International Day Of Democracy Observed

The Minister of Communications and MP for Tamale South, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has said Ghana would not have been able to practice Multi-Party Democracy for over 16 years under the 4th Republic, without tolerance of divergent political views.

He is therefore calling on politicians and the general public to help deepen democracy in the country through unity and forbearance of each other.

Hon. Iddrisu made these remarks today at a Mock Parliament made up of students of the University of Ghana and the Accra Polytechnic in the Chamber of Ghana�s Parliament, to mark International Day of Democracy. It was on the theme �Tolerance, A Vital Element in the Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy.�

Hon. Iddrisu reminded the public of their constitutional duty to defend the interest of the country at all times and urged the youth not to lend themselves to politicians to be used as tools of political violence.

Members of the Mock Parliament called on government to speed up the preparation of a youth policy for the country. They also urged political parties to eschew politics of exclusion, vengeance, insults and division.

Later in an interview with PEACEFM NEWS, the Public Affairs Director of the Office of Parliament, Mr. Jones Kugblenu, said the International Day of Democracy was declared by the UN to provide opportunity for countries to reflect on the importance of democracy.

�We have parliamentary groups in each school, so today we called together and brought in some MPs to share with them the essence of political tolerance�We see them as agents of change and we will do this in other areas to mark the day,� he said.

Source: Emmanuel Akorli/peacefmonline