By Savannah Pokuaah Duah
Former Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Professor Kwame Karikari, has criticised Ghana’s major political parties for failing to address the illicit issue of illegal mining (galamsey) due to fears of losing votes in the upcoming December 7th elections.
“For the 9th time, Ghanaians are preparing to vote in the 4th Republic to elect a president and parliamentarians. The major political parties, along with a few new entrants, are clamouring for votes, but what is the nature, character, and core promise of democracy in the 4th Republic?” Prof. Karikari asked.
He made these remarks at the first public lecture held in honour of the late human rights lawyer, Akoto Ampaw, who passed away a year ago. The event, held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the University of Ghana (UG), was organised by Friends of Akoto Ampaw in collaboration with the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Institute of African Studies at UG.
The lecture, themed “The Problems of Ghana’s 4th Republic,” featured discussions on the topic “The Crisis of Civic Citizenship in Contemporary Ghanaian Democracy: Lessons from the Life and Times of the Late A. Akoto Ampaw.”
Professor Kwame Karikari has highlighted the reluctance of Ghana’s major parties for sidestepping key issues during election campaigns.
“Political parties refuse to address major issues like galamsey in an election campaign because they fear losing votes, as their leaders and financiers are beneficiaries of it,” he stated. Prof. Karikari, leader of the Friends of Akoto Ampaw, also questioned the state of Ghana’s democracy, saying, “I’m sure we all have many questions about the democracy of the 4th Republic.”
