The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Madina, Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu, has stressed the need for state actors and civil society organisations to ensure that the country’s democracy is preserved.

That, he said, called for respect for individual rights and freedoms and ensuring that resources were used in an efficient manner to achieve maximum benefit for the citizenry.

He was speaking at an event to commemorate the United Nations (UN) International Day of Democracy in Accra.

The UN has set September 15th every year to promote and consolidate democracy.

The purpose of the day is to review the state of democracy in the world and to urge member nations of the UN Charter to celebrate and uphold the values of democracy to give citizens the power to make decisions regarding all aspects of their lives.

It was organised by the United Nations Association – Ghana (UNA-GH) on the theme: “The role of State actors and civil societies in consolidating democracy, human rights and peace”.

Governance

Mr Sosu said although democracy remained the best system of governance for societies and organisations around the world, it thrived because it allowed for diversity, tolerance and openness to change.

He, however, stated that democracy as it was currently practised in Africa did not provide for solutions to the complex myriad of problems faced by African societies.

He said the Western type of democracy had failed to develop Africa and its people so it was time for Africa to rethink and take advantage of the value of democracy as was generally known but necessary to develop a new “African Democracy”.

For his part, the Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, stated that going to the ballot every four years was not equal to democracy.