Functioning Democracy Thrives In The Ambiance Of Rule Of Law, Accountability, Free Enterprise And Social Justice

The Chief end of "Politics" is to lead citizens to "Economic Freedom" So, Democracy doesn't embrace Despotism, institutionalized corruption, political oppression, social Repression and economic mismanagement. Democracy; Government of the people, for the people and with the people responds to good governance through policy frameworks that will have direct impact on the sustainable livelihood development of the ordinary citizen.

Thus, a "Functioning Democracy" thrives in an "Ambiance" of Rule of Law, the Principles of Probity, Accountability, Free Enterprise and Social Justice. All these tenets and attributes of Democracy, transcends Into "Economic Freedom" of the ordinary citizen.

So, for Government to discharge these tenets it requires Leadership with"Virtue", the last remnant of Democracy to accomplish Economic Freedom and Civil Liberties for the ordinary people according to the "Doctrine of Separation of Powers" ( the Spirit of The Laws ) by Baron De Montesquieu. That's why when Virtue disappears in governance, Democracy ceases to function.

In this instance, Baron argues that Virtue lays a bedrock of morality since it requires self renounciation by an individual parochial interest and pushes for continuous interest of public will. (Spirit of the Laws, S.L 4.5).

Having said this, the past NPP government couldn't uphold these tenets of Virtue but rather subjected Ghanaians to Economic hardship through Management of the affairs of the Country after it had promised Ghanaians good governance through Accountability, Free Enterprise, fight against and Social Justice. Virtue was missing, Ghanaians witnessed institutionalized corruption, political oppression, social Repression and economic hardship.

In the 8yr Tenure of the NPP government, Democracy ceased to function, the Executive was in conflict with the Legislature through Judicial manipulations alien to what the Spirit of the Laws defines. So, it was no surprise that The NPP government suffered an humiliating defeat in the 2024 general elections paving way for the NDC Government to take over the affairs of governance.

Under the NPP government, it was evident that, the Judicial powers was abused by the Executive. The instances of the Supreme Court packing politically coloured justices to avert the decision of the Legislature ( Parliament) in the case of the 4 Parliamentary seats declared vacant by Parliament. Further, How the Apex Court handled politically motivated cases against Dr Opuni and Seidu Agongo, COCOBOD, the 2020 electoral petition case, murder case against Gregory Afoko, the Gyekye Quaison Citizenship case, its ruling that Birth certificate doesn't guarantee citizenship, Ato Forson and Jakpa Ambulance Cases and many more rulling of the Apex Court that are alien to constitutional provisions enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

Therefore, it was evident, the Judiciary under Nana Akuffo Addo and Alhaji Dr Bawumia Government was short lived by These abuse of Executive powers. Further, institutionalized corruption crippled the NPP government which the NDC Government promised Ghanaians to avert by seeking for Probity and Accountability when the party returned to power through Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL). So, in the Spirit of the Laws, Baron argues that the Independence of the Judiciary should be real and not apparent but in these instances, the Judiciary was apparent responding to Executive abuse which the JM Government has come to avert to address these conflicts.

The NPP government were the bad managers of the economy pushing inflation to 54%, cedi to GHC 17 per dollar from GHC 4, National Debt stock to GHC 761 billion from GHC 120 billion, hikes in fuel prices where at a point in time, Diesel was sold at GHC 25 per litre, coupled with profligate expenditure by the Executive, large size government, not ensuring fiscal discipline, inflated contracts, looting state resources became a norm.

The cases of Chairman Wuntomi Exim Bank loan for non existent project, the GHC 49 million National Signal Bureau case involving Kwabena Adu Boahene, the 2m$ Sky Train case, the corrupt deals at Buffer Stock, the Frivolous expenditure on the National Cathedral project, the bogus SML deal , the Ambulance spare part deal involving fugitive Ken Ofori Atta, the former Finance Minister, the corrupt PDS, Scholarship Secretariat and Public Procumbent deals, etc have all been brought before the Law Court for prosecution as promised by the NDC Government. The these highlights how corruption with impunity crippled the NPP government.

