Give no room for authoritarianism – Akufo-Addo to Ghanaians

The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has encouraged the citizenry to resist every attempt to double back to authoritarian regime in the governance of the country.

He said rather than allow the nation to retrogress, it would inure to the benefit of all if Ghanaians will “renew trust in our democracy and bear in mind at all times the often-cited statement, that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”

According to the New Patriotic Party leader, in his address the nation on the 30th Anniversary of the referendum approving the 1992 Constitution, democratic governance has been impactful in all spheres of the country’s economy and has thus been envied by many, hence must be protected.

“We have since then [the swearing-in of Jerry John Rawlings in 1993 as First President of the 4th republic] experienced the longest uninterrupted period of stable constitutional governance in our history, banishing the spectres of instability, with the disfigured much of our nations early existence. And the benefits are showing. We have over the last 30 years witnessed sustained growth on every facet of national life. There has been considerable improvement in human development index. Simply put, democracy has been good for us.”

Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that there are individuals among the population who would want to see the country relapse in its effort to promote and sustain the democratic governance for various reasons which must be checked.

“…There are some who for their own parochial and selfish interests would want to see a return to the dark days of authoritarian rule simply because with no respect for the Ghanaian people, they are either unwilling to subject themselves or their visions to the open scrutiny of the Ghanaian people or because they know they will be rejected by the Ghanaian people and thus seek a shortcut to office or power.”

“Let us strengthen our resolve to resist such persons for our common good” he urged.