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Mr Burkhardt Hellemann,  Resident Representative of the Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung, addressing the participants. Pictures: MAXWELL OCLOO
Mr Burkhardt Hellemann, Resident Representative of the Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung, addressing the participants. Pictures: MAXWELL OCLOO

Don’t dabble in politics, chiefs reminded

The Registrar of the National House of Chiefs, Mr Alexander Essien, has appealed to the traditional leaders not to dabble in partisan politics.

That, he explained, was necessary to ensure that there was sanctity in the chieftaincy institution and for it to maintain the dignity it commanded.

Mr Essien was contributing to the topic: “Is there any relationship between democracy and development?” at a day’s lecture to mark the 50th anniversary of the existence of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a German political organisation in the country, at the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana, Legon, last Thursday.

The anniversary, which was celebrated on the theme: “50 years of promoting development and democracy in Ghana,” was used by the organisation to take stock of its contribution to democratic institutions in the country.

1992 Constitution

Mr Essien said the 1992 Constitution did not allow chiefs to take part in partisan politics, and added, “We are saying our chiefs should stay neutral and partner the government of the day to promote development in the traditional areas.”

He pointed out that traditionally, the chief was the father of his traditional area and contended that a chief’s involvement in active politics could easily cause division in the area and that would retard development.

Relationship between democracy/development

Delivering the main lecture on the topic, “Development and democracy-Past, present and future,” the Head of the History Department of the University of Ghana, Prof. Emmanuel Debrah, said development would occur more in a democratic state than under dictatorship.

He said in a democratic state, there were checks and balances, where the legislature, the judiciary and the executive worked together to ensure that the needed development was brought into being.

Prof. Debrah explained that in a democratic government, the citizens determined what development the government had to provide them, saying, “Democracy allows citizens to ask what they want.”

He attributed the massive development in the western countries such as Germany and France to their long practice of democracy.

Indigenous knowledge

The Executive Director of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), Mr Ben Guri,  said democracy and development were bedfellows.

He cited the example of Japan and India that had propelled their development using indigenous efforts and said that was what Ghana needed.

Other partners of KAS such as the Christian Mothers Association, the Ghana Union of Traders Association, the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province Pastoral Conference (TEPPCON) and the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), who also contributed at the lecture, unanimously agreed that development was possible where democracy strived.

They all expressed gratitude to KAS for helping to promote development and democracy in the country over the last 50 years and expressed the hope that the organisation would continue with its core activities in the country.

The Country Representative of KAS, Mr Burkhardt Hellemann, in a welcome address, talked about the cordial working relations between the organisation and its partners and said he was hopeful that  there would be greater collaborations in the coming years.

 

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