The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Beauty Emefa Narteh, has challenged the citizenry to hold leaders accountable to sustain democracy and promote good governance.
“We have to change our attitude towards democratic practices of which many citizens consider only as participation in elections to elect a President and Members of Parliament (MPs),” she said.
Mrs Narteh explained that participation in elections to elect leaders for the country was not enough participation in democratic dispensation but they should also hold leaders accountable at all times, to sustain democracy, promote good governance and reduce corrupt practices in the country.
She was speaking at a forum organised by GACC with sponsorship from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as part of activities marking the launch of the Volta Region Chapter of the Coalition.
It was under the theme: ‘Building a Culture of Accountability, Safeguarding Democracy, and Promoting Inclusive Development,’ and attended by civil society organisations (CSOs), professional bodies, associations and groups.
Participants at the forum appealed to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to lead the development processes of the country, instead of leaving it in the hands of political parties in government to ensure change of government does not stall development.
Mrs Narteh stressed that it was important for citizens to actively participate in the democratic dispensation, rather than being observers because it was the duty of Ghanaians to hold leaders accountable after electing them to office, and should not overlook them only to vote for them again after four years.
She observed that citizens encouraged corrupt practices, when they failed to demand probity, transparency and accountability from their leaders, and tasked them to show more interest at those in leadership, saying “it is unfortunate culture of showing interest in election of leaders override interest of holding people in authority accountable.
“The citizenry should effectively participate in the development processes of the country so that lateness to work should equally be regarded as corrupt practice and should be stopped, since such practices affect progress, growth and development,” Mrs Narteh contended.
The Communication Officer of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), David Gomado, indicated that it was important for Ghanaians to demand how state funds were being used because state resources were mostly mobilised through taxation and it was their right to demand accountability and transparency.
“Governance becomes one way affair, where the citizenry particularly the youth are only at receiving end without knowing much about development activities and serves as breeding ground for corruption, so civil society groups and religious bodies should effectively and efficiently participate in good governance to accelerate socioeconomic development,” he admonished.
FROM LAWRENCE MARKWEI, HO
