Justice William Atuguba
Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice William Atuguba, has accused the country’s lawmakers of prioritising partisan interests over the national good and reducing parliamentary debates to a contest for political supremacy.
Speaking at the 20th Memorial Lecture in honour of the late Justice Daniel Francis Annan at Parliament House, yesterday, Justice Atuguba said the country’s democratic institutions had drifted away from their founding principles, with political actors increasingly focused on winning and retaining power rather than advancing the welfare of Ghanaians.
“I don’t see that it is a struggle over the national interest. It is a struggle for party supremacy, supremacy of the leadership of the party and the resultant benefits from it. That’s what I see,” the retired jurist said.
He described the country’s political environment as a perpetual “tug of war” between the two major political parties, arguing that the overriding objective of the opposition was often to remove the governing party from office rather than work together in the national interest.
“When the NDC comes to power, the sole objective of the other party is to pull them down and come back to power and share the goodies of office. That is the trend,” he stated.
Justice Atuguba said the increasing monetisation of politics had worsened the situation, with public office now being viewed as an investment to be recouped.
“Politics is like a business now. It’s like somebody buying a timber concession. He has paid for it, so he thinks he must exploit it to the maximum,” he said, describing the practice as “despicable.”
The former Supreme Court judge lamented that many elected officials also become detached from the people who voted them into office.
“As soon as the results come, their calls will not be picked by ministers or MPs. What kind of life is this?” he asked.
Justice Atuguba urged political leaders to return to the values of integrity, accountability and public service, saying Ghana’s democracy could only flourish if leaders placed the national interest above party considerations.
He questioned whether the sacrifices made by parents to educate future leaders were meant to produce public officials who exploited the system for personal gain.
“Is that why our parents sacrificed to send us to school? To come back and defraud them and play tricks?” he asked.
Despite his criticism of the political landscape, Justice Atuguba said there were still politicians whose conduct demonstrated that principled leadership remained possible.
He singled out the Klottey Korle MP, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, as an example of a public servant whose commitment to integrity and service should inspire others.
“She is a woman of principle, education and integrity. That is the kind of politician people should aspire to be,” he said.
Justice Atuguba also questioned the continuous expansion of Parliament, arguing that increasing the number of constituencies imposed additional costs on the state without corresponding benefits for citizens.
He endorsed the recommendation of the Constitutional Review Committee to maintain the current number of parliamentary seats rather than create more constituencies.
The retired judge called for a renewal of the nation’s democratic values, urging politicians to embrace principle over partisanship and place the interests of the nation above the pursuit of political power.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House