Ghana Election 2008: A sign of true democracy

Ghana Election 2008: A sign of true democracy
By Helena Selby
After all is said and done, the election for another president has come to pass. The people have decided who to rule, and who not to. The people acknowledged the fact that it is democracy that has enabled them take such an important decision. It is an acknowledged fact that anything could have happened, even with the existence of democracy, however the understanding nature of the people and the leaders, made the situation rather simple. Democracy is beautiful; democracy is the dream of every individual, city, country and even the world. Democracy is assumed to be a symbol of perfection, when it comes to the governing of a state. To many people, democracy can be the criteria for determining the peace, prosperity and good governance of every nation. For every nation to excel, it is believed that democracy is the only cornerstone for its success. Nevertheless, in as much as people love to be democrats, the different perceptions that people have, as to as how to get into power without the people’s consent, makes it rather difficult to practice democracy.
Democracy
Democracy, according to America.gov, is said to have been derived from the Greek word "demos," or "people,” it is defined, basically, as a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people. President Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." The Macmillan English dictionary defines democracy as a system of government, in which people vote in elections to choose the people who will govern them. The Oxford dictionary defines it as ‘a government by all the people’ usually though elections. Democracy, with its nature, was embraced by many nations long time ago. The adoption was to prevent any sort of leadership conflict in the world.
In understanding of how democracy really is like, America.gov came to the realisation that freedom and democracy were often used interchangeably, but the two are not synonymous. Democracy is indeed a set of ideas and principles about freedom, but it also consists of practices and procedures that have been moulded for a longtime. Democracy is the institutionalisation of freedoms.
Ghana and democracy
Who says countries living in war, as a result of leadership conflict, are allergic to peace? Who says countries in such situations have no idea how democracy tastes like? Who says these countries do not have any right thinking members to suggest ‘let’s stop the conflict.’ Who says they have no sense of outer and inner peace? One must come to the realisation that some countries are involved in conflicts through no fault of theirs, but rather from the few people among them craving for power.
Ghana is fortunate to be one of the countries blessed with the atmosphere of peace and democracy. Though there have been numerous coups d’etat, leaders and citizens have to come to understand themselves to make sure democracy prevails. After all, the ruling of a nation is not meant for a particular group of people, but all its citizens as well. The understanding of democracy by many, and the freedoms obtained through it, has compelled Non Governmental Organization (NGO’s), as well as government bodies, to educate the public on its usefulness. The practice of democracy is evident and visible when is comes to the freedom of expression, and the privilege given to citizens to contest in parliamentary and presidential elections, through a constitution.
Democracy and election in Ghana
Democracy and elections go hand in hand, since the nature of a conducted election is the criteria for determining if a nation is into democracy or not. According to the Constitution of Ghana, one is expected to be able to exercise the franchise of voting when he or she turns 18. It is a crime to vote when one is below that age, and also when one votes more than once, making one liable to jail sentence of about one year. The constitution continues to explain that elections are supposed to take place every four years, for parliamentary and presidential candidates.
A presidential candidate is entitled to not more than two terms of office, comprising four years each - that is if he is elected by the people twice. Parliamentary seats are also contested for every four years. The elected candidates have the chance to take part in the decision making of the country in the august House of Parliament.
When elections are conducted the leading candidates must garner 50%+1 of the total votes, in order to become president. However, when none of the candidates reach or exceeds the 50%+1 target, there would be the need for a run-off - that is a second round of voting to make sure of whom the people want as president. Since elections takes place every four years, 2008 also turned out to be an election year. Though the population is about 20 million, less than half of the population is registered to vote.
Election, the People and the Economy
More than ever, last year’s elections had great impact on the business and economy of the country. Considering the nation going for a run-off, and with the Christmas season, most businesses came to a standstill. Many shops and stores were closed down by their owners, for the fear of violence. People were scared to enter into business with huge capital, without knowing the outcome of the elections. For most people, the tension, negative incidents and isolated cases of violence, which took place in certain parts of the country, was enough for them not to risk their businesses. Moreover, the frequent incidents of violence, between the supporters of the two leading parties, made people doubt that there would be a peaceful election, with a lot of them wondering if the country would be turned into a war zone, and that investing huge capital into business might be a total waste.
The Majority of Ghanaians complained bitterly about the election campaigns and atmosphere disrupting their Christmas mood. People did not have a feel of the season as the media concentrated most of their time on the elections, and this made them to see no reason to buy items to celebrate the Christmas. According to Judith Adudea, a trader, the attitude of consumers made them trade at a loss. She purposefully bought Christmas souvenirs to add to her trading business, but ended up with a loss. Children, she said, are those who admire and buy some of these souvenirs, but the adults they rarely did.
The people after the election
Naturally, the atmosphere has changed, with some happy and others sad, because their political party did not win, and though there have been jubilations on the side of the winning party, coupled with destruction of billboards belonging to the losing party, everything seems to be calm. The fear of going out that has changed as the people are going about without fear – life has returned to normal and business must go on.
This is to the extent that there has been heavy traffic, with market places crowded and long queues can be seen at vehicle stations. Business came to a standstill, but the situation has changed positively. People now have the surety that they can now go back to their businesses without any risks of making a loss as a result of violence. Both seller and consumer have confidence in their transaction of businesses. Though traders have a heap of their food stuffs and items, they have the confidence that with the change in atmosphere they can make good marketing.
Conclusion
Ghana is said to be the star of the African sub-region. No wonder many international organisations came to witness how the elections would go, as many sister African countries have held more than one election, but have not been able to sustain their democracies. Many nations looked up to Ghana to see if she could set another example of successful and flawless elections.
The battle is now over, and it is up to the people and the leaders to set themselves as role models for the rest of the African continent, and the world as a whole. Peace never comes by itself on a golden platter, but is worked for. Other nations in conflict, no doubt wish to be like Ghana. It is important to be vigilant, so as to prevent history from repeating itself through coups d’etat.