event was under the theme: “30 Years of Parliamentary Democracy Under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
