Asiedu Nketia Criticizes Ghana's Democracy as Flawed

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                                                              Photo credit: Adomonline.com

Asiedu Nketia, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has voiced his concerns about the state of democracy in Ghana. During a recent appearance on PM Express on JoyNews, he expressed his belief that the nation's democracy is far from the ideals it should embody, describing it as "a very defective democracy."

Nketia pointed out that Ghanaians are increasingly relegated to the role of passive observers rather than active participants in their own governance. He criticized the prevailing sentiment that suggests, "say what you want, we will do what we like," which, in his view, reduces citizens to mere spectators.

Additionally, Nketia emphasized the importance of the rule of law in a healthy democracy, where the law should be supreme, and everyone should be subservient to it. However, he argued that what Ghana is experiencing is more akin to "rule by law," where the law is manipulated as a tool to serve the interests of those in power.

He clarified, "Rule by law means that you are using the law as a tool to achieve your wishes, characterized by a dictator who manipulates the law to make it appear as if they are acting within its bounds, while in reality, their desires prevail."

One critical aspect of a functioning democracy, according to Nketia, is public trust in the judicial system and other state institutions. He pointed out that when a significant portion of the population lacks confidence in these institutions, it erodes the fundamental principles of democracy.

Nketia argued that if democracy is about self-determination, where citizens choose their leaders and have the ability to remove them when necessary, then Ghana's current situation, where there are attempts to hinder this process, does not align with democratic ideals.

He acknowledged that Ghana's history, characterized by numerous coups, has contributed to a more restrained response compared to other African countries, preventing widespread uprisings. However, he stressed the need for Ghana to realign its democratic path to better incorporate active citizen participation, respect for the rule of law, and enhanced trust in its institutions.


Source: MyJoyOnline.com  

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