We hope for successful 30th democracy anniversary

A year-long pro­gramme has been launched to celebrate the 30th anniversary of parliamen­tary democracy in Ghana.

It is on the theme ‘Thirty Years of Parliamentary Democ­racy under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far’.

It should be recalled that the country is in its fourth republic because military coups d’etat had truncated three earlier dem­ocratic dispensations.

The first dispensation spanned March 6, 1957 – Feb­ruary 24, 1966 (with the coun­try’s republican status itself taking effect from July 1, 1960); second, October 1, 1969 – Janu­ary 13, 1972; and third, Septem­ber 24, 1979 – December 31, 1981.

After the alternating civilian and military governments in Ghana, from March 1957 to December 1992, a space of 35 years, on January 7, 1993, a military government, the Provi­sional National Defence Coun­cil (PNDC), gave way to the Fourth Republic after presiden­tial and parliamentary elections in late 1992.

Ever since January 1993, the country has witnessed eight four-year parlia­ments, with the eighth one still running till January 6, 2025.

Considering the fact that the first three re­publics together made only 13 years and barely seven months, it is a great achievement that the Fourth Republic alone has so far run smoothly for 30 years and counting.

It is our hope that the Fourth Republic would never be truncated but we believe that much of that would depend on the country’s political leaders and other public officials.

The theme, ‘Thirty Years of Parliamentary Democracy under the Fourth Republic: The Journey Thus Far’, which has been chosen for the celebration of the coun­try’s 30th anniversary of parliamentary democracy must speak to the whole nation.

The country is being touted all over the globe as a good example of de­mocracy in Africa because over the past 30 years, it has had eight administra­tions through peaceful presidential and parlia­mentary elections and the country is peaceful.

Has it been all rosy? What has that achieve­ment translated into as benefits for the totality of the people?

Some developments have taken place in all sectors of the economy, though.

For instance, there is now a Free Senior High School education for qualified children and we can guess that every household or family in the country has benefited from it.

However, there are problems that must be tackled head-on for the benefit of the masses, particularly the vulnerable in the society.

The speculation in the market which is fanning the ever-rising cost of living must be checked.

Even though there is a health insurance system in place, because it does not cover all diseases and prescrip­tions, the poor are smarting under it.

Universities are charging outrageous fees and care less about the situation and the government seems helpless in checking this.

Today, some parts of the country do not have electricity and or water and even where there is water, it is mostly being rationed.

On top of these and other problems affecting mostly the common people are corruption and other misdeeds in high places, which have become difficult to fight because of acidic partisanship fanned by politicians for their parochial interests.

The country, no doubt, can chronicle a lot of achievements in the political space but since every country’s political perfor­mance affects other sectors of its economy, we encourage the political establishment to order things well for all these sectors to meet the needs and aspira­tions of the people.

In the meantime, we wish the country a successful 30th anniversary of parliamentary democracy.