Make decentralisation campaign issue - IDEG urges political parties

The Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) and the Civic Forum Initiative (CFI) will make the devolution of executive power and decentralisation central campaign issues in the 2016 general election.

It is, therefore, seeking the commitment of political parties vying for public office on the implementaton of the multiparty governance reform (MPGR) initiative.

The need to push for commitment to the reforms has been necessitated by the apathy displayed by Ghanaians in the September 1, 2015 district assembly elections, as well as the work by investigative journalist and lawyer, Mr Anas Aremeyaw Anas, on corruption in the country.

IDEG and CFI are of the view that multiparty governance reforms border on public policy and civil society groups have a part to play in shaping policy and action.
Impetus

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Executive Director of IDEG, Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, said the apathy exhibited recently during the district assembly elections had proven right calls by them for democratic devolution of executive power to the district level.

Democratic devolution of power to the district assembly, which includes the opening up of the processes of exercising power at the local level to enable voting on partisan basis, held the key to fixing the development challenges of the country, he emphasised.

The apathy exhibited had also provided an opportunity for politicians in the country to commit to reforms that would be beneficial to the citizens.

Dr Akwetey further said the work of the investigative journalist on the alleged corruption in the judiciary had proven right calls by IDEG and CFI for the strengthening of institutions, particularly public interest ones, such as the Audit Service and the judiciary, as well as accountability and anti-corruption institutions.

MPGR

The MPGR was initiated by the IDEG/CFI in the course of their advocacy on the adoption of good democratic actions by political actors in the country.

Before the 2012 general election, the two, with their partners held the Kumasi High Level Meeting on November 27, 2012, to get presidential candidates in the election to commit to peace or redressing any electoral grievance to ensure a stable country .

Subsequently, a Peace Summit was held in Accra on July 19, 2013, weeks before the judgement of the Supreme Court of Ghana on the Presidential Election Petition filed by the NPP presidential candidate IDEG/CFI also got the commitment of the youth of the political parties and representatives of various segments of society to pledge peace regardless of the decision of the court.

At the Accra summit, proposals for the reform of multiparty governance in Ghana, in order to secure peace, stability, national cohesion and the democratic growth and economic prosperity that all Ghanaians aspire to attain, were mooted and secured on April 28, 2014, when they were launched in Accra.

Proposals

executive governance, political party and election cycle/administrative reforms are the key initiatives under the MPGR.