Dr Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg, the Chief Executive Officer of ACUC, noted that shifting loyalty from the country to political parties could negatively affect the nation and retard development.
Reacting to the aftermath of the 2024 general election and multiple re-collation of some constituencies results, he said state institutions must prioritise the interests of the people, ensure they functioned effectively, and met societal expectations.
“State institutions that do not break away from colonial-era practices effectively reintroduce the harmful legacies of colonialism into modern governance structures,” Dr Aziginaateeg said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
“True independence requires institutions prioritising African values, interests, and development goals over external influences or outdated systems rooted in oppression.”
He said Africa’s political independence represented not just a shift in governance but also an opportunity to create public institutions centered on the needs and aspirations of the people.
Dr Aziginaateeg said electoral bodies in Africa should not allow themselves to be utilised to undermine the democratic will of the vast majority of the people.
“The electorate are discerning; they observe the behavioural attitudes of institutions as influenced by their staff and are capable of distinguishing between right and wrong.”
He said institutions engaging in acts that incite unrest before, during, and after general elections must be held accountable for their actions.
“Peaceful governance requires state apparatuses to be committed to fostering unity rather than division,” he said, stressing that accountability mechanisms should be strengthened to address any breaches by state actors that compromised national stability or democratic integrity.
Dr Aziginaateeg called on religious and traditional leaders to speak up against institutional provocation of civil unrest, reminding them that in an atmosphere of war, places such as churches, mosques, stadiums, and nightclubs ceased to serve as the venues for the expression of faith, passion, and entertainment, respectively.
He urged civil society organisations to play their role in safeguarding Ghana’s democracy by avoiding biases.
GNA
