Africa needs to cultivate her own democracy
A senior research fellow of the Legon Center for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD) of the University of Ghana, Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has reiterated the need for Africa to craft her own democracy and not necessarily follow the European model.
According to him, democracy is a contractual type of system where the ruler and the ruled have a relationship that helps to foster transparency and good governance.
Dr Antwi-Danso made the observation at the first of three roundtable discussions organised by the Institute for Democratic Governance, themed “Ghana’s Democratization Process So Far: The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) in Focus”.
The roundtable discussion which was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration was a commemoration of the golden jubilee of the African Union.
The ACDEG enjoins AU member states to promote the universal values and principles of democracy and good governance including human rights and the right to development; as well as promote and strengthen good governance through the institutionalization of transparency, accountability and participation.
Speaking on the topic “Ghana’s efforts at promoting good governance through the institutionalization of transparency”, Dr Antwi-Danso noted that although Ghana is in the era of democracy, it did not equate to good governance.
He said, “We make the mistake of equating democracy to good governance. We often make the mistake that we are doing well in terms of good governance, human rights among others… we are not doing well on good governance and it is affecting institutionalism and constitutionalism.”
Dr Antwi-Danso stated that in a country where crime has been given political colours, where the power of the Chief Justice and the Attorney General is vested in one person and parliament is not interested in its oversight powers on the executive, “these things don’t go well for the consolidation of democracy.”
He noted that the undertones of good governance were “hiccupping” resulting in indiscipline in the society.
A former Director of Trade and Industry at the African Union Commission, Mr Fredrick Alipui on his part challenged Africans to complete the Pan Africanism dream of addressing the economic, political and social problems facing the continent.
He said that Pan Africanism was not a sentiment but a doctrine that Ghanaians and for that matter Africans have to believe in.
Speaking on the topic “Ghana’s national efforts at the domestication of the African Union’s Economic Agenda”, Mr Alipui noted that there was the need for Ghana address the issue of harmonizing the AU and ECOWAS protocols with national laws.
He added that if there would be a total integration of the African continent, it would arise if trade among member states was liberalized and a simplified trade regime was introduced.
He said a time would come when the artificial borders which were created by colonial powers would be pulled down for the realization of economic liberation in Africa.
Story: Jasmine Arku / Graphic.com.gh
