Former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, has raised concerns about growing political polarisation in Ghana, warning that it poses a threat to national cohesion and the rule of law.
Speaking in an interview with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV’s The Point of View on Monday, December 15, Prof. Oquaye said the country has become excessively divided and needs a deliberate national agenda to address the situation.
He noted that although many national issues are fundamentally legal in nature, they are often handled along political lines, a practice he said undermines confidence in the rule of law and is unhealthy for society.
Prof. Oquaye said, “Ghana is too polarised. Some people must sit and have an agenda on how to deal with this polarisation and forge national cohesion. Because there are so many matters that are purely legal. But you will find that we are still tempted to go the political way. To the disadvantage that we all want the rule of law to prevail. It is not good for a society.”
According to him, tackling polarisation requires the involvement of experienced individuals who have held public office and understand the consequences of deepening political divisions.
“We cannot go on like this,” he stressed, adding that even traditionally unifying activities such as football no longer serve as common ground for Ghanaians.
Prof. Oquaye further argued that the political space must be structured to accommodate different levels of participation, allowing various groups to engage meaningfully in governance.
He warned that failure to broaden political inclusion could lead to frustration and desperation within the political process, ultimately harming national unity.
“That should be a complete agenda that needs to be looked at by men and women who have tasted office and know what is happening, and they feel something must change. We cannot go on like this. Take football as an example, it’s no longer uniting us… That is the reality, and we must change.
“Political space must be such that different layers must be available for different categories of people to play. It’s important; otherwise, it brings frustration and desperation in the political process,” he stated.
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