Economist and finance professor Godfred Bokpin has urged Ghanaians to move beyond partisan divisions and confront mounting threats to the country’s democratic foundations, warning that political tribalism is eroding public discourse and institutional trust.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme, Prof. Bokpin argued that debates over democratic backsliding have been reduced to reciprocal accusations between the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party, the two dominant political forces. He insisted the focus must shift to objective examination of whether identifiable patterns are weakening Ghana’s democratic architecture.
“Is it possible that we can go beyond ‘I do you, you do me’ and all of that, and begin to look at whether there’s an element of truth in this?” he asked.
Prof. Bokpin said Ghana’s experience under successive NDC and NPP administrations provides ample evidence to assess how each party conducts itself in opposition and in power. That historical record, he suggested, should inform a non-partisan evaluation of current risks.
He expressed particular concern about the infiltration of political calculation into everyday digital spaces. Platforms such as TikTok and Facebook have become extensions of the partisan battlefield, where algorithmic amplification rewards loyalty over accuracy. Citizens increasingly interpret events through predetermined political lenses, undermining the shared factual basis necessary for democratic deliberation.
The professor warned that if political disagreements continue to dictate how institutions are perceived and how freedoms are exercised, the gradual erosion of democratic norms becomes inevitable. Protecting free speech, institutional independence, and public confidence requires a collective commitment that transcends electoral cycles.
Ghana’s democratic resilience, he implied, depends not on which party holds power but on whether citizens and leaders alike can sustain a civic culture where accountability is applied consistently, regardless of political affiliation.