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An Academic and a Senior Fellow at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof. Emerita Takyiwaa Manuh has called for a shift in focus from electoral cycles to ensure that democracy serves the needs of the people.
“We must ensure that democracy functions to serve the needs of our people instead of the four-year electoral cycle that we go through" she said.
Prof. Manuh said this during a panel discussion after the premiering of a documentary titled "Democracy Influencer" that focused on the life, work and legacy of Prof. Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi, a co-founder of the CDD-Ghana and Afrobarometer in Accra last Tuesday.
The panel discussion moderated by Emeritus Prof. of Communications and Board Chair of CDD-Ghana, Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo, was part of the event to launch the film that took viewers on a journey through Prof. Gyimah-Boadi’s remarkable career that featured his tireless efforts to promote democracy and good governance in Ghana and beyond.
Prof. Manuh, in her submission, said despite changes in government, there was often little tangible improvement in the lives of ordinary citizens.
That, she said, raised questions about the effectiveness of democratic systems in addressing the pressing issues faced by communities.
Prof. Manuh stressed that there was the need for a more nuanced understanding of democracy, one that prioritises the welfare and well-being of citizens beyond the electoral process.
She also expressed concerns about the inability of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to effectively address term limit abuse in some member countries.
Côte d'Ivoire and Togo are prime examples where term limits are abused with impunity, and ECOWAS has failed to speak out against these abuses," Prof. Manuh stated.
This perceived lack of action, she said, has contributed to the erosion of trust in both national and regional governance institutions.
Prof. Manuh emphasised the crucial role civil society plays in promoting democracy and keeping governments accountable.
"Civil society has done a lot in keeping government on its toes, but it needs to do more," she said.
She advocated civil society to engage more with the general population, translating their ideas into influential discourse that resonates with broader society.
A Panel member and an Associate Professor of Political Science and lecturer at Thomas Sankara University in Burkina Faso, Prof. Abdoul Karim Saidou, called for the dissemination of the film on Prof. Gyimah-Boadi across the continent to serve as inspiration for young Africans to help consolidate democratic values in the society.
