Let’s Strive To Protect Our Democracy: Prez Akufo Addo Urges

The basis of the nation’s democracy, according to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is based on the legitimacy of its electoral system and respect for the will of the people.

He has so urged support for the Electoral Commission (EC) to carry out its mandate effectively, particularly in the administration of elections to bolster the nation’s self-rule.

In light of this, he iterated that, “We, in Ghana, must continue to urge the EC to work to ensure that all stakeholders in the elec­toral process, that is the citizenry, civil society, and political parties, do not have lingering questions about the legitimacy of an elec­tion.”

These statements were iterated by President Akufo-Addo during a broadcast speech to the country on Friday to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Ghana’s Fourth Republic, which began in 1992 with the passage of the 1992 Constitution.

In 1957, Ghana became the first nation in sub-Saharan Africa to renounce British colonial control.

Meanwhile, military involvement in the first, second, and third republics limited its constitutional authority.

President Akufo-Addo credited the Fourth Republic’s durability and stability to its adherence to the values of democratic accountability, human rights, and the rule of law.

“We have every right to be proud of this, and the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Fourth Republic should inspire us, even further, to hold on to this status,” he emphasized. According to the President, such development has “inspired the longest period of stable constitutional rule in our history, with a strong consensus growing that the democratic system of governance is preferred, and the advantages are showing.”

Despite the political advancements made, President Akufo-Addo emphasized that the nation must maintain its focus and work tirelessly to uphold its democratic reputation.

“By all accounts, we have come a long way, and we should not take it for granted that everybody in Ghana has accepted democracy as the preferred mode of gover­nance,” he iterated.

“There are those who would rather have the authoritarian rule because they claim our country is underdeveloped and democracy is cumbersome, and we need to get things done in a hurry.

“We still have some work to do to convince such people that we are all safer under democracies,” the President added.

Conclusion

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