Sunyani (Brong Ahafo), 16 March '99 -

Dr Silvester K. Ankamah, a Sunyani lawyer, has described the Westminister type of democracy as "alien to the traditions and experiences of Africans". He has, therefore, called for the adoption of the African alternative that emphasises consensus in governance to replace foreign constitutional practices, which have over the years, failed to find the right climate for survival. "The time has come for us to fashion out an African alternative of governance that reflects the cultural, traditional and socio- economic experiences, to free the continent of unsuitable alien concepts and their accompanying imperfections". Dr Ankamah, a former Ghana High Commissioner to India, was launching two books he has published at Sunyani at the weekend. The titles are "The Westminster Model in Africa and a search for African Alternative" and "The Police History, some aspects in England and Ghana". Dr Ankamah said his book on democracy is to create awareness on the need for Africans to research into their own history and culture for a system of governance that would stand the test of time. He called for research into the time-honoured and effective system of governance practised before the arrival of the colonial masters and refined for adoption by African countries. This would better promote national unity, stability and development "as the imposition and adoption of foreign systems of governance and ideologies have contributed to the chaos, and under-development of the continent". He hoped his book on the history of the police service in Ghana would help Ghanaians to appreciate the contribution of its personnel to national development.