As a proud son of Santrokofi, nestled inside the Guan constituency of the Oti Region, I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound injustice inflicted upon our folks by the very establishments entrusted with safeguarding our rights.
For practically 4 years, we have now endured the indignity of being denied parliamentary illustration, our voices silenced within the halls of energy. The Supreme Court, the supposed guardian of our Constitution, has turned a blind eye to our plight, selecting as an alternative to prioritize politically expedient choices over the elemental rules of justice and democracy.
The current ruling by the Supreme Court, which overturned the Speaker’s declaration of 4 vacant parliamentary seats, has forged a harsh mild on the obvious inconsistencies that plague our nation’s judicial system. It is a bitter irony that the identical court docket, which didn’t act swiftly and decisively to revive our rightful illustration, now strikes with outstanding alacrity to guard the pursuits of these already ensconced in energy.
This duplicity is a betrayal of the very essence of justice. How can we, the folks of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL), think about a system that so blatantly favors the privileged few over the disenfranchised many? The current feedback from the Communications Director of the ruling get together, Richard Ahiagbah, dismissing our lack of illustration by claiming that the President speaks for us, lay naked the contempt with which our plight is regarded.
If the President can certainly symbolize the folks of SALL as Ahiagbah suggests, then why can’t he additionally symbolize the folks of these 4 constituencies? This logic, so conveniently utilized in a single occasion, is manifestly absent in ours. The folks of Fomena and Assin North have additionally endured the burden of being denied their elected voices, but their struggling appears to pale compared to the urgency with which the Supreme Court has acted of their circumstances. This inconsistency is not only an oversight; it’s a deliberate and systematic failure of our judicial system.
The implications of this ruling lengthen far past the fast political fallout. It strikes on the coronary heart of our social contract, eroding the belief that binds our society collectively. When the scales of justice are so openly tipped in favour of the highly effective, it sends a harmful message to the marginalized and disenfranchised: that their voices don’t matter, that their rights are expendable within the pursuit of political expediency. This shouldn’t be merely a authorized problem; it’s a ethical disaster that calls for our consideration.
The foundations of our democracy are crumbling beneath the load of such blatant inconsistencies. How can we belief in a system that applies the regulation selectively, that upholds the rights of some whereas trampling upon these of others? This shouldn’t be justice; it’s a perversion of the very beliefs upon which our nation was constructed. The Constitution, which ought to function the bedrock of our democracy, is being manipulated to serve the pursuits of some on the expense of the various.
The selective justice demonstrated by the Supreme Court shouldn’t be merely an remoted incident; it’s symptomatic of a deeper malaise inside our establishments. The judiciary, which is meant to be an neutral arbiter of justice, has as an alternative change into a device for political maneuvering. This is a harmful precedent that undermines the rule of regulation and diminishes the credibility of our authorized system. The residents of this nation deserve higher; they deserve a judiciary that’s dedicated to upholding justice, not one that’s beholden to the whims of political energy.
We should demand higher from our establishments. We should demand consistency, fairness, and an unwavering dedication to the rules enshrined in our Constitution. The path ahead begins with a complete overhaul of our judicial system—one which prioritizes the equal utility of the regulation and the safety of basic rights for all residents, no matter their political affiliation or socioeconomic standing.
This enterprise would require a concerted effort from all stakeholders—the chief, legislative, and judicial branches, in addition to civil society organizations and the folks themselves. We should come collectively to forge a brand new imaginative and prescient of justice, one which upholds the beliefs of equity, transparency, and accountability. The present state of affairs is untenable; we can’t proceed to permit the scales of justice to be manipulated for political acquire.
The street forward shall be arduous, however the various is way extra perilous. A nation constructed upon a basis of injustice and inequity is a home of playing cards, destined to crumble beneath the load of its personal contradictions. We should act now, earlier than the flame of democracy is extinguished by the winds of corruption and self-interest. The time for complacency has handed. The combat for justice is an ongoing battle, and it’s our sacred responsibility to take up the mantle to defend the rights of all Ghanaians, no matter their native land or political allegiance.
The battle for fairness and consistency in our judicial system is greater than only a political problem; it’s a ethical crucial. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to make sure that justice shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for the few however a proper assured to all. We should maintain our establishments accountable and demand that they function in a way that’s clear and truthful.
As we stand at this crossroads, allow us to draw energy from the resilience of our ancestors, who fought tirelessly for the freedoms we now cherish. Let us honour their sacrifices by rekindling the spirit of justice that after burned brightly in our nation’s coronary heart. Only then can we actually declare to be a nation of legal guidelines, a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come back.
We have to be vigilant in our pursuit of justice. The Supreme Court’s current ruling is a clarion name for all residents to interact actively within the protection of our democracy. We can’t afford to be passive observers on this vital second. Each of us has a task to play in advocating for a judicial system that displays our collective values and aspirations.
Manasseh Azure writes in his Facebook, “Any Ghanaian with some modicum of honesty in his/her blood would agree that if SALL had been an NPP stronghold, it would have not gone four years without an MP.”
Manasseh Azure’s assertion highlights a vital problem of illustration and fairness in Ghana’s political panorama. By suggesting that if SALL had been an NPP stronghold, it might not have endured a four-year emptiness in parliamentary illustration, he underscores the selective utility of political justice. This assertion factors to an uncomfortable fact: the prioritization of political pursuits typically eclipses the elemental democratic rights of residents.
The implication is that sure constituencies are afforded better urgency and responsiveness from political establishments, whereas others, significantly these perceived as opposition strongholds, are left marginalized. This displays a broader systemic bias that undermines the precept of equal illustration. Such disparities not solely erode public belief in political establishments but additionally contribute to a rising sense of disenfranchisement amongst residents, who might really feel that their voices and votes are much less valued within the political area. Addressing these inequities is important for fostering a extra inclusive democracy the place each Ghanaian’s proper to illustration is upheld, no matter their political affiliations
In conclusion, the combat for true fairness and consistency in our judicial system is not only the accountability of these instantly affected by these injustices; it’s a collective accountability that all of us share. We should try for a system that actually represents the voices of each Ghanaian. It is simply by means of our united efforts that we are able to hope to reclaim our democratic beliefs and restore religion within the establishments that are supposed to serve us all. Let us rise to the problem, for the way forward for our nation will depend on our resolve to pursue justice for all.
As a proud native of Santrokofi, I’m deeply troubled by the Supreme Court’s 5-2 choice favoring the 4 constituencies, which starkly contrasts with our extended disenfranchisement. My coronary heart bleeds for Mother Ghana after I witness such selective justice being allotted, because it calls into query the integrity of our judicial system. It is disheartening to see that the voices of some residents are prioritized over others, perpetuating a cycle of inequality that undermines our collective aspirations for democracy. This state of affairs calls for our pressing consideration and motion; we can’t enable the scales of justice to be tipped in favour of the highly effective whereas the rights of the marginalized are missed. We should try for a system that actually embodies equity and fairness, for the sake of all Ghanaians and the way forward for our beloved nation.
By Innocent Samuel Appiah
