Ghana practicing “caricature democracy” – Catholic Priest
A former Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi Emeritus Peter Kwasi Sarpong is worried about the future of Ghana, arguing multi-party democracy has led to sheer indiscipline in society.
According to the octogenarian, Ghanaians have misconstrued democracy to mean an open system of insult against each other including those in authority, a scenario he said never existed some three decades ago.
“What we are practicing is a caricature of democracy,” the 83-year-old told Joy FM’s Raymond Acquah.
Archbishop Emeritus Sarpong lamented the spate of decadence in society, saying democracy has rather brought about “bribery, corruption, vote rigging and stealing of ballot boxes.”
He asked: “Is that the development? … Even in America look at what is happening.”
Reminiscing the past, Archbishop Emeritus Sarpong noted that “in the 1940s I saw hard work, respect for authority and there was respect for the sacred, the aged and discipline in society. Now with the introduction of party politics look at what is happening – we used to have Veranda Boys now it is macho boys.”
He stressed that a “Union Government” would have solved Ghana’s problems.
“In 1977 the Bishops of Ghana wrote a memo and there was talk about the Union Government and we thought that the idea about Union Government would have solved our problems… Our forefathers were not fools and until we do that we would have this farcical way of elections,” Archbishop Emeritus Sarpong stated.
