Ghana’s democracy is ‘political partyism’: UTV attack is another proof
This facáde of a democracy has always been ‘partyism’. Largely dominated by party political activities with far little substance of the ingredients of democratic practices.
A democracy functions on checks and balances. The Executive doesn’t exercise absolute power. Only in extreme exceptions where the larger national interest is at stake. The Legislature and Judiciary play moderating roles, and to some extent act as accountability levers to bring about a balanced use of power to guarantee lawful excise of power. But largely in Ghana, it appears, the Legislature and Judiciary look more like an extension of the Executive. While working to show a semblance of independence, the two other arms of government seem to fail whenever it mattered most in exerting checks on the Executive, leaving room for maneuvering and manipulation by party operatives.
The political frenzy is so overheated that every conversation, including in the media would only be viewed to be interesting or important when there is some ‘politics’.
It is so to the extent that political parties threaten to and sometimes boycott radio or TV shows.
Yesterday’s reported attack in the studios of UTV while a show went on live is just one of the many blips that expose the shallow democracy that Ghana has been practicing since 1992. That ruling party members can and do take the law into their own hands and breach the peace without any fear of being sanctioned is a signal that the party endorses violence in expressing its disagreement to other views.
The police has announced that 16 people involved have been arrested. It will now be seen how far the actions against the perpetrators would go, in the face of the law in a democracy.
The political frenzy is so overheated that every conversation, including in the media would only be viewed to be interesting or important when there is some ‘politics’.
The entire contraption has mainly been centered around voting, handing over power to the next player, who remains in perpetual campaign mode, till the next election, and while at it, all the systems of democracy are abused, tampered with and rendered dysfunctional, while corruption powered by cronyism hold sway often going from bad to worse, as it is the fulcrum that oils the wheels of political party systems.
Much of the time, the parts of the law that give power wielders the right to use public funds to feather their nests and live in choking vulgarity in the name of ‘democracy is expensive’ are the ones that work. The ones that give citizens the right to ask questions, protest, get proper healthcare, security and good quality education become issues of unending debate, while citizens are half-heartedly handed crumbs to barely survive on.
Democracy without accountability is what it is, where elected and appointed officials become the law, and deliberate acts of unacceptable conducts are perpetrated to achieve party interests without due regard to the laws.
Government appointees know what the law says and requires them to do, in many cases, particularly in cases where political expediencies stand in the way, but they often would capitulate to the whims of party interest much to the loss of the country, without a whiff of care, because there is no way they are likely to be held to account.
There are examples of some individuals who stand to do right by law, and were often victimized. That became evident in the case of the former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo. The Special Prosecutor is facing the same challenges. These officers are only seen to be working when they are dealing with opposition figures, and not ruling party operatives.
Other officials have quietly cried out to people they could trust about how they are facing interference from party apparatchiks as they performed their lawful duties.
In his recent public outbursts, Alan Kyerematen, a former presidential hopeful of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) said there are people ‘behind the curtain’ who are influencing the affairs of government. While this is well known, it is the only time an insider has publicly said it.
Democracy without accountability is what it is, where elected and appointed officials become the law, and deliberate acts of unacceptable conducts are perpetrated to achieve party interests without due regard to the laws.
There appears to be little rule of law – instead there is ‘rule of political parties.’ To the extent that citizens have lost faith in the justice system, in cases where political players are involved.
Party people have annexed public lands for private development, and there appears to be little or no push-backs from either the people or state agencies that normally should resist.
The institutions of State like the police, courts and so on, do not seem to act with the same swiftness in matters involving political party activists. In 2017 a group calling itself ‘Delta Forces’ and identifying as being part of the NPP attacked a court in session. Some members of the group forcefully entered the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court and freed 13 of their members who had been arraigned for throwing a government appointee out of office. They received as much as a slap on the wrist.
Sometime ago, Radio Ada, a community radio station was attacked by people who didn’t like what was being discussed. It’s still not clear if the assailants have been made to face the law.
While some citizens are denied the right to protest against government, party supporters are allowed to protest in support. The instances are many to be recounted here. But the most horrendous was the killing of eight citizens during the 2020 elections on December 7. The country just moved on as if nothing had happened and the president was inaugurated to continue in his second term. No one has been arrested, and it is not known if there are any efforts to apprehend the killers and bring them to justice.
Collectively, as Ghanaians, it does appear that we have succeeded in deceiving ourselves that we are operating a democracy, and while at it, the chickens have long come home to roost, but we continue to live in denial, believing that our democracy is working. May be it is.
By Emmanuel K Dogbevi
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