Democracy; Evolution, Adoption and Significance in the Ghanaian Political Space

Democracy by definition is the system of government that allows the individual citizens to participate in the governance process of a country. However, the term “democracy” is also known to have been defined by Abraham Lincoln in the year 1863 as “Government of the people, by the people and for the people.” Critically subjecting the definition of democracy by Abraham Lincoln, a lawyer by profession who served as the 16^th president of the United State of America from 1861 until his unfortunate assassination in 1865, it could be observed that the term “People” is being repeated three (3) times in his definition. Nevertheless, the analysis is that, it is a set or a group of people who adopt unto themselves a system of government that allows them to make decisions on their own freely.

This clearly shows that, this system of government is people-centered whereby decisions are made by the people themselves and for their own good and benefit without necessarily involving military influence, dictatorship, and authoritarianism whatsoever. Ghana as a sovereign country has come far in its democratic dispensational journey. It must be brought to the knowledge of my most respected and revered readers that, Ghana has gone through  myriad political struggles and happenings in the past before its citizens (Political Actors) eventually adopted the path of democracy in the political system.

Evolution of Democracy in the Ghana’s Political Process

Ghana, formerly called Gold Coast, gained her independence from the British colonial rule in the year 1957, obviously becoming one of the very first countries in Africa to achieve such a remarkable political status.

In fact, Ghana, being declared the new independent country free from colonialism, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the nation’s foremost president noted, “the independence of Ghana is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of African.”

Since that time, Ghana has then become a beacon of democracy in Africa but, fortunately or unfortunately has a changeful or an alterable history military interference, intervention, coups and counter coups.

Clearly, a year after independence, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah introduced what he called the Preventive Detention Act which made it practicable to arrest anyone who is suspected of working against the state. However, the suspect(s) can then be imprisoned up to Five (5) years without apparent sentence.

In 1964, Ghana was made a one-party state and all powers vested in Nkrumah. The Ghana flag was replaced by his Convention People’s Party flag among other dictatorial orders.

A group of military and police officers then staged a coup on the February 25, 1966, purposely bringing to an abrupt end of Nkrumah’s strongman rule and promising industrialization and infrastructural development. In May 1969 the National Liberation Movement-NLM allowed multi-party democracy and in September that year, elections were held and a new civilian government led by Dr. Kofi Busia came into office, ushering in the second republic.

In spite of that, prevailing falling cocoa prices, economic downturns and viral hardship led to unrest in Ghana, thereby forcing the military to once again, capture power in 1972. The National Redemption Council-NRC installed Colonel Ignatius Ketu Acheampong as the new Head of State. However, he was forced to resign in 1978, after numerous strikes by unions, mostly arranged by student bodies and harassing and jailing of his critics without sentencing.

General William Akuffo takes control of the ‘Supreme Military Council II’ and promises to return Ghana to multi-party democracy. There was massive discontent among the populace as no major changes happened in the following year.

However, on December 31, 1981, Rawlings once again takes power through a military coup. Rawlings established the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) and becomes it chairman, earning him the nickname, ‘Chairman Rawlings.’

Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings ruled Ghana for a whooping 11 years and returned the country to multi-party democracy in the year 1992, thus, establishing the Fourth Republic. He won the challenged November 1992 presidential and parliamentary elections. The then opposition New Patriotic Party, led by Professor Albert Adu Boahen, claimed it was a stolen verdict and boycotted the parliamentary election, which was organized after the presidential election. However, it must be made known to my most revered readers that, previously, both the presidential election and parliamentary election were organized or held separately from each other unlike what it is today.

Jerry John Rawlings won a second term against the NPP’s John Agyekum Kufour in 1996 with a 57% votes. In 2000, the NDC with Vice President John Evans Atta Mills as its flagbearer, lost to the NPP’s John Agyekum Kufuor.

Ghana then witnessed its first democratic change of government from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the opposition NPP in 2001.

John Agyekum Kufour ruled Ghana for Eight (8) successful continued years and was succeeded by professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills in 2008. Unfortunately, Mills died whilst serving the nation in 2012 and was immediately succeeded by his Vice President, John Dramani Mahama who then finished Mills’ remaining term and grabbed a first term victory for himself in the December 7, 2012 election.

President John Dramani Mahama lost his re-election bid to the then candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, becoming the first president in Ghana to lose a second term in the political history of Ghana.

Adoption of Democratic Governance in Ghana

1992 was a watershed in Ghana’s history: a new constitution reintroducing democratic rule was adopted in April. Presidential and parliamentary elections followed in November and December, respectively. However, Ghana adopted unto herself democracy; a system of government whereby the people are allowed to choose for themselves their own government.

Significance of Democracy

Indispensably, Ghana as a country or economy has benefited enormously from the adoption and practice of democracy since 1992 in the political history of Ghana. However, the following are some of the significance of democracy enjoyed by Ghanaians (Ghana):

1. Continued peace and stability in the country.
2. Ghana being declared and touted as beacon of democracy in Africa.
3. Improved opportunities and potentials for foreign direct investments.
4. Deepened democratization of our governance structure, processes and systems.
5. Continuous enjoyment of constitutionalism and mass participation in our government process.
6. Enjoyment of tolerance of divergent political views, opinions, and practices.
7. Democracy has granted opportunities for massive representation and participation in the governance process.
8. It has also provided more than a baseline of free and fair elections.
9. It has also laid down the foundation and bedrock for massive development and growth of the economy of Ghana.
10. Democracy has ultimately paved the way for multi-party establishment, participation and practice in the political journey of Ghana.

Conclusion

At this juncture, I would like to conclude my article by re-emphasizing the fact that, democracy has come to deepen the political representation, involvement, practice and participation by the citizens in this dispensation of the fourth republic. Comparatively, Ghana has become one of the resilient democracies in Africa. However, Ghana is now far and large better managed economically than it was under the military dictatorship rule in the 1970’s.  To continue to enjoy the current political stability and peaceful co-existence in this our young and upcoming democracy, our political actors, governments, political party administrators and managers must make it a priority to do everything humanly possible to protect, maintain, and salvage the current political serenity.

By Justice Reuben Adusei

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