Thursday March 4, 2010 By Edmund Mingle
President John Evans Atta Mills yesterday encouraged stakeholders in Ghana’s democracy to work hard to maintain the democratic credentials gained, saying other countries are looking up to Ghana
He particularly urged the various political parties to work together in enhancing the country’s democracy for the national good.
“We have a standard to maintain,” he told the chairmen of the political parties and executives of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), at the Castle, Osu in Accra.
They accompanied Roel Von Meijenfeldt, Executive Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), a political think tank collaborating with the IEA and political parties in Ghana, to pay a courtesy call on the President.
According to President Mills, Ghana is considered as a trail blazer in the field of democracy in Africa, and therefore all must work towards its progress of the benefit of Ghanaians.
“Let us work with one another because this is the only way we can enhance the opportunities and be able to show to the outside world that we are fully committed to the tenets of democracy,” he said
He promised that his administration would continue to provide the necessary support to the strengthening of multi-party democracy in Ghana, and called on all the parties to “let fairness and transparency prevail.”
“There is no alternative to democracy,” he said, and reminded the political parties, none of the parties have the power to decide who should lead the country.
“The power to decide who should lead the country is vested in the people,” he said.
The President lauded the contribution of the IEA and the NIMD to the growth of the country’s democracy, indicating that part of the credit for the improved collaboration between the parties should go to the two institutions.
The collaborative work of the IEA and NIMD resulted in creation of a Ghana Political Parties Programme, a platform on which the Chairmen and General Secretaries of the political parties with representation in Parliament, have been working together to address various issue affecting multi-party democracy in Ghana.
Recognising the critical role the Political Parties Programme, President Mills therefore lauded the collaborative work among the parties, and promised that government would continue to lend its support to the Programme.
Mr. Von Meijentfeldt, in his remarks, commended Ghana for the growth of her democracy and the commitment of the stakeholders to remain united in the face of challenges.
“The level of democracy in Ghana is an inspiration to other countries in Africa,” he noted that the NIMD looked forward to deepening “our partnership in democracy with Ghana.”
Dr. Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the ruling NDC who is chairman of Chairmen’s caucus of the Ghana Political Parties Programme, said his group valued the partnership with the NIMD since it continues to provide the opportunity the parties to learn from the experiences of other countries around the world.
Jean Mensa, Executive Director of the IEA, for her part, commended President Mills for recognising the importance of the Presidential Transition Bill, developed out of the Ghana Political Parties Programme, and mentioning it in his State of the Nation Address, saying, “we look forward to celebrating the passage on this bill.”
She also lauded the establishment of the Constitution Review Commission, and pledged the necessary support from the IEA and NIMD towards a successful outcome of its work.
In that regard, she noted that Mr. Von Meijenfeldt has, since his arrival in Ghana, met with members of the Commission and offered to support an exchange visit between the commissioners and experienced experts in Zambia, Kenya and South Africa.
“We have no doubt that these exchanges will enrich the entire Constitution review process and help to ensure a Constitution which is acceptable to all Ghanaians,” she stressed.
He particularly urged the various political parties to work together in enhancing the country’s democracy for the national good.
“We have a standard to maintain,” he told the chairmen of the political parties and executives of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), at the Castle, Osu in Accra.
They accompanied Roel Von Meijenfeldt, Executive Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), a political think tank collaborating with the IEA and political parties in Ghana, to pay a courtesy call on the President.
According to President Mills, Ghana is considered as a trail blazer in the field of democracy in Africa, and therefore all must work towards its progress of the benefit of Ghanaians.
“Let us work with one another because this is the only way we can enhance the opportunities and be able to show to the outside world that we are fully committed to the tenets of democracy,” he said
He promised that his administration would continue to provide the necessary support to the strengthening of multi-party democracy in Ghana, and called on all the parties to “let fairness and transparency prevail.”
“There is no alternative to democracy,” he said, and reminded the political parties, none of the parties have the power to decide who should lead the country.
“The power to decide who should lead the country is vested in the people,” he said.
The President lauded the contribution of the IEA and the NIMD to the growth of the country’s democracy, indicating that part of the credit for the improved collaboration between the parties should go to the two institutions.
The collaborative work of the IEA and NIMD resulted in creation of a Ghana Political Parties Programme, a platform on which the Chairmen and General Secretaries of the political parties with representation in Parliament, have been working together to address various issue affecting multi-party democracy in Ghana.
Recognising the critical role the Political Parties Programme, President Mills therefore lauded the collaborative work among the parties, and promised that government would continue to lend its support to the Programme.
Mr. Von Meijentfeldt, in his remarks, commended Ghana for the growth of her democracy and the commitment of the stakeholders to remain united in the face of challenges.
“The level of democracy in Ghana is an inspiration to other countries in Africa,” he noted that the NIMD looked forward to deepening “our partnership in democracy with Ghana.”
Dr. Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the ruling NDC who is chairman of Chairmen’s caucus of the Ghana Political Parties Programme, said his group valued the partnership with the NIMD since it continues to provide the opportunity the parties to learn from the experiences of other countries around the world.
Jean Mensa, Executive Director of the IEA, for her part, commended President Mills for recognising the importance of the Presidential Transition Bill, developed out of the Ghana Political Parties Programme, and mentioning it in his State of the Nation Address, saying, “we look forward to celebrating the passage on this bill.”
She also lauded the establishment of the Constitution Review Commission, and pledged the necessary support from the IEA and NIMD towards a successful outcome of its work.
In that regard, she noted that Mr. Von Meijenfeldt has, since his arrival in Ghana, met with members of the Commission and offered to support an exchange visit between the commissioners and experienced experts in Zambia, Kenya and South Africa.
“We have no doubt that these exchanges will enrich the entire Constitution review process and help to ensure a Constitution which is acceptable to all Ghanaians,” she stressed.
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