KEY POINTS
- Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, claims NPP will rule Ghana indefinitely after the 2024 elections.
- The statement has stirred debates about the future of Ghana’s democracy.
- Critics argue that such remarks undermine the principles of free and fair elections.
Ghana’s Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, alias NAPO, has made a rather provocative statement that after the 2024 general elections, there will be no more elections in Ghana because the NPP will rule Ghana eternally.
His remarks have generated a lot of controversy regarding the prospects of Ghana’s democratic system and its possible effects on the conduct of free and fair elections.
NAPO speaking at a party gathering said the NPP is planning to cling to power after the 2024 elections hence there might be no elections again.
He assured the party’s capacity to steer the country and their administration would go on into the future without the need for any more elections. As reported by GhanaWeb, the minister’s statement has elicited a lot of reactions from the public with some describing it as undemocratic.
Democratic concerns arise
Ghana which is considered one of the most stable democracies in the West African sub-region has been conducting regular elections since 1992 when it was re-established as a democratic state.
The idea that elections may be rendered irrelevant after 2024 has been worrying political scientists, the opposition, and civil society organizations. Sceptics have claimed that such rhetoric erodes the democratic principle of leadership that is derived from the ballot through a process of regular elections.
The statement was criticized by the opposition especially the NDC as an attack on the democracy of Ghana. They stressed on the need to conduct free, fair and credible elections at least every five years to check any form of authoritarianism.
Election promises and political realities
NAPO’s statement may be seen as provocative but it is most probably aimed at mobilizing the NPP base for the 2024 elections. The minister’s words can be viewed as the manifestation of the party’s performance and its potential. However political analysts have warned that such statements could turn off the floating voters who are keen on the democratic processes in Ghana.
These remarks are likely to become more and more part of political discourse as the 2024 elections come closer. Ghanaian voters will in the end determine the direction of the nation in the polls so that leadership of the country remains a true reflection of the people’s choice.
The future of Ghana’s democracy However, it is pertinent to note that Ghana’s democratic institutions have been tested over the years and have stood their ground. Although such remarks may provoke heated political debate, they also help to recall the need to protect the principles of democracy.
As Ghanaians prepare for another election, the belief is that the tradition of free and fair elections will be maintained so that democracy will prevail.
