Founder of the National Interest Movement, Dr Abu Sakara Foster, has expressed the need for the country to deviate from the entrenched two party system.
According to him, evidence on the ground suggests that there’s been so many changes from one government to another and the options available in terms of solving the main challenges that confront the country has yielded little results.
He revealed that not being as productive as government could have been, and also diminishing returns on the country’s investment in a democratic setting isn’t good for the country. To this end, he called for a new solution which does not involve just changing political parties and faces but, addressing the real problems and challenges.
“We’ve come so far, but to get to the next level, we need another solution. That’s why we are confident that the independent path, which is the non-partisan path, provides an avenue, where we can have the caucus of people in parliament who will check the system.
“If in this dispensation, we’ve had to wheel people from hospital beds to come and cast one vote, can you imagine what a healthy people with five to ten votes in parliament can do? That is a way in which we can regain – when you have created a sufficient foundation, then you can go to the next level.”
Dr Abu Sakara Foster
Ensuring development in a democratic country
Dr Foster stated that talking about independent presidential candidates who will come not to push a particular agenda alone, such as reform and restoration, but envision prosperity for all Ghanaians instead of a few, is the right way to go.
Additionally, he noted that such candidates must bring about unification that will “neutralize to some extent the degree of polarization that has happened”, fostering ethnicity and extremes in ideology.
“So, this is where we are as a people, and we have to begin thinking out of the box to find new solutions. I believe that if we have a system where we can use all our human resources available to us. as an independent candidate, you won’t have majority in parliament if you’re a presidential candidate. You have to use people from all sides. So, already, that begins to dampen the adversarial antagonism of winner takes all, and it also gives you the leeway to get the best people available.”
Dr Abu Sakara Foster
Furthermore, Dr Foster indicated that the country could begin to make some of the fundamental constitutional changes that will move the vote forward. However, he explained that it may be too high a target to reach in one jump, that’s why Ghanaians can begin to promote independent parliamentary candidates, to have a caucus in parliament.
“When people see the effect that they are having, then they will believe in this approach a lot more, and we can have a balance of a mix. It’s not one or the other, in most things in life, it’s the balance that enables you to take the next big steps forward.”
Dr Abu Sakara Foster
Moreover, Dr Foster advocated the need for the grassroots to accept non-aligned people in parliament to allow them see what the result of their constituency always voting in a particular direction has yielded. To this end, he questioned what the result has been for Ghanaians merely changing from one side to the other.
“There’s now a lot of frustration in the system where people feel that I’m not going to vote, after all, it has not had any impact on me. So, we are not going to tell the community why they should do it, they’re already looking for a solution. What we have to explain to them is, how the solution gives you more say over this person to represent your interest, than ushering in the person in the palanquin of a party into parliament…”
Dr Abu Sakara Foster
READ ALSO: Eduwatch Calls For Literacy Enhancement
