African political parties have been urged by Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to prioritize bringing about prosperity over pursuing political power alone.
Speaking at the first African Political Parties Summit in Accra, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang urged parties to put the interests of the country and long-term development first, saying that politics that did not prioritize the welfare of residents “is empty.”
“Our people do not ask us to perform politics for their own sake. They deserve politics that translates into food security, decent jobs, functional schools, accessible healthcare, efficient infrastructure, security and justice,” she stated.
“They expect us to focus not just on the next election but more importantly on the next generation,” she reiterated.
“From Politics to Prosperity: Strengthening Inter-Party Collaboration for Africa’s Development and Economic Transformation” is the theme of the three-day summit.
With the goal of bolstering democratic government and accelerating economic development, it convened more than 160 delegates from throughout Africa and provided a forum for discussion, consensus-building, and inter-party collaboration.
According to the 2024 Afrobarometer Report, 66% of Africans favored democracy, while the majority opposed military power (66%), one-party rule (78%), and one-man rule (80%).
Nonetheless, support for elections fell by 8% in 30 countries, and 53% of respondents said they would welcome military involvement if elected officials misused their position of authority.
“If our politics does not lead to prosperity, then it is nothing more than destruction,” said Mr. Jeff Radebe, the President of South Africa’s Special Envoy, in response to the waning confidence in political parties.
He criticized the prioritization of party and personal goals and emphasized that the quality of government, not the quantity of resources, was what determined a nation’s greatness.
“The citizens of Africa that we serve do not need manifestos. They cannot build their futures on political promises that dissolve after elections,” Mr Radebe said.
The National Democratic Congress’s general secretary, Mr. Fifi Kwetey, urged structural changes inside political parties and pointed out the growing disenchantment among African young.
He encouraged participants to look into ways that political parties might be used to fulfill popular ambitions, saying that Africa’s potential “is far enormous than our challenges.”
The African Political Parties Initiative (APPI), a premier forum for ongoing inter-party engagement and capacity building, will also adopt its implementation framework during the summit.
Source: newsthemegh.com