Yaw Nsarkoh to Reflect on Ghana’s Unequal Democracy at GAAS Lecture
You know, it’s been over 30 years since we began this journey of democracy in Ghana. We’ve voted, we’ve changed governments, and we’ve told ourselves things are getting better. But when you really sit and think, has it felt better for everyone?
That’s the question Yaw Nsarkoh will be exploring this June 19th at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. The lecture is titled “Iniquities of Inequity in Our Santa Claus Democracy”, and just from that title, you can tell he’s not here for polite praise-singing.
Yaw Nsarkoh, who once served as Executive Vice President of Global Markets at Unilever, isn’t just giving a lecture. He’s holding up a mirror. And in that mirror, he says what we’ll see is a democracy that works very well, but mostly for a few.
He describes a system where politicians arrive every election season like Santa Claus, handing out promises and goodies, only to retreat once the votes are counted. Power, he says, never really stays with the people, especially not the ordinary Ghanaian trying to make ends meet in the villages or on the streets.
And it’s not just about bad leaders. According to Nsarkoh, the whole structure is flawed. Participating in politics, real, meaningful participation, is too costly for the average person. The decisions are made by a select few, and the rest of the country watches from the sidelines.
As he puts it, we’re living in a “pre-capitalist reality ruled by a minority urban bourgeoisie.” In plain terms, our democracy has become a stage play, and the seats up front are reserved for the privileged.
But this lecture isn’t just about pointing fingers. Nsarkoh wants us to ask deeper questions. What happens when people feel left out of the democratic process? When the local government doesn’t function? When poverty and inequality become normal?
He’ll also ask why our intellectuals are often silent, and what lessons we might learn from countries like China and Singapore, places that don’t claim to be democracies, but have still managed to make big developmental strides.
Most importantly, he’s calling for a new kind of thinking. One where democracy is not just about voting, but about dignity. Where it’s not just a ritual, but a real tool for shared prosperity. If democracy doesn’t serve the people, he says, can we still call ourselves free?
The event will be chaired by Emerita Professor Takyiwaa Manuh and streamed live on Joy News TV.
So if you’ve ever wondered why democracy sometimes feels distant, or why it seems to favour the few over the many, this might be one to listen to, not for answers alone, but for the courage to ask better questions.
