Bracing up to celebrate Ghana
Arku Jasmine
Editorials
The outpouring of concern by majority of Ghanaians over what is likely to happen in the aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict in the 2012 presidential election petition shows our love for the country.
All round us, there are stories of nations rebuilding from the ashes of war arising largely from disputed elections or related issues.
That is why all well-meaning people, both home and broad, wish that Ghana would be able to stay the course of democratic governance, in spite of the teething problems.
The so-called advanced democracies went through similar challenging times in the process of nation building, but we can avoid some of the landmines on the democratic path by avoiding moves to re-invent the wheel.
We are not saying that as an independent state we should swallow everything, even from successful democracies, hook, line and sinker. It is important for us to adopt processes, procedures and programmes to suit our peculiar circumstances.
There are many unique things in our Constitution, although our supreme law is modelled along the lines of the liberal democracies of the world.
We appoint majority of our ministers from Parliament, even though we have an Executive President, and there are other such provisions that make our democratic experiment very peculiar to the needs and aspirations of Ghanaians.
Over the last 20 years or so that we have experimented with democratic governance, certain bottlenecks have emerged, hence the appointment of the Constitution Review Commission to look at the provisions that are retarding our forward march.
When a section of society, indeed the largest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), decided to protest against the outcome of the presidential election by filing a petition at the Supreme Court, some doubting Thomases thought the move would disturb the peace and stability of the country.
Some took liberties at the petitioners and called them names, but we think those who take to the law to fight their cause must be commended, instead of being vilified, because the alternative process of self-help can only lead to confusion.
Whichever way the verdict goes, the good thing is that the leaders of the parties in the dispute have agreed to abide by the verdict.
Unlike football, there is nothing like a draw in litigation; it is either a win or a loss. Therefore, the Daily Graphic calls on the parties in the dispute to psych themselves up for the verdict pretty soon.
We are encouraged by the admonitions from our traditional and religious leaders to the parties in the dispute to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court and rally behind the winner for the development of the country.
The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), at a ceremony to immortalise the Founder of the church, Apostle Peter Newman Anim, in Accra last Sunday, called on Ghanaians, especially the Christian fraternity, to support the judges hearing the election petition at the Supreme Court with fervent prayers.
The Chairman of the CAC, Apostle Stephen Kwame Ntow Amoani, said there was the need for divine intervention from God in the verdict by the judges, so that it would find favour with all Ghanaians.
The Daily Graphic thinks God plays a role in our lives, but a lot also depends on us as individuals, groups and a nation.
We urge the judges to discharge their mandate without fear or favour, without ill-will or affection and, above all, in the best interest of Mother Ghana.
Some have suggested that there should be no celebration by the winners in the election petition in order not to offend the sensibilities of the losers.
The Daily Graphic thinks that although there is merit in the suggestion to be mindful of elaborate celebrations, we cannot suppress spontaneous reactions to the final verdict.
We should all prepare our minds to celebrate the historic petition as victory for our democracy and resort to the law to resolve our differences, instead of through violent means.
The Daily Graphic appeals to our leaders, temporal and spiritual, to continue to pray for our judges to deliver a verdict that will be acceptable to majority of the people, so that the country can settle down for the business of nation-building.
All round us, there are stories of nations rebuilding from the ashes of war arising largely from disputed elections or related issues.
That is why all well-meaning people, both home and broad, wish that Ghana would be able to stay the course of democratic governance, in spite of the teething problems.
The so-called advanced democracies went through similar challenging times in the process of nation building, but we can avoid some of the landmines on the democratic path by avoiding moves to re-invent the wheel.
We are not saying that as an independent state we should swallow everything, even from successful democracies, hook, line and sinker. It is important for us to adopt processes, procedures and programmes to suit our peculiar circumstances.
There are many unique things in our Constitution, although our supreme law is modelled along the lines of the liberal democracies of the world.
We appoint majority of our ministers from Parliament, even though we have an Executive President, and there are other such provisions that make our democratic experiment very peculiar to the needs and aspirations of Ghanaians.
Over the last 20 years or so that we have experimented with democratic governance, certain bottlenecks have emerged, hence the appointment of the Constitution Review Commission to look at the provisions that are retarding our forward march.
When a section of society, indeed the largest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), decided to protest against the outcome of the presidential election by filing a petition at the Supreme Court, some doubting Thomases thought the move would disturb the peace and stability of the country.
Some took liberties at the petitioners and called them names, but we think those who take to the law to fight their cause must be commended, instead of being vilified, because the alternative process of self-help can only lead to confusion.
Whichever way the verdict goes, the good thing is that the leaders of the parties in the dispute have agreed to abide by the verdict.
Unlike football, there is nothing like a draw in litigation; it is either a win or a loss. Therefore, the Daily Graphic calls on the parties in the dispute to psych themselves up for the verdict pretty soon.
We are encouraged by the admonitions from our traditional and religious leaders to the parties in the dispute to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court and rally behind the winner for the development of the country.
The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), at a ceremony to immortalise the Founder of the church, Apostle Peter Newman Anim, in Accra last Sunday, called on Ghanaians, especially the Christian fraternity, to support the judges hearing the election petition at the Supreme Court with fervent prayers.
The Chairman of the CAC, Apostle Stephen Kwame Ntow Amoani, said there was the need for divine intervention from God in the verdict by the judges, so that it would find favour with all Ghanaians.
The Daily Graphic thinks God plays a role in our lives, but a lot also depends on us as individuals, groups and a nation.
We urge the judges to discharge their mandate without fear or favour, without ill-will or affection and, above all, in the best interest of Mother Ghana.
Some have suggested that there should be no celebration by the winners in the election petition in order not to offend the sensibilities of the losers.
The Daily Graphic thinks that although there is merit in the suggestion to be mindful of elaborate celebrations, we cannot suppress spontaneous reactions to the final verdict.
We should all prepare our minds to celebrate the historic petition as victory for our democracy and resort to the law to resolve our differences, instead of through violent means.
The Daily Graphic appeals to our leaders, temporal and spiritual, to continue to pray for our judges to deliver a verdict that will be acceptable to majority of the people, so that the country can settle down for the business of nation-building.