John Dramani Mahama, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticised the current administration for the state it has left Ghana’s democracy.
People, according to Mahama, do not have the liberty to make political choices anymore under this administration.
He says the bugging of people’s phones to monitor their activities and their line of thought in respective of their political ideologies is something that completely undermines the true ideals of a democracy.
“In a true democracy, citizens, including journalists, security personnel, workers of the Electoral Commission, teachers, nurses, and doctors, must be able to go about their daily duties without looking over their shoulders to see who is misinterpreting their actions and democratic choices. Their phones must be free from bugging and monitoring,” he said Thursday, October 31, 2024.
Speaking on the theme; ‘Resetting Ghana for Good Governance and Accountability’ at the ‘I Speak Governance’ forum at the GNAT Hall in Accra, John Mahama said the NPP government led by Akufo-Addo has totally deviated from what democracy offers for a nation.
In defining the true meaning of democracy, the former President said an equal opportunity must be created for all, whereas people can criticise the government without having to fear for their lives.
However, what the NPP government has offered Ghanaians, per Mahama’s analogy, is nothing better than a government who monitors people’s actions to misinterpret their democratic choices.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I firmly believe that the main reason for democratic governance is to improve the living conditions of ALL citizens—including people living with disabilities, our retirees and young people who are out of school and need jobs —in a tangible, sustainable and equitable way.
“Democracy must be meaningful to citizens. Democracy must deliver justice to the people. In a democracy, citizens must be free to criticise the government without hearing a weird knock on their doors at night from partisan national security operatives,” he stated.
John Mahama said that these and the degraded levels of the economy the current administration has subjected the nation into requires a united front for the country to be reset.
“My dear brothers and sisters, at this crossroads, we have no option but to unite—as one people who put our nation first—to give us a chance to succeed. For Ghana to be successful again, there is an urgent need to reset our governance and democratic systems. This can only happen if this current NPP government is rejected at the polls on 7th December,” he indicated.
