Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has urged African political parties to focus on delivering prosperity instead of merely seeking political power.
Speaking at the inaugural African Political Parties Summit in Accra, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang stressed that politics devoid of citizen well-being is meaningless.
“Our people do not ask us to perform politics for their own sake. They deserve politics that translates into food security, decent jobs, functional schools, accessible healthcare, efficient infrastructure, security, and justice,” she said.
She further noted that politics should extend beyond election cycles. “They expect us to focus not just on the next election but more importantly on the next generation,” she added.
Summit Focus
The three-day gathering, themed “From Politics to Prosperity: Strengthening Inter-Party Collaboration for Africa’s Development and Economic Transformation,” brought together over 160 delegates from across the continent.
It served as a platform for dialogue, consensus-building, and cooperation to strengthen democratic governance and promote economic transformation.
A 2024 Afrobarometer survey cited at the summit revealed that 66 per cent of Africans preferred democracy, with strong rejection of one-man rule (80%), one-party rule (78%), and military rule (66%).
However, the survey also showed waning trust in democracy, as 53 per cent said they would accept military intervention if elected leaders abused power, while support for elections declined by eight per cent across 30 countries.
Calls for Reform
Mr Jeff Radebe, Special Envoy of the President of South Africa, echoed concerns over declining trust in political parties.
“If our politics does not lead to prosperity, then it is nothing more than destruction,” he warned, stressing that national strength depended on governance quality rather than resource abundance.
He added, “The citizens of Africa that we serve do not need manifestos. They cannot build their futures on political promises that dissolve after elections.”
Fifi Kwetey, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), also highlighted growing disillusionment among African youth. He called for structural reforms within political parties to restore public trust.
“Africa’s capacity is far enormous than our challenges,” Kwetey said, urging parties to harness political platforms for the continent’s development.
The summit will also see the adoption of an implementation framework for the African Political Parties Initiative (APPI), a flagship platform designed to promote sustained inter-party engagement and capacity development.
