Dr. Dorothy Siaw-Asamoah, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo in the United States, has praised Ghana’s 30 years of consistent parliamentary democracy, calling it a beacon of hope for the continent.
She stated that Ghana’s bright example must serve as the cornerstone for reinventing the continent’s future and providing hope for African youth.
Dr. Siaw-Asamoah made this statement while leading a team from the University of Buffalo’s All-African Students Union to Ghana’s parliament last Tuesday to learn about legislative processes and practices as part of their Annual Global Experiential Programme in Ghana.
Since 1972, the All-Africa Students Union has been Africa’s largest student movement and a dominant presence across the continent and beyond.
Its annual worldwide experiential curriculum, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, strives to give students an understanding of how Ghana’s parliamentary system operates.
Dr. Siaw-Asamoah stated that the purpose of the visit was to increase students’ understanding of Ghana’s rich political and cultural past, as well as to expose them to distinct worldwide and diversified experiences in social innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Associate Professor stated that Ghana’s achievements should not be overlooked, but rather shared with other African countries, particularly those in the sub-region, to provide “some hope” that every possibility hadn’t been lost.
Superintendent (retired) Effia Tenge, Director of Public Engagement in Parliament, guided the visitors through the evolution of the Fourth Republican Parliament, which transitioned from a one-party to a multi-party state Parliament, as well as the unique aspects of the current Parliament.
She also used the chance to shed light on Ghana’s secured Parliament and how it influenced the country’s democracy.
Kate Addo, Head of Public Affairs, stated during a lecture on Ghana’s democratic governance, with a focus on social innovation, that Ghana remains a shining example of a democratic state in Africa, having successfully held eight consecutive general elections since the country returned to constitutional rule in 1993.
She stated that, while the progress done during the last 30 years was commendable, the government needed to leverage technology to employ social innovation initiatives to create social benefits for public value.
Dr Abraham Ibn Zachariah, a Senior Research Officer, discussed the roles and responsibilities of Parliament and the framework of legislation.
He praised the passing of the Private Members Bill in the Seventh Parliament, which he believes has influenced the presentation of bills by members in recent years, as opposed to the past, when bills were exclusively tabled by the government.