Democracy and Development Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana, John Osae-Kwapong, has cautioned that Ghana’s democratic journey remains unfinished despite the country’s record of peaceful elections and political transitions.
Speaking on the AM Show on Joy News, Prof Osae-Kwapong urged citizens and political leaders to stay committed to strengthening democratic institutions as Ghana marks 69 years of independence and 33 years of uninterrupted multi-party rule under the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
According to him, Ghana’s democratic progress should not lead to complacency.
“Democracy is like searching for that one true love of your life. You don’t try once and stop because you got a broken heart. You have to keep at it and keep trying,” he said.
Prof Osae-Kwapong noted that since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1992, Ghana has held nine generally successful national elections, including four peaceful transfers of power between political parties—an achievement often cited as evidence of democratic maturity in the region.
However, he stressed that these milestones should not create the impression that the country’s democratic system is fully consolidated.
“The one thing I hope we would guard against is that because we’ve had 33 years of uninterrupted multi-party democracy, we don’t become complacent,” he said.
He explained that democracy is a continuous process that requires constant reforms and adaptation to emerging challenges.
Prof Osae-Kwapong also acknowledged that while democracy may not have met all the expectations of citizens, abandoning it would not be the solution.
Instead, he expressed hope that Ghana would continue strengthening its institutions and shaping its democratic system to reflect the country’s unique political and cultural context, as it reflects on its independence from British colonial rule in 1957.
