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30.01.2017 Feature Article

Time To Consolidate Ghana's Democracy?

Time To Consolidate Ghana's Democracy?
30.01.2017 LISTEN

..Victor D'hondt was Belgian mathematician, jurist, lawyer, and political science professor (20th November 1841 - 30th may 1901) who devised a curious procedure, the D'hondt method in year 1878, allocating seats to candidates in party-list of proportional representation..

Democracy is defined as rule of law in which laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens, some say; government of people by the people or is a system of government in which society is represented in the same manner drawn from proportional point of view

Many folks would have wondered why Hillary Clinton, former first Lady of United States, the candidate who ran on the ticket of Democrats, or the Democratic Party (the socialist party of United States), couldn't win the just ended 7th November 2016 US election, despite winning 'popular votes'--more than 2 million majority votes at national level

The US together with many countries, like Argentina, Japan, France, Swaziland etc, either use D'hondt system or some related type of D'hondt's system to make sure that there is government of 'socio-proportion' representation. E.g, a city of 1000 citizens is given the same political mandate as city of 850 citizens. So, US uses electoral college system as the best means of giving its people the chance to choose or make their voices to be heard in terms how they are represented in democratic government. This explains why Hillary couldn't win because she won most electoral colleges with larger citizens representation but failed to hit the of 270 of 538 target while Trump on the other hand, hit the target of 270 of electoral colleges, winning mostly 'states' with lesser citizens representation. In other words, Trump, despite winning less number in popular votes than Hillary but won bigger figure in proportion than Hillary had done in demographic scale of cities involved in the election

That is exactly D'hondt's system is all about. Apart from US, other countries who practice this type of system or modified version of it, election is won on seats (MPs or electoral colleges) instead of votes. In Ghana, should we be practicing D'hondt's system fully - fully? Of course, the conscription of constituencies in Ghana is not in unison or uniform - instead of absolute majority in popular votes, it would be absolute majority in MPs or constituencies. With 50 + 1 % usually being the benchmark of absolute majority in any case

Most importantly, in D'hondt's system, the smaller political parties are also given their proportional share of power in governance of the country. In that, general election is conducted in the first round and if the winning party fails to garner absolute majority, then government of coalition will emerge, instead of government on sole-party basis. The type of system that takes smaller parties into consideration, wouldn't go for runoff as seen in Ghanaian and other countries that practice system of winner-take-all. Winner-take-all is not good for any country as far as democracy is concerned

In France, it was the green party (ecological or environmental party), in coalition with the socialist Party headed by by president François Hollande, that prevented Hess, an American company with the latest and finest technology of shale oil and gas exploration. The Company which was previously billed for Paris East basin shale deposit. Because the eco-political party considered fracking to be dangerous to the environment, as it is believed to contaminate water bodies

It is very disheartening and disgusting how illegal Chinese activities of galamsey are degrading and destroying our environment, so, eco-party, Ghanaian version, integrated in government of 'coalition' with NPP or NDC for example, bent on fighting environmental degradation in general, including fulani normandic menace, air pollution and water bodies contaminations will be a milestone

So far, gargantuan 'chop,' 'chop' has become par of the course in oficialdom in Ghana with nothing substantial to show of, in terms transformation of lives and livelihood empowerment as we celebrate Ghana@60 6th March this year. Smaller political parties with different ideologies integrated into governance system could set stage for good governance as well serve as deterrent to corruption

Since the day of inception of democracy, the US political partyline and power players have consensus of formation of all-inclusive government. The most curious aspect of United States system of democracy has to do more with the political will to keep the door wider open to attract talented individuals to the fold of political forerunners in running the affairs of the nation

That is, Hillary will now handover to propective appealing and well prepared candidate that will emerge as winner in primary election to determine the leadership of Democratic Party to face Trump in his next four year term bid. Of course, Donald Trump, the president of United States of America, took over Republican Party from Mitt Romney after his first attempt to make with the presidency

This is quite different from the kind of system we practice in Ghana where political party leaders 'dictatorially' foist themselves on the party ticket 'from here to eternity'

Notwithstanding, l would like to congratulate ex president John Dramani Mahama for his remarkable infrastructural development, while we watch closely Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo's promise, the president of Republic of Ghana's penchant to fight corruptions 'uña y diente,' to wit, vigorously, to materialize

Agobodzo, Richard
Contact email; [email protected], or,
www.facebook.com/Agobodzo Richard

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