Synopsis "Democracy in Ghana: Begging for Change (in English)"
In most democracies, the president of the republic is the head of state, members of parliament are sponsored by political parties, and politicians are responsible for national development. That is considered the norm, and should not be a source of concern in any country.In Ghana, however, this norm concentrates power in one individual, whose political party is usually the one in power, and has a majority in parliament. This concentration of power in a president and his political party has turned out to be a recipe for the political corruption, lack of accountability, abuse of power, polarisation, political impunity, and poor judgement, with grave consequences for the nation. This development, coupled with the relentless economic hardship, increasing unemployment, and high levels of poverty, creates a volatile situation that could catch a devastating fire from the slightest spark.While there is a general realization among the population that something needs to be done to change the situation, there has been little effort to craft possible changes which will ensure that Ghana upholds good governance, the rule of law, and accountability; fights corruption decisively, and manages the economy in a way that assures the welfare of the people. That is what this book is about.This book questions the democratic norm that makes one person both president of the republic and head of state, allows political parties to sponsor members of parliament, and places political parties and politicians in sole charge of national development. In addition this book questions the functionality of Ghana's district assembly system which, though touted as the tool for rural development, delivers very little in that direction. This book also discusses corruption and how to fight it, as well as how to develop responsible citizenship among the population.This book does not just find weaknesses and loopholes in Ghana's democracy; it provides solutions which will ensure that the ills of the current arrangement are reversed, and that Ghana's democracy becomes the kind which serves the best interest of the state and the people.Written in a conversational format, interspersed with various interesting stories, this book will definitely challenge the thinking of every politically aware individual in Ghana and beyond.
