Ghanaian President Harp On The Sustainability Of Democratic Values
By Adoba Echono
The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, has called on the people and governments in ECOWAS to put in more effort in entrenching democracy in the region.
President Akufo-Addo made the call while declaring open a high-level parliamentary seminar on the ‘Role of the ECOWAS Parliament Relating the Challenges of Unconstitutional Regime Change and Presidential Term Limits in West Africa”, organised by the ECOWAS Parliament in Winneba, Ghana.
He noted that with the recent incidences of military takeovers in the West African region, democracy in West Africa is in danger.
According to President Akufo-Addo, despite the considerable progress made by the community in the areas of democracy, good governance and the rule of law since the 1990s, “we are at the moment witnesses a significant decline in our democratic relations”.
He said: “This observation is bitter and implacable, today four member ECOWAS States are led by military government as a result of coup d’etat, this has unfortunately created a stare palpable anxiety and tension in every corner of the region, raising the spectra of Region instability which we thought had beef banished for ever. Equally apart is the culture of violence and disputes that characterise the period of electing some of our leaders.
“In my opinion, regional democracy is currently facing three serious threats. Firstly is the attempted confiscation of democracy by elites who engage through legal act pantet in the manipulation of constitutional rules and the subjugation of the institutions of the republic with the sole aim of remaining in power.
“Secondly is the emerging remilitarization of governance with the return once again of the military unto the political scene. We’ve neither consulted or received any mandate from the people on whose behalf they purport to act.
“Lastly is the wanton desire to destroy democracy by terrorist groups and armed criminal gangs which see to start lawlessness in the absent of freedom in our region.
“I want to reaffirm that in the contemporary world, the only legitimacy for any leader is through a mandate that is freely give by the people in a fair, peaceful and transparent election. This is the most tangible and objective way to know and recognize the commonwealth which is the wealth of the people.
“The election of Mohammed Bazum in Niger inboard this recognition of the commonwealth and that is why the coup in Niger is particularly tragic for the consolidation of democracy in our region.
“It is also important to remind us that democracy is not a western concept as some believe but rather a universal concept of general applicase. The history of the world, including that of Africa testifies that the process of electing and installing leaders in democratic circumstances provides the best form of government.
“Mordern history has taught us that tyranny, oppression and totalitarian government do not last long. No matter how a people reject democracy and civil liberty circumstances will always force them back to embrace them”.
He therefore urged Parliamentarians to speak against the extension of presidential tenures by some leaders to strengthen their grip and power.
“There should be no backsliding in support for democratic values anchored on the promotion of the rule of law and respect for human rights.
“It is important for all of us in the adherence of democracy to remember not to underestimate the importance of parliament, the consequently not to undermine it’s worth. We cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament in exercising the checks and balances needed on the executive, we cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament as the voice of the people and we cannot emphasize enough the role of Parliament in setting the tone for public discuss in our respective countries. It is for the good of our nations that our parliaments development the capacity to insist on accountability in all aspect of our land and no institution is better suited for this than the one who houses the representatives of the people”.
The seminar is expected to brainstorm on the major challenges facing the region and profer solutions, the Ghanaian president assures that the authority of Heads of States are expectant of the resolutions.
He stated: “Brainstorming on all this major challenges which I have just outlined in the search for solutions to the political and security challenges facing our region is the imperative mission of this seminar, one of the expected outcomes is to help us understand even better the root causes of democratic regression and political I stability in the region it all will be better to address. This seminar over the next few days must propose measures to ensure the anchoring of democracy and republican values both at the level of political elites and citizens of the community. This will help towards preserving the peace and stability of the region.
“I can assure you that the authority of Heads of states of ECOWAS will be receptive to all your proposals and await them with great interest. Our expectations is that the conclusions and recommendations from this seminar will contribute to the deepening and strengthening of democracy, good governance, peace and stability in our region.
In his remarks Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Sidie MohammedTunis, explained that the high-level Seminar was put togetehr as part of the performance of parliaments obligations under the Treaty, to
determine what causes military takeovers, democratic regression, and political instability in the sub-region.
This he said is in spite of the existence of Community Acts and Protocols intended to consolidate democracy and promote political stability.
Dr. Tunis explained that their responsibility as Legislators is not only to create laws and policies but also to rigorously monitor their implementation.
“During this Seminar, we also intend to look at the causes of various attempts by democratically elected leaders in the sub-region to extend their term limits despite crystal-clear constitutional provisions outlining these terms, as well as the potential role the ECOWAS Parliament can play in preventing such anti-democratic actions.
“We note that the role of the Parliament in upholding regional stability, laying the groundwork for democracy, economic growth, and the rule of law, as well as acting as the voice of hope for all our peoples, is invaluable and should never be diminished. Parliamentarians need to step up to the plate and demonstrate the extraordinary leadership that is expected of us.
“The adage “to whom much is given, much is expected” applies here. We must
embrace democracy as essential to progress and muster the confidence to
speak out against leaders who are solidifying their hold on power against
the wishes of the people because we have a moral obligation to do so.
“We must denounce those who start constitutional and institutional coups
with the same zeal and tones as we denounce military coups. We must
publicly denounce corruption, poor leadership, and anti-democratic forces
while resisting those who seek to undermine our democracy. To that effect,
the ECOWAS Parliament must take charge and ensure that National Parliaments carry out conflict prevention measures in addition to overseeing the effective operation of the ECOWAS Early Warning System.
“We must also be sensitive to the situation of young people in our society, who face poverty, barriers to education, many forms of discrimination as well as limited job prospects and opportunities, leaving
them susceptible to engaging in anti-democratic initiatives. In response to
the growing understanding of the value of youth in building resilience and
peaceful societies, especially across our region, the ECOWAS Parliament is
collaborating with Non-Governmental organisations (NGOs), led by Oxfam
and its partners, including the Foundation for Security and Development in
Africa (FOSDA), Campaign for Human Rights and Development International
(CHRDI), and the West African Youth Alliance, to establish the ECOWAS
Youth Parliament.
“The establishment of the Youth Parliament, which is aligned with the ECOWAS Strategic Objective #5 “Building ECOWAS into a
community of peoples fully inclusive of women, children and youth”, will
facilitate the active participation of youths across the region in achieving the
community vision, in coordination with the ECOWAS Parliament”.
Earlier in his welcome address the Head of Ghana Delegation at the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said that the recent activities of unrest the the subregion should in no way provide a justification for military coups to overthrow democratically elected regimes.
“We must insist, fervently, that the answer to these acts of terror lies within our democratic institutions, standing as bastions of hope and fortitude amidst the turmoil.
“We stand at a juncture where the road we choose will dictate the future of our great region. The recent resurgence of military coups threatens to drag us back to an era we have fought tirelessly to transcend. We must firmly CONDEMN the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Chad, and Gabon, along with the hostilities in Sudan. These actions are a betrayal of the democratic
principles we hold dear, and we demand a swift return to constitutional rule. We must affirm, unequivocally, that regression is not the solution. Our golden age lies ahead
of us, not in the shadows of the 1960s to 1980s.
“It is under the shade of democracy that we can cultivate the progress we aspire to. It is here that we can construct the schools that will nurture the minds of our future leaders. It is here that we can build modern hospitals to heal our people and foster
technology to propel Africa into an era of supreme industrialization in the wake of the AfCFTA”.
