All must safeguard our democracy

Last Sunday (September 15) was International Democracy Day.

The Day was instituted by the UN General Assembly in 2007 to promote and strengthen democratic values.

Democracy in our predominant language, Akan, translates thus, “say some, and let me say some rule” (Ka bi na me nka bi amammuo).

Inherent in democracy as we know it locally, is participation in governance decisions.

Perhaps, that element of participation in governance decisions is important, hence that rendition of democracy in Akan.

Democracy is participation, and it is logical that citizens participate as they restrain their respective sovereignties and collectively hand them over to the elected to govern.

The individual powers attached to each citizen’s sovereignty is also handed over for the collective good.

As we marked the Day we were reminded of the significance of democratic values in promoting collective growth and well-being. Ghana is hailed as a beacon of democracy in West Africa and for this reason, it must reaffirm its commitment to strengthening democratic institutions.

The country has been a democracy for about three decades. This is in stark contrast to other countries not only in West Africa, but Africa as a whole. Since August, 2020 six African countries have witnessed seven coups d’état. But we cannot in anyway say it is because those countries do no like democracy.

Indeed, the Afrobarometer survey (1999-2001) shows Africans like democracy. What is rather displeasing is how that system of governance works on the continent.

During the survey period from 1999 to 2001, 62 per cent expressed satisfaction with the way democracy was working. However, in the survey period 2021-2023 only 40 per cent said same about the way democracy was working.

Again, more people in previous surveys said they did not want military interventions, but that figure dropped in the subsequent survey, with people now more tolerant of military interventions.

Democracy is generally thought to be the best bet for collective growth and the realisation of aspirations. But when those goals delay then democracy gets disappointing.

Therefore, if people are becoming disillusioned and other countries begin to prefer military interventions to democracy, then it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we put measures in place to deepen our democratic culture to reap the dividends.

In a region plagued by instability, Ghana's democratic resilience is a shining example. However, complacency is not an option. The Afrobarometer surveys that saw a drop performance in Africa, from 62 per cent to 40 per cent between 1999-2001 and 2021-2023, respectively, is a trend that demands urgent attention.

Though Ghana's democracy, which is more than three decades old, has been touted as resilient, it still faces challenges. The Daily Graphic believes that in order to revitalise our democratic dispensation, bold reforms are necessary.  

To deepen our democracy and enhance participatory governance the country must revisit the idea of introducing partisanship at the local level elections to increase accountability and political engagement.

We must also empower local authorities to make decisions to promote grassroots democracy. Again, we should consciously strengthen the political parties by  implementing public financing of the parties. This would reduce reliance on opaque private donations and ensure transparency and accountability.

In order to engender interest in political party activities, the law that requires parties to render regular accounts to the public must be enforced to the letter to foster transparency and trust.

Ghana's democracy is a collective thrust. Citizens, policymakers and institutions must collaborate to safeguard it.

As we celebrate our democratic achievements, let us recommit to the principles of participation, accountability and transparency so that together, we can fortify our democratic haven to ensure a brighter future for all.