EDITORIAL: We're Of Age

Nature abhors a vacuum and that is why in both public and private lives, steps are taken to fill vacuums when they occur.

Some of these processes are done by convention while others are contained in broad guidelines and regulations captured in Constitutions in many countries.

When Ghana was hit by the sudden death of President J. E. A. Mills on July 24, this year, it took just about six hours to fill the void.

Our President, we were told, passed on about 2:15 p.m. and by 8 p.m., his Vice, Mr John Mahama, had been installed as the new President of Ghana.

In spite of the devastations that Ghanaians suffered as a result of the death of President Mills, our legislature rose above partisanship and, in one accord, quickly went through the processes to avoid a constitutional crisis.

In our traditional settings, such an arrangement is non-existent as a senior divisional chief would have been asked to head a caretaker administration until the chief was buried.

Modern politics and democratic governance cannot afford the luxury of the time that our traditional institutions take to put in place a new leadership.

The smooth transition has been hailed by the international community as a true manifestation of the maturity of our democratic development.

Since we attained nationhood, Ghana has chalked up many firsts except that the military interventions had retarded our progress.

So far, Ghanaians have suppressed their ideological differences to mourn the death of our President and also to give space to his succssor to put back on track the government’s “Better Ghana Agenda”.

The Daily Graphic is aware that in the African situation and especially in Ghana, funerals take a toll on our time, energy and resources. For this reason, in times of bereavement, people from all walks of life rally behind the concerned families to give them the support to face the trying times.

It is needless to remind Ghanaians that President Mahama needs our support and prayers in these trying times of our nationhood to steer the affairs of state to the satisfaction of all.

The Daily Graphic commends Parliament for the professional and civil manner in which they conducted the scrutiny of the Vice-Presidential nominee, Mr Amissah-Arthur, Tuesday.

Despite some ugly noises from both sides of the political divide, especially from within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), members of the Appointments Committee asked questions that they considered relevant to deepening our governance process.

Mr Amissah-Arthur was very well composed and answered the questions well, demonstrating to Ghanaians that he was on top of the issues. Even when the questions appeared provocative, he was calm and responded to the best of his ability.

We say well done to all the parties involved in that process.

The DAILY GRAPHIC has always emphasised that this country is on a forward march that no force can stop. The country is richly endowed with human and material resources. What is left is how to harness these resources for the benefit of the people.

That goal can be attained if we put aside our differences and encourage everybody, no matter his or her political persuasion, to build our nation.

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