Former President John Mahama has observed that the era of coup d\u2019\u00e9tats is gradually fading away in Africa.<\/p>\n
This according to him can largely be attributed to the acceptance of democracy in most of the countries within the continent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Africa, the era of military coups seems to be fading into distant memory with the upsurge of democratically-elected leaders,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”YIxA4mEJR7WekZ9Kr3dTcSGaCCjMfU49″]Some African countries including Ghana, experienced a number of coups with the perpetrators often\u00a0accusing those they forcefully takeover from with corruption, mismanagement and bad governance.<\/p>\n
In Ghana, the last forceful government takeover was led by Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings in 1979, who later placed Ghana under a constitutional rule.<\/p>\n
Prior to that a number of coups had occurred.<\/p>\n
On\u00a0February 24, 1966, Ghana first president, Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a coup led by Joseph Arthur Ankrah.<\/p>\n
A year after, another coup was triggered in 1967 but failed to achieve its objective.<\/p>\n
Kofi Abrefa Busia, a Prime Minister of Ghana was also kicked out in a coup on\u00a0January 13, 1972 led by Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.<\/p>\n
Kutu Acheampong again on\u00a0July 5, 1978 dethroned Fred Akuffo, a soldier and politician and served as the head of state at the time.<\/p>\n
In 2016, Presidential guard officers in\u00a0Burkina Faso<\/a><\/strong><\/span> ejected the country’s leader few weeks to their election.<\/p>\n The coup derailed a delicate peace process in Burkina Faso, which at the time was preparing to head to the polls for a vote aimed at restoring democracy after last year\u2019s overthrow of long time leader Blaise Compaore.<\/p>\n This action was widely condemned<\/a><\/strong><\/span> by leaders within the sub-region.<\/p>\n Former President John Mahama who gave a lecture on Thursday during a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Security Studies in Abuja, Nigeria, said although democratic governance is adored in many parts of the world, it also has its downside.<\/p>\n Speaking on the topic “Challenges of democracy and development in Africa,\u201d Mr. Mahama noted that: \u201cwhile democratic and open governments are held up as the best system and dictatorships are frowned upon, I wish to state with emphasis, that there is no \u2018one size fits all\u2019 system of governance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDemocracies are generally preferred because of the protection of human rights, transparent and accountable governance, open government, free speech and stability. But democratic systems also have the downside of high cost of periodic elections, the influence of special interests on elected leaders and the general lack of a sharp national focus, in some cases, because of the frequent changing of leadership and change of national development plans anytime such changes happen, and also the generally slow nature of the decision- making process.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said democratic governance is being undermined by lack of jobs which he said is a threat to stability.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is also important to look at what the growing threats to democratic consolidation in Africa are. These include lack of jobs for a fast-growing population, inequality, election fatigue and mistrust of the political elite, and lately, the effects of election disputes. Africa currently has the fastest growing population in the world. It is said that persons under 35 constitute about 70% of the African population. With improved educational outcomes, the challenge of finding jobs in our economies to absorb these teeming numbers of young people is a dire threat to the stability of the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Ghana, the entire public service is made up of 600,000 people out of a population of 27 million. We have 50,000 graduates every year coming out of the universities and other tertiary institutions and hoping to find work in the public service. This is difficult. But that is why we need to equip these young people with entrepreneurial skills to see themselves not only as employees, but potential employers, and to give them the skills that enables them to go out into the world and set up their own businesses,\u201d the former president added.<\/p>\n Click here for John Mahama\u2019s full lecture:<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
\nFollow @AlloteyGodwin<\/a>
\n