Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, African Union High Representative for Silence of the Guns, said transparent and credible elections are a prerequisite to ensuring smooth political succession and change of leadership.
He said, therefore, the Electoral Commission (EC) and other stakeholders must make every effort to ensure that the results of the 2024 elections reflect the wishes of the people.
“The people’s choices must be decided at the voting booth, not in the courts.
This will be the way to stop the spate of coups d’état on the continent,” Dr. Chambas further emphasized.
He was speaking on the theme, “Empowering the People and Enriching Nation Building: Fostering Active Citizenship for Sustainable Development in Ghana.”
This was part of the Star Ghana Foundation (SGF) 3rd Annual Active Citizenship Lecture held in Accra last Friday.
The lecture was held to commemorate the 5th anniversary of SGF’s founding.
citizen participation
The international civil servant, who has held various positions in the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), further stated that as part of efforts to ensure public participation in governance: . To promote accountability, it was important to ensure that all citizens had a voice in the decision-making process.
To achieve this, “we need to establish an open platform of dialogue where ideas, concerns and aspirations can be freely expressed.
Civic organizations, community gatherings and participatory governance mechanisms will play a key role in achieving this goal. ”
Dr. Chambas called on the government to create avenues for citizens to collaborate with policymakers and foster a sense of shared responsibility in the nation-building process.
In this regard, he proposed the development of new systems that leverage technology and other tools to enable broader citizen participation in governance at all levels: local, regional, and national.
Furthermore, regional and continental institutions need to encourage public participation, including in policy development and accountability processes to guide ECOWAS and Africa for the people, not the governments, he explained.
He stressed the need for active citizenship to closely monitor the activities of electoral management bodies (EMBs), security agencies and non-state armed groups.
Dr. Chambas said that Ghana’s population is mainly made up of youth and women.
“Many studies show that this can be a boom or a disaster.
In fact, some even say there will be a youth shake-up if appropriate policies are not put in place to maximize young people’s potential.
Significant investments need to be made to empower young people and women and give them space in the development process.
In this way, we can harness their energies, skills and capabilities for the rapid transformation of Ghana,” said the AU High Representative.
He said, “Empowering citizens is not just a slogan. It is a fundamental pillar of a thriving democracy.
When individuals are educated, engaged, and aware of their rights and responsibilities, they become active participants in the development of the nation. ”
positive thinking
Dr. Chambas further said that creating a positive mindset and attitude will lead to success in all development efforts.
“How people perceive themselves and their external environment greatly influences what they are able to achieve for themselves.
The mind is like the software on your phone.
Without it, the hardware won’t accomplish anything,” he suggested.