Co-founder and Board Chair of Afrobarometer, Professor Emmanuel Gyimah Boadi has expressed disappointment with the current state of democratic governance in Ghana and throughout Africa.
Prof. Boadi was speaking as a keynote speaker at the University of Ghana’s 75th anniversary college-level lecture on the role of humanities.
According to Prof. Boadi, the country’s democracy and governance system has significantly regressed.
“The Democracy and Accountable Governance Project in Ghana as elsewhere in Africa, has a long way to go, and a backsliding trend may have even emerged in some areas.”
Prof. Boadi proceeded to acknowledge the progress made by some institutions such as the Democracy and Accountable Governance Project in Ghana.
According to him, such institutions have been effective in the spread of democracy nationwide.
“These institutions have helped improve election credibility, highlight official corruption, and enhance the voice of ordinary citizens in politics and decision-making.”
Professor Boadi emphasized that the country’s guardianship has failed to fulfill its functions.
“As members of the Guardian establishment we have far too often failed in the discharge of our Guardianship functions. We have decided over the depletion of our forest and the degradation of our river. We have allowed, or even participated in the abuse of power, the spread of corruption and the institutionalization of grafts and self dealing.”
