President John Mahama has warned that democracy cannot survive without development, emphasizing that a system lacking jobs, schools, hospitals, and other basic needs is always at risk.
Speaking at the 2025 Democracy Dialogues, organised under the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, President Mahama urged African leaders to focus on strengthening democratic institutions while ensuring that citizens experience the tangible benefits of governance.
“To renew democracy, we must do certain things. First, we must strengthen institutions—independent courts, parliaments, and electoral bodies. Second, we must deliver development, because democracy without roads, schools, hospitals, and jobs will always be at risk,” he said.
He added that education, civic freedom, and a vibrant press are equally crucial in safeguarding democracy.
“Third, we must educate our citizens. Fourth, we must protect media and civic space. A free press is democracy’s immune system,” he stated.
The President also called for stronger regional cooperation, warning that instability in one country threatens democratic progress across the continent.
“We must build regional solidarity because the fall of democracy in one nation weakens democracy in all others. As host, Ghana recommits to upholding democracy, not just in rhetoric but in practice. We will defend the independence of our institutions, support free expression, and continue to stand with ECOWAS in promoting democratic governance across West Africa,” he said.
President Mahama cautioned that democracy weakens when leaders lack integrity and citizens lose confidence in institutions, but encouraged Africans to rise in defence of their freedoms.
“Democracy dies when citizens lose faith, when leaders abandon integrity, and when institutions succumb to capture. But democracy can be renewed when citizens rise to defend it,” he stated.
Quoting former Czech President Václav Havel, President Mahama said, “The salvation of this human world lies nowhere else than in the human heart. The survival of democracy depends on us—leaders, citizens, and institutions—choosing courage over complacency.”
Source: Clara Seshie
