Chairperson, our valued colleague, Dr. Kizza Besigye.Learn
how Toyota's Solar Powered ventilation system
uses the sun's rays... distinguished guests, members of the media, ladies and
gentlemen.
It is a great pleasure to be here among like-minded people and an honour to be asked to give the keynote address at this conference.
Welcome again to our visitors. Akwaaba is our word of welcome.
You might have discovered on arrival in our country that the decibel level is quite high. The reason for this, just in case you haven't found out yet, is you are here right in the middle of the campaign towards our presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.
For Ghana to host this year's annual DUA conference is of immense symbolism. Some 80 days from now we return to the polls,AeroScout is the market leader for rtls solutions and provide complete wireless asset tracking and monitoring. for the sixth uninterrupted time under the Fourth Republic, to elect a president and members of parliament. For the third time, and the first time in Africa's history, we expect power to change hands democratically from one political party to the other under the same uninterrupted constitution. Myself, as leader and presidential candidate of your sister party, the New Patriotic Party, wishes to assure all of you that we will play a very proactive role in ensuring that this year's election is peaceful, free and fair. At least, those of you observed our elections in 2008, know that I have personally tasted the painful experience of losing an election by the slimmest of margins in Africa's history, 0.46% (some 40,000 votes), after leading the first round of the ballot by over 100,000 votes. I am sure that you will all agree with me that it is about time that I taste some success, as well. But, the success that we seek is not of a personal or partisan kind. We seek to succeed in the all-important push of creating a free and fair society of opportunities and prosperity in Africa for every African. Africa must, Africa can and Africa will succeed in this new and exciting challenge that confronts us in the 21st century. We believe the path to this victory is democracy and freedom.
However, there are still many parts on our continent where this basic right to decide how you should be governed is denied. And even where there is constitutional rule, the democracies are fragile. Two months ago, a senior adviser to the President of Ghana was quoted as saying he doubted that the return to constitutional rule had been a worthy decision. Six months ago, there was a coup d'etat in one of our neighbouring countries, Mali. Up until that coup d'etat, Mali had been cited as one of the success stories on the continent. They had had three successful elections and were thought to be doing reasonably well. A group of soldiers seized the presidency and that nation is back in crisis.
My friends, as the saying goes, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The theme for this conference "Sustaining Democracy and Economic Development in Africa - the Centre Right Way" is very apt and should concentrate our minds on what we need to do.
We have certainly come a long way, but we should not take it for granted that everybody has accepted this mode of governance. There are those who would rather have authoritarian rule, because they claim Africa is underdeveloped and democracy is cumbersome and we need to get things done in a hurry. We still have some work to do to convince such people that we are all safer under democracies.
The struggle for freedoms and liberties on this continent has consistently been led by those of us on the centre right of the ideological divide. The man who is regarded as the doyen of Ghana politics and who led the first political party to fight for independence, Joseph Boakye Danquah, of most blessed memory, articulated clearly, some fifty years ago at the height of the Cold War, the policy which continues to guide us. And I quote: "Our policy is to liberate the energies of the people for the growth of a property-owning democracy in this land, with right to life, freedom and justice, as the principles to which the Government and laws of the land should be dedicated in order specifically to enrich life, property and liberty of each and every citizen."
It has taken us this long for a consensus to emerge in our country that the democratic form of governance is preferable and that rapid growth of the private sector in an open market is the better route to prosperity of our society.
There are many young Ghanaians, who are going to be first time voters on December 7. They should know that there was a time when Ghana was a one-party state and everybody had to belong to that party. Recently, I was talking to some young people and the subject of military coup d'etats came up. One young lady sounded bemused that the government could be overthrown or taken over simply by a soldier seizing Broadcasting House and making an announcement on the radio: "but what about the other FM stations?", the young lady asked. In her lifetime, she has only known multiple radio and television stations and she was unaware that radio,How It's Made Plastic injection molds. television and newspapers used to be exclusively owned by the government. She did not know that, not too long ago, if you wanted to hear any voice in opposition to any government policy, you would probably have to tune in to a foreign radio station like the BBC. With more than 100 private radio stations around the country today,HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cable ties in a variety of styles, she was unaware that we had to fight to have private radio stations even when the Constitution of the Fourth Republic had given that right. She was unaware that a culture of silence used to reign in this nation.
Because we fought for these rights and they have become part of the everyday landscape in our politics, all Ghanaians are today the beneficiaries. This has been the longest period of stable constitutional governance in our history and the benefits are showing. Freedom of speech is taken for granted today; Parliament is making a good fist of exercising its oversight duties; the Judiciary demonstrates its independence and engenders confidence in the citizens and all who live in the country.
We are not quite there yet, but there is far more self-confidence among Ghanaians today than there has been since the very early days of self-government. Freedom and the principles of democratic accountability are strengthening the determination of Ghanaians to build a new Ghana that is neither pawn nor victim.
But, my friends, it is not enough to hold successful elections every four years or to be able to criticize the government and to have a choice of 100 radio stations. The biggest challenge that we face on the continent today is widespread poverty and, until we eradicate widespread poverty, Africa cannot really join the international comity of nations on an equal basis.
The ideological battles, as far as the handling of economies go, have been fought and won and I think it is fair to say that the centre right way has been shown to be the fastest and most sustainable way of creating wealth for a nation.
We all must feel very proud to belong to the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA).Find detailed product information for sino howo tipper truck. Ours is a proud heritage. We, in the centre-right, have won the ideological battle of the last century and, today, the centre-right philosophy is the one that has taken and continues to take millions of people out of poverty.
