Youth can do a lot to deepen democracy – Nduom

Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom the CPP Presidential Candidate in 2008 has said in Sunyani that Ghanaian youth can do a lot to deepen democracy in Africa. He spoke on the theme, “Deepening Democracy in Africa – The Role of the Ghanaian Youth” at the Annual SRC/GNUPS Week Launch at the Sunyani Polytechnic.

He said that our young men and women must become positive activists by studying the laws, policies and programmes of governance and democratic practice – constitution, etc., getting actively involved in choosing leaders and pressing for change to our laws and practices where necessary. He said that polytechnic students are some of the best young people we have. “You have access to higher level education and opportunity to realize your dreams. Arm yourself with knowledge so that you are not dismissed as mere noise makers.”

Dr. Nduom said that in the end, it is the decisions the youth make to support people they believe in to become our political leaders that helps deepen democracy. He continued that the educated ones must seek out leaders who compete with ideas, not money. He added, “You must see political competition not as an inconsequential game, but as an important process that can make a positive difference in your lives for years to come if you make the right choices.” Dr. Nduom quoted Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish-born English writer, that “In the long-run, every government is the exact symbol of its people, with their wisdom and unwisdom”.

Dr. Nduom talked about the African Union’s aim to boost development, eradicate poverty and bring Africa into the global economy and encouraged the youth to learn more about the AU through the internet as tons of information on the organization can be found there.

He discussed the New Partnership for Africa’s Development or NEPAD which is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction, that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development and, at the same time, to participate actively in the world economy and body politic.

He mentioned that the African Union’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as a self-monitoring mechanism founded in 2003. He said, “I had the privilege to when as Minister for Economic Planning & Regional Cooperation I stood up to signal Ghana’s willingness to be the first African country to volunteer for a peer review of its democratic and governance processes, laws and practices.”

Dr. Nduom also discussed sections of the 1992 Constitution that he believes need attention in order to deepen democracy in Ghana:

Directive Principles of State Policy: Chapter Six of the Constitution: The Directive Principles of State Policy together represent our collective broad national agenda which the Constitution says is the “…establishment of a just and free society.” His view is that if all of our Presidents account annually to Parliament and to the nation on how they are implementing the principles and also show how the co-ordinated progamme promotes these principles, there will be less anxiety than exists presently over the need for a national development agenda that transcends political parties. What has happened in the Fourth Republic is something very different. Our presidents go to Parliament once a year not to account for their actions, but to make more and more promises of what they will do, use that platform to compare their administrations with that of opposing political parties and generally, make a political rally of that important opportunity.

He added that should require that the manifestoes of all political parties must at least recognise the existence of the Directive Principles of State. The political parties must show how they will implement these principles enshrined in our Constitution.

The Age Factor: Chapter Eight, Section 62 (b) says that a person shall not be qualified for election as President of Ghana unless “he has attained the age of forty”. This Dr. Nduom said has the effect of disqualifying the majority of our people from aspiring to occupy the highest office of the land. The provision discriminates against young people. Besides, wisdom is not the preserve of older people. If a person who is 18 can vote and can become a Member of Parliament, he/she ought to be given the opportunity to become President of the Republic.

Funding of Political Parties: Chapter Seven – Representation of the People, Section 55 (14) says, “Political Parties shall be required by law (a) to declare to the public their revenues and assets; and (b) to publish to the public annually their audited accounts.” Dr. Nduom asked the question, has this ever happened? Who is to enforce this law? Section 55 (15) says, “Only a citizen of Ghana may make a contribution or donation to a political party registered in Ghana.” Interestingly, the law makes no requirement of candidates only political parties. Throughout the world where multi-party democracy prevails, candidates tend to attract more funds than political parties. He added, “In Ghana, it appears that money, not ideas, fuels campaigns for political office.”

Election of Local Government Functionaries: To Dr. Nduom, the brand of multi-party democracy we practice in Ghana needs to be strengthened where it matters most – at the local or grassroots level. The problem of empowering the people at the local level he said has persisted because the Constitution we are working with took a big part of that power from the local people and gave it to the President.

He added, “In our District Assemblies we know which members were supported by a political party to get elected. We know which people were sponsored by the present Mills Administration. We must review all of these provisions embedded in our Constitution, understand the realities on the ground and empower the people to freely associate with those they agree with and to vote for those who want to rule them. In other words, the sections of the 1992 Constitution need to be amended to ensure that political parties are able to participate in local government elections and that all District/Municipal/Metropolitan Chief Executives and all Assembly Members are elected directly by the people.”

Dr. Nduom concluded by saying that, “I participate in politics so that I can influence in a positive way our society, government and people so that we can achieve our goals for development and prosperity. I want you to realize the power you carry as young people who can decide your own future and the prosperity of the country.”