Democracy the best form of governance for any country, says Joe Ghartey
Former Attorney General, Joe Ghartey, has remarked that democracy is the best form of governance for any country in the world.
According to him, although democracy may not be the perfect form of governance, it is far better compared to military regimes.
Making the assertion during the 2024 Constitution Day Lecture organised by One Ghana Movement on January 8, 2024, the former Attorney General quipped past experiences from living under military regimes has increased his belief in the need for democratic governance.
“Past experiences from being a student, lawyer, minister, and living under a military regime have increased my belief in democracy as the best form of governance.
“I have lived in an era where there was a culture of silence and a muzzled press, today what we have is not perfect, but it is much better than the era where a few men be they liberators or redeemers or revolutionists that concentrated final legislative powers in themselves and also supervisory judicial powers to the extent that they had the unfettered rights to dismiss judges as they deem fit,” he posited.
Speaking on the theme; “Our Democracy, The Constitution, Elections and The Judiciary”, Mr Ghartey emphasized his confidence in the 1992 Constitution, expressing his disagreement over a total review of the Constitution as demanded by some governance experts and a section of the populace.
“Some preach armageddon if the 1992 Constitution is not reviewed and hold the view that the survival of the Constitution hinges on its total review, but I beg to differ.
“We should hasten slowly on our quest to totally review the whole Constitution. Some tinkering here and there is not what I am against, but the wholesale review of the Constitution is what I oppose vehemently,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Marietta Brew, also a former Attorney General of the State, has expressed doubts over the possible amendment of the 1992 Constitution either as a whole or parts of the Constitution.
Ms Brew’s assertion stems from the difficulty faced by incumbent Governments to amend portions of the Constitution.
“I agree to calls for the Constitution to be amended but I must say that it will be difficult to amend the Constitution.
“For instance, attempts to amend the Constitution in 2014 to change the voting date to the first Friday of November were rejected by Parliament.
“Just recently also, attempts to amend district-level elections failed. So I wonder if Ghana will ever be able to amend its Constitution,” she remarked.