It is a great pleasure to be here among like-minded people and an honour to be asked to give the keynote address at this conference.
Welcome again to our visitors. Akwaaba is our word of welcome.
You might have discovered on arrival in our country that the decibel level is quite high. The reason for this, just in case you haven't found out yet, is you are here right in the middle of the campaign towards our presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.
For Ghana to host this year's annual DUA conference is of immense symbolism. Some 80 days from now we return to the polls,AeroScout is the market leader for rtls solutions and provide complete wireless asset tracking and monitoring. for the sixth uninterrupted time under the Fourth Republic, to elect a president and members of parliament. For the third time, and the first time in Africa's history, we expect power to change hands democratically from one political party to the other under the same uninterrupted constitution. Myself, as leader and presidential candidate of your sister party, the New Patriotic Party, wishes to assure all of you that we will play a very proactive role in ensuring that this year's election is peaceful, free and fair. At least, those of you observed our elections in 2008, know that I have personally tasted the painful experience of losing an election by the slimmest of margins in Africa's history, 0.46% (some 40,000 votes), after leading the first round of the ballot by over 100,000 votes. I am sure that you will all agree with me that it is about time that I taste some success, as well. But, the success that we seek is not of a personal or partisan kind. We seek to succeed in the all-important push of creating a free and fair society of opportunities and prosperity in Africa for every African. Africa must, Africa can and Africa will succeed in this new and exciting challenge that confronts us in the 21st century. We believe the path to this victory is democracy and freedom.
However, there are still many parts on our continent where this basic right to decide how you should be governed is denied. And even where there is constitutional rule, the democracies are fragile. Two months ago, a senior adviser to the President of Ghana was quoted as saying he doubted that the return to constitutional rule had been a worthy decision. Six months ago, there was a coup d'etat in one of our neighbouring countries, Mali. Up until that coup d'etat, Mali had been cited as one of the success stories on the continent. They had had three successful elections and were thought to be doing reasonably well. A group of soldiers seized the presidency and that nation is back in crisis.
My friends, as the saying goes, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The theme for this conference "Sustaining Democracy and Economic Development in Africa - the Centre Right Way" is very apt and should concentrate our minds on what we need to do.
We have certainly come a long way, but we should not take it for granted that everybody has accepted this mode of governance. There are those who would rather have authoritarian rule, because they claim Africa is underdeveloped and democracy is cumbersome and we need to get things done in a hurry. We still have some work to do to convince such people that we are all safer under democracies.
The struggle for freedoms and liberties on this continent has consistently been led by those of us on the centre right of the ideological divide. The man who is regarded as the doyen of Ghana politics and who led the first political party to fight for independence, Joseph Boakye Danquah, of most blessed memory, articulated clearly, some fifty years ago at the height of the Cold War, the policy which continues to guide us. And I quote: "Our policy is to liberate the energies of the people for the growth of a property-owning democracy in this land, with right to life, freedom and justice, as the principles to which the Government and laws of the land should be dedicated in order specifically to enrich life, property and liberty of each and every citizen."
It has taken us this long for a consensus to emerge in our country that the democratic form of governance is preferable and that rapid growth of the private sector in an open market is the better route to prosperity of our society.
There are many young Ghanaians, who are going to be first time voters on December 7. They should know that there was a time when Ghana was a one-party state and everybody had to belong to that party. Recently, I was talking to some young people and the subject of military coup d'etats came up. One young lady sounded bemused that the government could be overthrown or taken over simply by a soldier seizing Broadcasting House and making an announcement on the radio: "but what about the other FM stations?", the young lady asked. In her lifetime, she has only known multiple radio and television stations and she was unaware that radio,How It's Made Plastic injection molds. television and newspapers used to be exclusively owned by the government. She did not know that, not too long ago, if you wanted to hear any voice in opposition to any government policy, you would probably have to tune in to a foreign radio station like the BBC. With more than 100 private radio stations around the country today,HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cable ties in a variety of styles, she was unaware that we had to fight to have private radio stations even when the Constitution of the Fourth Republic had given that right. She was unaware that a culture of silence used to reign in this nation.
Because we fought for these rights and they have become part of the everyday landscape in our politics, all Ghanaians are today the beneficiaries. This has been the longest period of stable constitutional governance in our history and the benefits are showing. Freedom of speech is taken for granted today; Parliament is making a good fist of exercising its oversight duties; the Judiciary demonstrates its independence and engenders confidence in the citizens and all who live in the country.
We are not quite there yet, but there is far more self-confidence among Ghanaians today than there has been since the very early days of self-government. Freedom and the principles of democratic accountability are strengthening the determination of Ghanaians to build a new Ghana that is neither pawn nor victim.
But, my friends, it is not enough to hold successful elections every four years or to be able to criticize the government and to have a choice of 100 radio stations. The biggest challenge that we face on the continent today is widespread poverty and, until we eradicate widespread poverty, Africa cannot really join the international comity of nations on an equal basis.
The ideological battles, as far as the handling of economies go, have been fought and won and I think it is fair to say that the centre right way has been shown to be the fastest and most sustainable way of creating wealth for a nation.
We all must feel very proud to belong to the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA).Find detailed product information for sino howo tipper truck. Ours is a proud heritage. We, in the centre-right, have won the ideological battle of the last century and, today, the centre-right philosophy is the one that has taken and continues to take millions of people out of poverty.
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