To the people of Ghana: Democracy or development - Where do we stand?

Cherished Ghanaians,

For far too long, we have celebrated democracy as the ultimate solution to our nation’s challenges, but the harsh truth is that it has failed to deliver the development we so desperately need. We have become a nation that values elections over results, rhetoric over action, and personal preferences over national progress.

Democracy, they say, is about the will of the people. But what happens when that will is short-sighted? When our votes are driven by tribalism, party loyalty, or empty promises instead of vision, competence, and integrity? Ghana has become a textbook example of democracy gone wrong, where leaders are too scared to make bold decisions because they fear losing elections. How can we grow as a nation when leadership is dictated by the next campaign rather than the next generation?

Let’s be honest: development demands sacrifice, and sacrifice requires courage; courage that our leaders lack. Instead, they play it safe, pandering to voters with handouts and empty slogans while avoiding the tough decisions that drive real growth. They fear the discomfort that comes with reform because it might cost them power. And we, the people, allow it to happen.

Dictating for Development: A Necessary Evil?

Some will say that authoritarianism has no place in Ghana’s governance. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: even democracy relies on authoritarian principles to function. In corporations, board members make all the critical decisions without consulting every employee. In governments, technocrats and experts often bypass broad consensus to act in the nation’s best interest. If dictatorship is inherently bad, why does democracy swim in it?

Let’s not pretend that all forms of authoritarianism are harmful. Leaders like Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore and Paul Kagame in Rwanda have shown us that decisive, visionary leadership, though criticized as authoritarian, can deliver results that democracies often fail to achieve.

These leaders prioritized their nations over their popularity. Can we say the same about Ghana’s leadership?

The Danger of Fearful Governance

In Ghana, our leaders are paralyzed by fear:

• Fear of upsetting voters who demand instant gratification.

• Fear of being labelled authoritarian for making bold decisions.

• Fear of standing up to foreign powers who benefit from our stagnation.

This fear has left us stuck in a cycle of mediocrity, where we celebrate elections as progress while ignoring the lack of development that follows. A nation cannot grow when its leaders prioritize comfort over courage, popularity over progress, and power over the people.

What Must Change?

The time has come for us, as Ghanaians, to demand more. We cannot continue to be

complicit in a system that rewards mediocrity and punishes vision. We must:

1. Hold Leaders Accountable: Insist on transparency, competence, and long-term

planning from those we elect.

2. Educate Ourselves: Understand that growth requires sacrifice and that discomfort today can lead to prosperity tomorrow.

3. Demand Bold Leadership: Support leaders who prioritize the nation’s future over their political survival.

To our leaders, I say this: Ghana does not need cowards in power. We need leaders who are unafraid to act decisively, even if it means temporary unpopularity. If you lack the courage to do what is right for this country, step aside and let those with vision take the reins.

A Call to Action

Ghana stands at a crossroads. We can either continue to let democracy drag us down with weak, fearful governance, or we can embrace the leadership we need, leadership that combines the decisiveness of authoritarianism with the accountability of democracy.

The choice is ours. But remember this: no nation ever developed on the back of cowardice.

Progress demands courage, and Ghana is long overdue for it.