A retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice William Atuguba, has criticised what he described as the growing tendency of politicians to place party loyalty and personal  political ambitions above the national interest.

He said such an approach had contributed to an unhealthy democratic culture in which political parties appeared more focused on winning power than serving the people.
Justice Atuguba, therefore, urged politicians to demonstrate honesty, fairness, integrity and principled leadership in the discharge of their responsibilities.

"Politicians must begin to turn things around for the better by pursuing policies and actions that genuinely benefit the people of Ghana, rather than advancing personal or partisan interests," he said.

He made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the 20th memorial lecture in honour of the late Justice Daniel Francis Annan, the first Speaker of Parliament under the Fourth Republic, in Accra yesterday.

Parliament and national interest

Justice Atuguba expressed concern about the conduct of some Members of Parliament (MPs), saying their actions often reflected allegiance to their political parties instead of commitment to the welfare of Ghanaians.

"Today, I do not see Parliament as consistently standing for the interests of Ghanaians.

There are some MPs who are good, but others are immersed in loyalty to their party and the President, manoeuvring to advance their political careers irrespective of honesty, fairness and good service to the people of Ghana," he said.

He stressed that his comments were not intended to disparage politicians but to encourage national reflection on the direction of the country's democratic governance.

"That is what I have observed, and I believe it is necessary to say so.

I am not speaking out of spite, but because the ship of state has tilted very, very ominously," he stated.

Justice Atuguba, however, said there was still hope for the country's democracy, noting that many politicians remained committed to public service and the ideals exemplified by Justice Annan.

"All is not lost because there are still good politicians whose outlook and commitment reflect the values Justice Annan stood for," he added.

Debate in Parliament

Reflecting on proceedings in Parliament, the retired Supreme Court judge said debates in the House increasingly appeared to be driven by partisan rivalry instead of efforts to advance the national interest.

According to him, parliamentary debates should focus on finding practical solutions to the country's challenges through constructive engagement and consensus-building.

Instead, he said, the exchanges often resembled political contests aimed at securing electoral advantage.

"It is like a tug of war all the time. When one party is in government, the overriding objective of the other is to pull it down, return to power and enjoy the benefits that come with office," he said.

Justice Atuguba observed that such an adversarial approach weakened democratic governance and distracted leaders from addressing the pressing needs of citizens.

He called on political leaders across the divide to embrace a new culture of cooperation, mutual respect and statesmanship, arguing that sustainable national development could only be achieved when the interests of the country took precedence over partisan considerations.

He urged current and future political leaders to emulate the example of Justice Annan, whose leadership, he said, was marked by integrity, fairness and an unwavering commitment to the nation's democratic development.