Ghana’s Democracy Under Scrutiny: What Does It Really Mean to Defend Democratic Values?

While the call for defending democracy have become increasingly common in Ghana’s political landscape. However, according to journalist Manasseh Azure, the conversation must begin with an honest assessment of the country’s recent democratic record rather than selective outrage.

Manasseh questions what kind of democracy is truly under threat. Is it the democracy where judicial independence, once rated at a perfect score in international governance assessments between 2014 and 2017, declined significantly by 2023? Or the democracy where Ghana’s standing in global corruption perception rankings failed to improve beyond levels previously criticized various civil society organizations in the country and international.

Azure also points to the treatment of citizens who protested against illegal mining (galamsey). He argues that the arrest, denial of bail, and prolonged detention of protesters raised serious concerns about citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful protest.

He further recalls incidents involving attacks on journalists. Azure references the public incitement against investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale before his assassination and criticizes the lack of accountability that followed. He also notes that statements made after the killing were widely viewed by many as downplaying concerns about press freedom.

According to him, Ghana’s international reputation for media freedom also suffered over the years, with the country’s global press freedom ranking declining significantly. The period also saw journalists facing attacks, intimidation, and in some cases, leaving the shores of the country over security issues. Business leader Sir Sam Jonah’s warning about the return of a “culture of silence” is cited as another indication that public discourse was becoming increasingly restrained.

While Azure acknowledges that current concerns about democracy deserve attention, he argues that some of the loudest voices speaking today previously dismissed or defended similar actions when their administration was in power.

His central argument is not that democracy should not be protected, but that defending democratic principles requires consistency. Democratic values, he argues, lose their meaning when they are only championed from the opposition and ignored while in government.

Azure concludes that Ghana’s democracy indeed deserves protection. However, safeguarding it requires political leaders and citizens alike to reject the abuse of power regardless of who occupies public office. In his view, democracy cannot grow if accountability is applied selectively or if principles change depending on who holds authority.