Review the constitution to ensure democracy occurs at grassroots – CDD to government

The Co-Founder of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Prof. Agyemang-Duah, has called on the government to review the constitution to ensure that democracy takes place at the grassroots level.

According to him, if such a measure is taken, it will help to equip the grassroots with the essence of democracy and empower them to exercise it when it becomes necessary.

The co-founder of CDD asserted that graduates being churned out by the various universities and tertiary institutions should be educated thoroughly on what democracy entails so that when they occupy government positions in the near future, they would make the right decisions.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, Prof. Agyemang-Duah stressed the need for constitutional review for democracy to occur at the grassroots level.

“Democracy has not failed. It is failing if the human agency, the political leadership, don't take measures to do the right things, including reviewing the constitution, to ensure that democracy occurs at the grassroots, not only at the national level. You notice that young people from universities rush straight into politics to become ministers without any experience, without expertise.

"And these are the people who rule us, who make laws and other things. So, we are saying that if we bring democracy to the grassroots level by empowering the district assemblies to be the centres of democratic practice in the country, then young people can have opportunities to learn the trade at the local level before they spring to the national level,” he said.

The co-founder of CDD further added that if democracy occurs at the grassroots level, it will help equip the young ones to understand the political system.

“So, we can get some more maturity in our political system and people also be more seasoned in their thinking, in their ways and all. And that will help us,” said Prof. Agyemang-Duah.

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