Former Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has urged Ghanaians to keep the principles of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) at the centre of the country’s democratic life, saying they should guarantee freedom without fear or persecution.
Speaking through a representative at a ceremony in Axim on Monday, 4 August, to mark the founding of the UGCC, Dr Bawumia said the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition should be judged by how its values influence leadership, public institutions and political decision-making.
He said the tradition established by the founders was based on principles that went beyond political slogans, including individual rights, accountability and equal citizenship.
“Through Danquah, Busia, Dombo and those who stood with them, that tradition came to represent certain firm ideas: respect for the individual, government under law, democratic accountability, private enterprise, social responsibility and a Ghana held together by equal citizenship,” he said.
Dr Bawumia said those principles should not be treated simply as part of Ghana’s political history, but must continue to have a practical impact on how the country is governed.
“These values were never meant to be framed and hung on a wall. They were meant to guide public choices,” he stated.
He also argued that the UGCC’s understanding of freedom extended well beyond the act of voting. In his view, democratic rights must include the ability to speak openly, practise one’s faith, operate a legitimate business and receive fair treatment from the state.
“Freedom, for example, is not only the freedom to vote. It is the freedom to speak without fear, to worship according to one’s conscience, to build a lawful business, and to expect fair treatment from the State,” he said.
On the rule of law, the former Vice President said justice should apply equally to all citizens, irrespective of their wealth, influence or social position.
“The rule of law is not a phrase for lawyers. It is the assurance that a poor person and a powerful person will meet the same law,” he noted.
Dr Bawumia further highlighted the importance of private enterprise to Ghana’s development. He said citizens needed access to opportunity, skills and a fair economic system if they were to create prosperity for themselves and contribute to the wider economy.
“Enterprise is not indifference to hardship. It is the belief that when people are given opportunity, skills and a fair system, they can create prosperity for themselves and for others,” he said.
Although he described the values associated with the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition as enduring, Dr Bawumia said their continued relevance depended on the conduct of political leaders and institutions.
“Those ideas remain relevant. But if we want Ghanaians to believe that they still define us, they must be visible in the way we behave, the way we organize and the solutions we offer,” he added.
The Axim ceremony was part of activities marking UGCC Founding Day, observed annually by the NPP to reflect on the legacy of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition and its contribution to Ghana’s democratic development.
Dr Bawumia ended his message by calling on leaders to ensure democracy produces meaningful benefits for citizens. He said that would require the protection of individual rights, equal access to justice and the creation of economic opportunities for all.
