Political Parties 'misbehave' because they're not regulated - Prof. Gyampo

Political Parties can be described as the kingpins of democracy because they perform key roles in the formation of government, grooming of leaders at national and sub-national levels, and holding government accountable when they are in opposition.

In Ghana however, Political Parties have over the last 20 or more years been operating as machines for churning out electoral victories sidelining their aforementioned functions.

“…they operate like purely private organisations with no state or national interest in their establishment, maintenance and well-being…” a report from IDEG indicated.

A senior research fellow at the Institute of Democratic Governance, Prof. Ransford Gyampo believes this relegation has resulted in political parties deeming themselves accountable to no institution.

He stressed that the parties are supposed to be developmental organizations but are unable to do so because they have just been focusing on elections.

Prof. Gyampo again noted that Political parties are not held accountable for their activities and even when they cross the line, there is no authority or institution to put them in check.

He stated that an attempt by former Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei to enforce certain rules by her outfit got the heads of the various political parties ganging up on her to prevent her from doing so.

He believes there ought to be a central body that regulates the activities of political parties like there is in football.

“…There should be a ‘FIFA’ that regulates the activities of political parties. Football has a regulatory body that organizes and regulates the activities of countries that participate in football”, he charged.

Mr. Gyampo further attributed the indiscipline of the part of some parties to the non-regulation of these bodies.

Now we have vigilantism, people getting up to set up vigilante bodies and nobody is saying anything, he added.