African governments must promote inclusive development – Dr Bawumia

General News of Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

2019-01-23

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia emphasized the need for governments, especially African governments, to involve citizens in the development process.

He observed that this was a sure way of guaranteeing and preserving the democratic gains of most countries.

He said neglecting the needs and contributions of citizens in the development agenda that affects them has the potential to destroy the gains made by governments.

Mr. Bawumia said, "If democracy is to be inclusive, to maintain it, we need to make sure we include more people in the democratic experience, and every time people feel excluded, the survival of democracy is threatened. That is why we must pay attention to education, health, financial inclusion, even to identity, the right to information, to micro-stability These are the elements that will produce a more inclusive democratic development. "

The Vice President expressed these ideas when he approved a book co-authored by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The book, which follows the previously published book "Making Africa Work", is co-written by Dr. Greg Mills of the Brenthurst Foundation in South Africa, Jeffrey Herbst and Tandai Biti, with a preface by HE Ellen Johnson. Sirleaf, former president of Liberia.

Speaking at the launch of the book in Ghana on the premises of the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, Bawumia pointed out that Ghana had experienced a lot of relapses in its democratic development and hoped that the fourth republic would be maintained. for ever.

"In Ghana, we had experiences, we are in our 4th Republic, which means that the first, second and third were essentially static, which is the experience of many other African countries. that the fourth will remain and will remain there forever, "said the vice president in his speech at the publication of the book" Democracy works: redefining the principles of politics for the benefit of Africa " .

Citizens must feel the dividend of democracy – Olusegun Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called on African governments to make citizens the center of their concerns.

Just as democracy has been defined by a former president of the United States as the government of the people, by the people and for the people, African governments must ensure that citizens feel the result of a lasting democracy. .

The former Nigerian state leader dispelled the thesis that countries that do not practice a democracy in the West are autocratic and undemocratic, despite the levels of development observed in these countries.

He argued that two countries do not practice the same kind of democracy, but there are some principles that must be present to ensure that the benefits and development that come with it are lived by the people.

Olusegun Obasanjo, who is also a co-author, said in his speech at the launch that "there are not two countries where democratic systems are identical, and that some of these democratic practices and systems present anomalies". The bottom line is that there must always be what I call the dividend of democracy for all citizens of the country. Everyone must feel that they have something to offer them regardless of their position, their political affiliation, their tribes, their religious or social base.

The book is currently available on Amazon and its launch is planned in several African countries.