Governance expert Kwaku Antwi Bosiako has warned that rising youth unemployment, corruption, and the lack of opportunities for young people could weaken public trust in democracy.
He made the remarks on the third day of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) Public Lecture Series, which focused on the theme, “Complicity and Action in Democratic Reversals: Lessons for Ghana.”
“If you don’t know someone, you don’t go somewhere. That is not inclusion; it is the exclusion of opportunities, especially for the young ones. These are warning signals we must take seriously,” he said.
Drawing examples from Sri Lanka and parts of Latin America, he noted that when democratic systems fail to improve citizens’ lives, frustration can lead to protests, voter apathy, and political instability.
“When democracy performs poorly, citizens revolt, and I hope Ghana does not get to that level,” he added.
Beauty Emefa Narteh, Executive Director of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, argued that accountability cannot be achieved if citizens only participate in governance during elections.
According to her, political patronage, vote-buying, and the growing incidence of vote-selling continue to undermine democratic accountability.
“We used to talk about vote-buying; now there is vote-selling because citizens are ready to sell their votes,” she said.
Mrs. Narteh also stressed that citizens must actively monitor governance processes, make use of accountability tools such as the Right to Information Act, and hold public officials accountable regardless of political affiliation.
She concluded by emphasising that active citizenship is essential for strengthening democratic institutions.
“When citizens are active, institutions respond; when citizens are silent, impunity thrives,” she said.
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Story by Glorious Naa Deedei Quaye | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
