Search For Democracy In Ghana
Major Boakye Djan
Major Boakye Djan, the writer of this article was a member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) in 1979 which carried out a "house-cleaning exercise" in the Ghana Army. As the chairman of Campaign for Democracy, an organisation based in London, he is currently engaged in a "struggle to make civilian democratic government work in Ghana".In a brilliantly provocative article in the Talking Drums of the 5th December 1983 Ms Ohene challenged the opponents of the PNDC to state "what they have in mind for the country". The Campaign for Democracy in Ghana (CDG) in particular was asked how "it intends to bring about democracy in Ghana."
Unknown to the Talking Drums the CDG had begun the publication of a newsletter for the dissemination of its policies and we have so far published position papers on a wide range of subjects like the Democrats Manifesto, An Interim Programme, The Break-up of Centralised Control, Federalism, Public Corporations and Worker Participation, The Black market, Food Politics and Starvation, Transport, the Law and the Bicycle, Legal and Electoral reform, National Reconciliation etc. The CDG believes, therefore, that it is doing its best to contribute to the debate on national affairs.
The CDG is a pressure group for those convinced that the path to dev- elopment is through democracy and that true democracy can only function in an open and pluralist society in which government is by the consent of those governed. It is not a political party and it does not presume to be a shadow cabinet. Above all it would be arrogant for it to believe that it can "bring about democracy in Ghana." Fortunately, the CDG does not suffer from such arrogance for it recognises that the struggle for democracy is a mass struggle or else it is nothing.
We who are members of the CDG are opposed to the PNDC because
(i) it is a military regime which has subverted a duly elected civilian and constitutional government which had neither perverted its mandate nor bypassed the electoral process;
(ii) in order to remain in power it has sought to control us by creating a society which is neither open nor pluralist and in which citizens can be killed or detained merely for expressing contrary views and
(iii) it has publicly declared its intention never to permit the free election of a representative and civilian government.
But in opposing the regime we have sought to avoid vituperative abuse because we know that the problems antedate and are far larger than the PNDC and can only be properly dealt with in a calm and dispassionate manner free from emotion, prejudice and confrontation.
DISTINCTION
In the present debate, a distinction must be drawn between (i) the objectives of any future democratic arrangement and (ii) the programme for the transitional period. But to be valid and sustainable, each must be founded on a realistic analysis of our problems and the necessity to openly debate and implement policies which will ensure reconciliation, and foster national unity in order to create a solid basis for dev- elopment through democracy.THE PROBLEM
The CDG believes that the problems of Ghana are political in origin and that the dire economic situation is only a symptom. In the Motion of Destiny in the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly on the 10th July 1953 Dr Kwame government is not an end in itself, it is a means to an end. To the building of the good life to the benefit of all regardless of tribe, creed, colour or station in life. Our aim is to make the country a worthy place for all its citizens, a country that will be a shining light throughout the whole continent of Africa giving inspiration far beyond its frontiers." We all know that despite the early achievements these hopes have been unfulfilled.The world political and economic systems have not permitted the development of ideas and situations which challenge the status quo. But the truth is that the major cause of our backwards ever plunge into poverty and chaos has been our own lack of political skill in balancing competing interests, our unwillingness to tolerate opposition and our inability to share or give up power.
Those who have acquired power have sought to centralise it; all the better to monopolise it. Our leaders, politicians, military and civilian, public servants and bank managers have become minor potentates inaccessible, unaccountable and uncaring. The system they have created has nurtured waste, inefficiency, corruption, tribal ism and a dependency complex in even the most able bodies of us. Standards have been subverted and merit punished. The administrative machinery has been politicised and destroyed so that decisions are now made ad hoc and measures applied capriciously.
THE ALTERNATIVE
The CDG is committed to the DEMOCRATS MANIFESTO and is convinced that the principles embodied Nkrumah had stated that ".... Self-in it must activate any future democratic arrangement.The Democrats Manifesto requires that: Government must be based on consent, tolerance and fairness and not fear and force so it rejects military rule and no party and one party states. Public administration must be localized in order to permit community access to and control of our leaders. It advo- cates Federalism because that will per- mit a genuine decentralization. We must allow states to have responsibility for Education, Health, Police and the Armed Forces, Courts Agriculture and Rural Development and Revenue collection.
The Electoral process must be reformed to allow for proportional representation, compulsory voting and the scrutinization of election expenditure. The involvement of tax inspectors will assist in controlling financial irregularities connected with elections and the issue of citizen identity cards will further such reform and will aid the collection of taxes.
The underlying basis of an open society must be the recognition of public accountability and individual responsibility. Discipline rests on responsibility. The CDG advocates the enactment of a Freedom of Information Act, the decentralization of media control, the reform of the public service to permit the vetting by elected bodies of all ranks of public servants and the banning of all public servants from the membership of secret and tribal societies.
National policy must encourage self-help and self-reliance through personal initiative and effort. The CDG there- fore supports the denationalization of state commercial enterprises and the liberalization of economic activity. It believes that the role of government is to assist the individual and his community to obtain what they cannot obtain by their own effort.
Due to the nature of our priorities the primary thrust of such assistance must be in the regeneration of our rural base for increased agricultural production. The government must therefore massively concentrate effort in the provision of (a) motorable major roads to all state capitals (b) clean water for each citizen, (c) free primary health care clinics for each rural constituency (d) electricity for each constituency (e) itution tuition free and compulsory primary and junior secondary school for each community and (f) the abolition of all income and corporate taxes on agricultural enterprises.
These are the bare necessities for civilised life and without them democracy has little relevance to the ordinary person.
TRANSITION
Any transitional period must be a period for reflection, reconciliation and recovery. There is a need for unity, discipline and debate so the CDG proposes that a civilian Interim Federal Government must:- Respect basic Human Rights and the Rule of Law Establish a Review Tribunal to review the findings of People's Courts of 1979 and post 1981
- Institute an international inquiry into the killings of soldiers and civilians since 1981
- Revoke the 2 year old curfew and confine the armed forces to the barracks
- Re-establish the press commission
- Call a National Economic Conference to propose an Emergency Economic Stabilization Programme
- Convene a Constitutional Confer ence to re-examine the 1979 Constituon
- Establish a Constitution and Advisory Assembly to (a) debate and promulgate a new constitution and (b) act on a standing Advisory Assembly to the Interim Federal Government
- Legalise political parties
- Re-organise the Armed forces, the Police, the Legal system, the civil service and the public corporations in order to encourage the localization of power and community control. Where necessary foreign assistance should be sought.
- Organise free elections within three months for federal offices. No person must be disqualified from standing for political reasons. The elections should be staggered and must begin at the community level. Each elected body must be convened and empowered to act after each election. Adequate time must be left for the resolution of any electoral petitions and the various Assemblies must sit and vet a new Chief Justice, Chief Judges of States, Chairman of the Bank of Ghana, Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector - General of police and ministers before the final hand over.
- Ensure that (i) any transitional provisions appended to the Constitution must not be inconsistent with the fundamental principles embodied in the Constitution proper and (ii) all military and police personnel who have held political or other public office with any government are retired from the forces before the final handover.
