Africa must develop its version of democracy – Sam George

Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George wants Africa to adopt a new and effective version of democracy. According to him, the continent countries are not benefiting from democracy because it is a system borrowed from Europe and Western countries, which is designed to benefit them.

“I believe that democracy must strive but I believe that Africa must develop its own version of democracy. The Western democracy is not suitable for the African,” the legislator expressed Tuesday, August 8. His comment comes on the back of the coup in Niger.

Although he established that he was not in support of the coup, emphasising that calling a coup was not the right way to resolve the issue, he maintained that a change in the democracy was a necessity. Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show, Mr George further contended that African countries such as Botswana which were being hailed by the Western world to be a success, were not operating using the Western system of democracy.

He also attributed the rampant increase in coups as seen in some African countries to the hypocritical nature of African leaders, mostly those in the ECOWAS. According to the MP, some ECOWAS leaders have tried to stage institutional coups, but ECOWAS has let them off the hook freely and global organisations have done nothing to sanction them.

“It is that hypocrisy of African leadership that is leading to a revolution in the younger Africans to say ‘these old folks, they’ve had their say, it is time for us to take destiny into our own hands,” he stressed. The legislator reiterated that “I’m in no way supporting coups,” however he stated that “if our so-called democratic institutions do not foster democracy, you then open the window for people to vent their spleen in a certain manner [for military expeditions].”

He advised viewers to use the above stated as an eye-opener, to think about the true intentions of Western countries towards Africa. The legislator then described the severing of ties of some West-African countries with France as a revolution. “People are waking up and saying that “look, we can no longer be taken for scroungers.”

He then stressed that “Africa needs a crop of young African leaders who are Afrocentric in their thinking, and who will say to the West and Europe,’ we would stay, hold our own, trade amongst ourselves, we will only trade with you when you are willing to come and negotiate with us equals.”

Mr George emphasised that it is possible for Africans to do that, referencing Kwame Nkrumah as an individual who demonstrated this possibility.

Source: Doreen Abena Kyerewaa Akata