They stated that the increasing cases of seizure, forcible takeovers and harassment of perceived political opponents after every general election were not good for the country’s democracy and development.

They, therefore, called for a change in the excessive politicisation of everything in the country.

The 2017 Harmattan School is being organised by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research and Consultancy (IRaCs) of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale.

The school is the Northern Region’s version of the annual New Year School.

The theme for the two-day school is: "Strengthening multi-party democracy and promoting inclusive governance for national development: A shared responsibility”.

Among the key speakers at the opening session were the Executive Director of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD),  Prof. E. Gyimah-Boadi; the Vice-Chancellor of the UDS, Prof. Gabriel Ayum Teye; a local government expert, Dr Esther Ofei Aboagye, and a senior lecturer at the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo.

Limiting the Executive

Prof. Gyimah-Boadi, in his keynote address, said the build-up to political exclusion in the country’s multi-party democracy was seen in the manner in which party foot soldiers and vigilante groups from the ruling party forcibly took over public property and institutions after every general election.

He noted that the cure for the seizures and takeovers by party vigilante groups was for the powers of the President to be limited in the appointment of persons into certain public offices and institutions.

He said the delimitation of the powers of the President and the Executive arm of government to appoint and fire would reduce the tension associated with Ghana's democracy after every general election.

Prof. Gyimah-Boadi noted that the issue of winner-takes-it-all had also emboldened party foot soldiers and vigilante groups to seize public property.

Dent of image

For his part, Prof. Teye said the phenomenon of seizures and takeovers of public institutions by political party activists was a dent on the image of Ghana's democracy.

 Dr Ofei Aboagye, who is also the Vice-Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), who presented a paper on: "Strengthening multi-party democracy for national development”, called for greater citizens’ participation in the governance of the country.

Prof. Gadzekpo said the role of the media in promoting multi-party democracy was to advocate the rights of all citizens to be respected, no matter their political affiliation.

Background

The annual Harmattan School is a platform created by the UDS to bring together academia, researchers, civil society organisations, policy makers and non-governmental organisations to deliberate on issues relevant to development and nation building.

This year's marks the 11th in the series since it was initiated in February 2007.