Tolerance, vital in a democracy

SINCE Ghana endorsed multi-party democracy, our nation has become the envy of many African countries which are equally trying hard to shape their democracies. It is for that enviable track record in our multi-party democracy that many African countries come to us to learn from our experience.

AND, one key factor that has been strengthening and driving our nascent democracy is tolerance. Our politicians have showed to the world that they can agree to disagree on issues. Our politicians from both sides of the political divide on several platforms tolerated dissenting views.

FOR us at Today, being tolerant to opposing views is the beauty of democracy. Also, it brings out respect for opinions of other people. It is against this backdrop that we support the call by the Ga Mantse, King Tawiah III, to our politicians to tolerate the views of their opponents.

ACCORDING to the Ga Mantse, the need for our politicians to tolerate opposing views will ensure peace that is a necessary ingredient that will help develop and grow our economy.
IN some African countries government party and the opposition party have created civil wars because one thought they were right.

AND such African nations have had to pay a very steep price for their unguided actions. Today, countries such as Sudan and Somalia have no peace. There are always reports of clashes between government forces and those who are opposed to the government.

MOST of the cases that have sparked civil wars in Africa have been engineered by our politicians who decided to relegate to the background the views of other politicians and people in opposition. That is why we need to take the advice by King Tackie Tawiah III seriously.

THOUGH, many a Ghanaian politician have exhibited maturity and respect for dissenting views, there still remain a few whose actions and utterances on platforms such as on radio talk shows leave much to be desired.

GHANAIAN politicians must know that it is incumbent upon them when entrusted with power to work diligently to improve the welfare of the people who voted for them.

THE paper hopes that our politicians will heed the advice of King Tackie Tawiah III and learn always to tolerate and respect the opinions of others.