Creative entrepreneur George Quaye has criticised Ghana’s four-year electoral cycle, arguing that frequent changes in government have hindered national development, particularly in the creative arts industry.
Speaking to Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, George said he had never been an admirer of democracy, suggesting that the system had created challenges for the consistent implementation of policies, projects and initiatives.
“I’ve never liked democracy,” he said during a discussion on how the country’s political system affects the development of arts and culture.
When asked about his preferred governance model, he identified benevolent dictatorship and pointed to China’s communist system as an example of an approach he believed could support Ghana’s development.
George argued that a governance structure without frequent electoral transitions could provide greater continuity in implementing national development plans.
“Sometimes people have to be forced to toe a certain line. If you had a government system which didn’t require four-year changes, every now and then, and everybody had a voice, [things would be different],” he said.
His comments add to ongoing public discussions about Ghana’s multi-party democratic system and whether its political arrangements provide sufficient continuity for long-term national development.
Other prominent Ghanaians have also expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the country’s democratic system.
Former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, has previously questioned the benefits of multi-party democracy, arguing that its gains have largely favoured the political class rather than the wider population.
During a public lecture at the University of Education, Winneba, in April 2025, he declared that “multi-party democracy has done nothing for this country.”
Ghanaian broadcaster and musician Quophi Okyeame has similarly argued that the country needs a benevolent dictator to address its development challenges.
In a 2023 interview with Joy Entertainment, he called for what he described as “a crazier Rawlings”, referring to the late former President Jerry John Rawlings.
“I think we would need a benevolent dictator. If you break down the words, you will understand the kind of person we are looking for; a crazier Rawlings. Africans don’t move until there is a cane on their back,” Quophi said.
George Quaye laments decline in December in GH momentum
George’s comments on democracy emerged during a discussion about what he described as the declining momentum surrounding this year’s December in GH activities.
He expressed disappointment over what he perceived as a reduction in the visibility and promotional energy behind the initiative, which previously attracted considerable attention and helped position Ghana as a major destination for December festivities.
“It’s just sad that the fire around the brand December in GH feels a bit doused. When December in GH was the lead brand that was headlining everything but frankly it’s not that I want to apportion blame. I mean, new king, new law. Everybody has their vision. There is nothing wrong with having a vision and wanting to propagate it,” he said.
He added that he would have preferred to see the initiative receive greater institutional attention and sustained support, considering the international recognition it had achieved.
“Maybe it’s just more time that we need but I would have wished that what was started some time back that was titled the December in GH which became a global phenomenon would have been jealously guarded and pushed,” he noted.
