Ghana – An African model

Ghana has always been a pacesetter. It scored its first achievement when it became the first African nation south of the Saharan to achieve independence from colonial rule.
The epoch making feat and the famous statement made by its founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah that the independence of Ghana was meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of all Africa, did wonders for the African continent. It helped galvanized many African states to increase the tempo of their struggle against colonialism to become independent.
Fifty-two years on, and after a myriad of years of problems including coups, economic mismanagement and civil wars, Ghana looks set to lead another African renaissance on a journey of good governance, rule of law and democracy.
The world hailed Ghana’s peaceful presidential election in December 2008, as an example of a functioning democracy in Africa that should be a model for the continent.
Ever since America’s 44th president and first African-American president Barack Hussein Obama made the announcement that he was due for a visit to Ghana, public interest was instantaneously aroused. The moot question was why Ghana and not Obama’s father’s country Kenya or the African giant Nigeria.
The statement from the white house was equally revealing for its commendation of Ghana’s effort since 1992 to stay the course as a democratic and peace loving country.
The visit engendered a very lively debate as to why the American president did not make Nigeria with its population of 140 million and the economic powerhouse of West Africa, his first point of call but rather chose Ghana.
According to the press release “the president and Mrs. Obama looked forward to strengthening the U.S. relationship with one of its most trusted partners in the sub-Saharan Africa, and to highlighting the critical role that sound governance and civil society play in promoting lasting development”.
Recently, the president explaining why he chose Ghana as the first sub-Saharan African nation he would visit as president, told AllAfrica.com “that Lifting up successful models” of democracy in Africa encourages more democracy on the continent.
Obama further stated that part of reason was because Ghana had now undergone a couple of successful elections in which power was transferred peacefully, even in a very close election. “I think the new president, president Mills, has shown himself committed to the rule of law, to the kinds of democratic commitments that ensure stability in a country, and we want to highlight that”.
To a question whether he will like to see a lot Ghana’s in Africa, Obama replied; well, part of it is lifting up successful models. And so, by traveling to Ghana, we hope to highlight the effective governance that they have in place.
It is obvious Ghana deserves all the plaudits. Ghana is both a thriving democracy and a political success in Africa. Since Ghana’s return to democracy in 1992, it had conducted five successful elections and a second peaceful transfer of power from one party to another.
There is a vibrant media, a free Electoral Commission and an unfettered judiciary with well functioning civil society groups ready to take on the government for any infraction. After the 2008 elections, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement, “Ghanaians can and should take pride in the democratic achievement. With their continuing show of commitment to the democratic process, Ghana and its leaders are setting an admirable example,”
While Ghana was basking in this plaudit, it had been rosy in other African countries. Mauritania’s first elected leader was overthrown in a military coup in August and army officers in Guinea took power after the death of President Lansana Conte in December.
The instability in Guinea and Madagascar are pointers to what can happen if the message of elections change governments are not continuously reinforced. The attempt by President Tandja of Niger to prolong his rule after the expiration of his constitutionally mandated term of office should not be countenanced.
In the olden days, the world took cognizance of Nigeria and listened when it spoke. Nigeria’s clout as “Big Brother was well established in Africa, especially in the sub-region, so, no important international discussion on Africa would be held without participation of Nigeria.
Nigeria is the world’s eighth largest exporter of oil. The 2007 elections in Nigeria which allowed it to move from one civilian regime to another were so flawed that the world simply turned its back on Nigeria.
The April 25, 2009 gubernatorial election re-run in Ekiti State, during which the ruling party officials were once again widely implicated in fomenting violence, and the INEC officers in vote-rigging and fraud, further dented the image of Nigeria.
Prof. Wole Soyinka, the noble laureate commenting on the proposed Obama tour stated Obama’s choice of Ghana is a wise decision. “If Obama decides to grace Nigeria with his presence, I will stone him. The message he is sending by going to Ghana is so obvious, is so brilliant that he must not render it flawed by coming to Nigeria any time soon,” he said.
The attention of the world is now riveted on Ghana and we must make the most of it to deepen the country’s democracy and continue to serve as a beacon to inspire other African countries to change governments through the ballot box.
The era of coups must be a thing of the past. The era of Africa’s Presidents for life should be a thing of the past. These leaders, Muammar al-Qathafi of Libya 39 years in power, Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema nearly 30 years and President Jose Eduardo dos Santos 30 years, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe with 29 years in power with his country near collapse, must make way for other politicians to take their countries to the next level of development.
Other leaders who have monopolized their country’s leadership roles include President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, 27 years, Zine AL-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, 21 years, Blaise Compoare of Burkina Faso, 21 years, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, 23 years and Paul Biya of Cameroon, 26 years.
Credit to Fiifi Mensah.