Mahama: Democracy Must Deliver Real Improvement to Survive
Ghana’s democracy must deliver tangible development to its people. This is the firm belief of President John Dramani Mahama. He recently spoke at the 2025 Democracy Dialogue in Accra. He warned that Ghana’s democracy could collapse without jobs, roads, and hospitals. Indeed, he described a disturbing trend. For instance, he cited recent surveys. These surveys, he explained, show many young Ghanaians would prefer military rule. They believe democracy has failed them.
President Mahama considers this a very serious problem. He called the survey results “frightening.” In his view, democracy cannot be sustained by rights and freedoms alone. He stressed the need for real improvements. “We must deliver development,” he stated. “Democracy without development, democracy without roads, democracy without schools, hospitals, and jobs will always be at risk.” Therefore, the President argued that tangible results are key.
Furthermore, he called for a “reset” of Ghana’s governance system. He said this is necessary to restore trust. In addition, the President believes accountability is crucial for public office. He stated, “anybody who wants to serve in public office must be prepared to account to the people.” Consequently, he said corruption, inequality, and elite capture continue to undermine democracy. We must tackle these issues with great urgency. This is especially important to prevent further disillusionment among the youth.
The President also discussed the role of new media. He noted that it is changing how citizens engage with governance. This presents a new challenge. In fact, he suggested it could be a topic for a future dialogue. The 2025 Democracy Dialogue had the theme, “Why Democracies Die.” It brought together a number of African leaders. They included former Nigerian Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo. They also included Nigerian politician Peter Obi. The President’s message was clear. Democracy must deliver for its people.
Source: GraphicOnline
