CEBSAR Africa Lecture: Demand a system change now - Dr Sakara charges Youth

The 2012 Presidential Candidate and Founder of National Interest Movement (NIM), Dr Abu Sakara Foster has advised students of Cape Coast University (UCC) to actively demand system change now if they are desirous of a prosperous Ghana for all.

Dr Sakara said this on Saturday, 15 February, 2020, at Cape Coast at the Centre for Better Society and Advocacy Research (CEBSAR) Africa Public Lecture where he delivered a keynote address on the theme "Building a Prosperous Society for All and Not Few."

According to the internationally acclaimed agriculturalist, Ghana's Fourth Republican Constitution and the country's institutions are fundamentally flawed thus we need serious reforms to redefine our democracy.

"Our system is faulty, hence, no matter who we put in power we may get the same if not worse results. Until we fix our broken systems, change of parties and personalities will not bring any meaningful transformative progress or development as we are witness of today," he observed.

He said that the nation has arrived at a crossroads where we all have to place Ghana first by converging around our collective national and public interests. Together, we must vigorously seek to make the crucial constitutional and institutional reforms that can make our democracy more functional and responsive to the average citizen's needs.

"A democracy that is not responsive cannot provide citizens with the democratic goods and services they need most to transform their lives. Therefore, such a democracy can be considered to be truly dysfunctional," he said.

Dr Sakara also emphatically stated that a society in which citizens, regardless of their backgrounds, are not practically entitled to equal opportunities based on merit will lead to gross inequities for young people to develop their innate potentialities. Hence, it will be no surprise when the disadvantaged youth do not obtain opportunities to prosper later in life".

"Building a prosperous society for all is a deliberate and proactive leadership decision that is demonstrated by example," he observed and urged citizens to look beyond political parties and personalities and demand a system change based on key constitutional and institutional policy reforms to make Ghana's democracy, more responsive, functional and her society prosperous for all, not a few.

Among the constitutional and institutional policy reforms he outlined in NIM's People's Charter, Dr Sakara said Ghana needs electoral reforms that can cure the much talked about "Winner Takes All" ailment, which sets about half of the population aside after every change of administration; the presidential power must be thoughtfully downsized and the civil service and servants must be securely insulated from partisan influence and control.

He invited the students to join NIM to help pursue these and other reforms to make our democracy functional so that together "we can build a prosperous society for all and not some."

CEBSAR Africa, the organizers of the public lecture are committed to the rapid transformation towards a sustainable path of accountability and transparency where citizens are aware of their roles and responsibilities to help build a resilient and better society in Africa.

Towards that end, CEBSAR Africa undertakes thoughtful researches and evidenced-based advocacy for social transformation.

Dr Sakara was made the Keynote Speaker because of his integrity, strong convictions and vast knowledge and experience with regards to building a prosperous society for all and not only a few.