Political parties have failed their constitutional mandate - Baa-Owusu

Accra, April 12, GNA - Mr Kwaku Baa-Owusu, Public Education Director of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Saturday challenged political parties to develop the norms and traits of democracy in the society, especially among the youth. "Political parties have failed their constitutional obligation of educating the public, hence most of their members do not even know their party's constitution, or manifesto to campaign for an election.

"This development has reduced politics to personality attacks, wide electoral promises and other undemocratic campaigning," he said at a day's training workshop for youth on the electoral process in Accra. The workshop organized by NCCE and some non-governmental organizations was to appeal to the youth to participate in electioneering and foster a paradigm shift in the attitude of the youth especially the first time voter, those who had attained the age of 18 and above towards democracy.

Mr Baa-Owusu noted that most political parties had become electoral tools prepared for battle every four years, stressing that "if the development continued unchecked, we run the risk of establishing elected dictatorship with all the symptoms of democracy but without the form of democracy." "Therefore the political significance of parties is no longer determined by popular support, as pertaining in democratic countries in the world. We must therefore stop making it almost impossible for people to succeed in politics without soiling their hands," he said.

Mr Baa-Owusu said lack of political education had made the youth not to show interest in electioneering because they seemed not to understand that the decisions and policies elected government implemented tended to affect them. He stressed that political parties were only instruments through which individuals with the same political interests merged towards achieving a common goal which was political power on how to manage the country on behalf of the people. Mr Baa-Owusu called on the youth to educate themselves to be well informed about political parties and their political ideologies before deciding to exercise their franchise. Speaking on the topic "What Happens on Voting Day" Nana Kofi Karikari, Internal Public Affairs Officer of Electoral Commission educating the youth described the electoral process especially the period between casting of votes and declaration of results as very critical. He said normal voting was expected to start at all polling stations at 0700 hours and end at 1700 hours in the open.