Ghana as a symbol of modern African democracy

Ghana as a symbol of modern African democracy
No election, even in advanced democracies of western Europe and the US is devoid of flaws, however, there is a way an election can be conducted where all actors in the political process can feel that they are satisfied with the outcome despite loosing, or not having what they wanted. Elections in Africa are a ‘do or die affair’, the resultant consequences is what we saw in the Kenya after the 2007 presidential election or Ivory Coast or Algeria, which eventually, for countries like Algeria and Ivory Coast led to civil war. The December 7, 2008, election is a pointer to the fact that even African countries can get it right in terms of organising and conducting free and fair elections.
Ghana’s history is one of sadness and of unnecessary tragedy. It is the first country to achieve independence from British on March 6, 1957. Like Nigeria, the country witnessed its first military coup in 1966, just a week after the bloody coup in Nigeria. A National Liberation Council was formed and was headed by Lt. General Joseph Arthur Ankrah. He was also removed in 1969 and Lt. General Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa became the Chairman of the NLC, which later gave way to a three-man Presidential Commission with General Afrifa as chairman. Coups and counter-coups continued till 1979 when Flt.-Lt. Jerry John Rawlings was made the Chairman Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), after mass revolt of junior officers and men of the Ghana armed forces. The AFRC was in office for only three months and, in pursuance of a programme already set in motion before the uprising, allowed general elections to be held. On 24th September 1979, the AFRC handed over power to the civilian administration of Dr. Hilla Limann, leader of the People's National Party which had won the elections.
However, Limann administration lasted for only two years because he was overthrown on December 31, 1981, ushering in a new revolutionary era of far-reaching reforms and rehabilitation at all levels. Flt.-Lt. Rawlings became the Chairman of a nine-member Provisional National Defence Ruling Council, (PNDC) with Secretaries of State in charge of the various ministries being responsible to the PNDC . Immediately on assumption of office, the PNDC set up a National Commission for Democracy (NCD) charged with formulating a programme for the more effective realisation of true democracy. The Govemment of the PNDC also provided for the establishment of elected District Assemblies to bring local government to the grassroots.
Since its independence, the country spearheaded the political advancement of Africa and in the last 16 years stood as a symbol of democracy and development in Africa, a region which for the past decade has been marred by areas of instability and civil war – the war in Sierra Leon, Liberia, Ivory Coast, the unrest in Niger, Guinea and Mali and long military rule in Nigeria, the success of the election in Ghana is critically important to both country and the region as a whole. Ghana in recent years has served as an anchor not only in the sub-region but to the continent as a whole. While the world stood and watch Mugabe toiling with the life of Zimbabweans, the people of Ghana and their leaders are proving to us that with a political will, credible and acceptable elections can be conducted in Africa.
Nigeria’s former President, General Yakubu Gowon, who headed the delegation of observers from the ECOWAS, described the election in Ghana as a lesson to other countries in the continent, praising Ghana for its leading role in nurturing democracy in Africa, and expressed the belief that the country would score another victory to be emulated by other countries on the continent. Gowon observed that Africa was still grappling with the development of democracy and called for the strengthening of democratic structures for effective development of democratic culture. Unlike what we saw in other African countries, of electoral violence and rigging, Ghanaians conducted themselves in an organized manner to choose the people that can stir the country for the next four or eight years.
Whichever way one look at the country, Ghana became the most politically stable and prosperous nation in West Africa and provided a model of development for the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, Africa and the developing world in general. This may continue under the new elected leader if the new government and opposition remain mindful of the turbulence in other African countries like Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Ghana has several advantages over Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. It has a highly competent electoral commission, which, unlike its counterpart in for instance Nigeria, which was fun of declaring winners even in places where there was no election; Ghana’s electoral commission’s independence is respected by all Ghana’s politicians. Above all, their politicians believe in winner and loser concept of democracy.
But the new President, whoever that might be among the two leading candidates, either of the ruling NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo or the opposition NDC, John Atta Mills will be faced with the arduous tasks of avoiding what oil rich nations especially in Africa suffer from, that is, misusing the revenues accrued from oil money for their own benefit, leaving their people in abject poverty and squalor. By 2011, the country will start benefitting from oil revenue estimated to be over $3billion. Therefore this year’s election will serve as a turning point in the nation’s history. The discovery of oil in Ghana holds much promise, but it could also spell the country's doom with these huge earnings the temptation is too high. Whatever happened in few years – the task of maintaining those political and social structures rest on the leaders of both the opposition and the ruling party. Their decisions whether positive or negative are what will determine the direction which the country can take.
But for us observing events from as they unfold we hope to see that Ghana remained a symbol of modern African democracy where citizens are given the chance to elect their leaders.
Kabiru Danladi,
Lawanti Village, KM25,
Along Gombe-Bauchi Road,
Akko LGA, Gombe State.
Kblondon2003@yahoo.com
08054546764,08035150369