…No More Funding For Elections
The United Kingdom has given its stamp of approval to the development of Ghana’s democracy, noting the country has come of age as far as democracy is concerned.
According to the UK government, Ghana has carved a niche in democratic governance over the years, thus endearing itself to the Western World as a beacon for democracy and development on the African continent.
Following this impressive and enviable feat, the UK Minister for International Development, Desmond Swayn has announced that the United Kingdom government has taken a decision to stop funding Ghana’s democratic activities beginning next year.
Speaking at a forum in Accra to announce a £4-million package to strengthen Ghana’s democracy, Mr. Swayne stated that Ghana’s democracy has matured over the years and does not need financial support from the UK to sustain the solid foundation it has established.
“…Because of that and because of the fact that Ghana is becoming low middle income country, I anticipate that this will be the last of such investment that we will make in democratic structures of this sort,” he noted.
Stating that Ghana has benefited from donor support from the UK for its elections over the last two decades, Mr. Desmond Swayne announced that the £4-million program to strengthen democratic governance would mark the UK’s last investment in democratic structures in Ghana.
Under the program, personnel of the Electoral Commission (EC), the Ghana Police Service, the Judiciary and civil society organizations (CSOs) will be supported to undergo training to upscale their skills in handling security and judicial issues related to elections and other democratic governance matters.
He said the £4-million package was to strengthen the EC, the police, the Judiciary and CSOs for them to deal promptly with good governance issues and further enhance Ghana’s image as a beacon of democracy in the sub-region.
Mr. Swayne explained that the decision to cease donor support to Ghana is a measure of Ghana’s success and recognition of the country having come of age as far as sustainable democracy is concerned.
“That is a measure of your success that we expect you as you go forward to be able to fund your democracy from your own resources,” he stated.
