General News of Monday, 1 February 2010

Source: GNA

Movement objects to two- party system for the country

Koforidua E/R, Feb. 01, GNA - The People's Independent Movement (PIM), a pressure group, says a two-party system of Governance, which is being foisted on the people with the active involvement of the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA), cannot stand the test of time. In a statement issued in Koforidua and signed by Nana Addo-Aikins, Legal Practitioner and Spokesperson for PIM, said since political systems emerge or evolve out of concrete conditions on the ground but not by a mechanical transplant, leaving active and unrestrained involvement of all forces, including political independents in national politics, on an even playing field, is the only viable option.

The statement urged the IEA and all other like-minded political and social forces, which are in haste to mechanically introduce a Two-Party system in National politics to hasten slowly to allow Ghana's politics to develop and evolve from what obtains on the ground. "This will allow for the creation of more lasting and more workable system of democratic governance for Ghana's true and lasting development". The statement welcomes Ghana's reconvened parliament and enjoined it to see the need to eschew all tendencies that divide and polarize the nation and its people to the detriment of national development. "Ghana now needs convergence of ideals and ample individual freedom in decision-making in parliament to advance the cause of the nation". "PIM calls on the executive to relax its hold on parliament to make extreme partisanship and excessive use of the party whip in parliamentary work a thing of the past since they stifle democratic practice and work against the national interest".

The statement urged that independent Members of Parliament (MPs) and party related MPS with independent thought and action, must also be offered identity and presence in parliament, by addressing them properly in the house and making separate seating arrangements for them