Brother Ghana,
It has been said that “democracy is the worst form of government, apart from all others”. We, in Ghana, should know, because we have tried almost everything else. We have held elections that were not free and fair; we have a constitutional regime with no restrictions placed on executive power; we have rules by law without the rule of law; and we have lived under several military dictatorships.
As we demonstrated in the drive for independence in the 1940s and 1950s, we demonstrated again in the 1990s, after the initial decades of turmoil in our national life, our determination to live in a state of freedom and democracy. So on April 28, 1992, about 31 years ago, we approved, with a huge margin in the Referendum that day, with 3,408,119 people, representing 92.59%, in favor, with 272,855 people against, that is only 7.41%, Adoption of the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic 4, which set up the institution of a liberal democratic state, operating on the basis of the separation of powers, with a real guarantee of human rights. Thus, it was announced with overwhelming and popular support.
Tomorrow, Saturday, January 7, 2023, it will be exactly 30 years since the Constitution of the 4th Republic came into force, with the inauguration of the first President of the 4th Republic, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings. It has inspired the longest period of stable constitutional government in our history, with an emerging consensus that a democratic form of government is preferable, and beneficial. Hence the decision to celebrate January 7 as Constitution Day.
Our country is considered a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, where respect for the principles of democratic accountability, human rights and the rule of law have allowed us to oversee eight presidential elections in the 4th Republic, with five presidential transitions, and three peacefully. the transfer of power, through the ballot box, from one party to another. We have the right to be proud of this, and the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the 4th Republic should inspire us, even more, to hold this status.
Fellow Ghanaians, I recognize that the strength of any democracy is determined by the credibility of the electoral process, and respect for the will of the people. We cannot ignore the fact that instability has followed disputed elections in many parts of the African continent.
That is why we, in Ghana, must continue to call on the Electoral Commission to ensure that all stakeholders in the electoral process, namely citizens, civil society and political parties, do not question the legitimacy of the election. In the event that there is a dispute about the results of the presidential election, happily, it is in the court, and not in the streets, the problem has been resolved satisfactorily.
By all accounts, we have come a long way, and we should not assume that everyone in Ghana has accepted democracy as their preferred mode of government. There are those who prefer authoritarian rule because they claim our country is underdeveloped and democracy is complicated, and we need to fix it quickly. We still have some work to do to convince such people that we are all safer in a democracy.
However, if we seek to continue our democratic journey, we must improve transparency and accountability in our governance structures, and build strong institutions that can fight corruption and waste of public funds. I say, without any form of equivocation, that the government has done, arguably, the most daring initiative since independence to reform and strengthen the capacity of our institutions to deal with corruption in the public sector, including the financial empowerment of anti-corruption agencies. the passage of the Right to Information Act, which the previous administration has not been able to effect, and the establishment of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, an independent non-partisan body, with relevant professional skills and an exclusive mandate to investigate and prosecute acts of corruption.
As the President of the Republic, I assure you, out of duty to my children and grandchildren, and to the generations yet to be born, my government will not give up when it comes to deepening our democracy and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, and neither should you, Ghanaians. We need look no further in history to see that stable periods of constitutional government and intelligent economic management lead to prosperity. We must do everything in our power to preserve our democracy.
Tomorrow’s milestones are for you, Ghanaians, the ordinary men and women who make up our country. Thirty years ago, we all decided to build, according to God, a united nation, based on the values of democracy and the rule of law. We have come a long way to realize this vision, and I am confident that, with the spirit of justice, hard work, integrity and reconciliation, the best days of Mother Ghana are ahead of us.
Although we are currently facing difficulties in our economic performance, I have no doubt in our determination together to overcome these challenges and bring our nation back to the path of progress and prosperity. Therefore, let us continue to work to create a platform for the evolution of a new Ghanaian civilization, which will give true meaning to the fundamental values of freedom and justice born of our nation.
Long Live Constitution Day, Long Live Democracy Ghana,
Live the Republic 4.
Thank you for your attention and good evening.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not reflect Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no legal or other responsibility for the accuracy of the content. Please report inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a priority. |
Featured Videos