Fast forward, the NDC Government under President John Mahama having returned to Power promised to Reset all These ills of the past government. For which reason it embarked on Macro Economic Reforms to bring stability to the Economy. Through the Reset Agenda, it sort to deepen the process of Accountability and Social Justice. The Economic and Organized Crime Office, is putting the Executive to checks whiles investigating other Organized Economic crimes.

Further, through macro economic reforms, inflation has reduced drastically to 3.2%, the lowest ever, dollar to cedi rate of 11ghc, tax relieves such as the abolishment of Elevy, betting and COVID-19 taxes has all been scrapped, the National Debt stock reduced by almost GHC 90 billion from GHC 761 to GHC 644, tax rebates on fuel prices, and import duties etc and most of all exiting the IMF to pave way for Micro Economic Stability by implementing the 24hr Economy Bill progressively.

So, the JM Government has demonstrated Good Governance it promised Ghanaians. And none of These accomplishment cannot be mentioned without complimenting the contribution of the office of the Chief of Staff led by Dr Julius Debrah who is Coordinating the affairs of government. Under his watch, and for the 1st Time in the history of, Ghana for 18 months there's been no government official involved in any corrupt practices.

Dr Julius Debrah has supervised a Lean government to ensure Macro Economic Stability in the shortest possible time. Under His watch, the Office of Value for Money, Government delivery unit, Government Accountability Series to inform Citizens about the progress of work by government has been brought to the door step of the ordinary people justifying His quest to deepen Accountability in governance.

In recent times, government has announced it will establish a loan scheme to grow Small and Medium Business Enterprises , deepening Free Enterprise and opening up the Ghanaian Economy to the capital markets paving way for direct Foreign investment under the 24 hr Economic policy, strengthening the National Apprenticeship program by resourcing Artisans and local businesses to improve livelihood in the local economy.

Under the watch of JM Government spearheaded by the Chief of Staff, There's been interventions in the Health Sector such as Mahama Care, access to primary health care in the rural communities, Agricultural Revolution which is addressing food inflation, addressing Domestic Debt Exchange Program that stiffled the Ghanaian Economy which was rated as Junk- by many financial portals such as Fitch.

Today, Ghana Economy has moved from Junk- to B and 8 largest in Africa. Under the watch of JM Government supervised by Dr Julius Debrah, Industrialization to mitigate unemployment has steadily taken off prompting the quest revitalize the National Rail Networks, improving the Cocoa and Inner Cities roads, subsidies to farmers and mecahnised irrigation to address all season bumper harvest not leaving out the Energy Sector Reforms replacing none functioning Power generation and Green Transition to augment power generation to ensure stable power supply.

So, to conclude, it's imperative to note that functioning Democracy thrives on the Principles of Probity, Accountability, Free Enterprise and Social Justice. So did Baron constructed a Naturalistic accounts of various forms of government that is not corrupt, despotic, and responds to the basic needs of the ordinary citizen through the social contract it signed with Civil Society to transform the livelihood of citizens through pragmatic social theory of need... meeting the needs of the ordinary citizen at the point of need and not when you the people need.

In doing so, not meeting timely meeting the needs of the people results in impunity which the past NPP government displayed.

In the light of these, credit must be given to JM Government led by the Humble Chief of Staff whose loyalty and commitment to the JM Reset Agenda is unquestionable and to sustain this momentum of a economic development and progress, nothing should distract the NDC from presenting Dr Julius Debrah as next Flagbearership contest to continue with the Reset Agenda. It will make sense in the end because as COS he has supervised a Lean government to accomplish Economic Reforms for our dear Nation.

Article by
Dr Michael Richmond Smart-Abbey, PhD, ThD, MDiv, BA Hons.

He is a Political and Public Policy Analyst, Governance and Security Expert, Research Theologian, Doctor of Theology and Historiographer, Writer and Author. His Articles and Books has been published Worldwide and on Google

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