Nana Asante Bediatuo, the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to publicise their research findings and push for their implementation in relevant policies to achieve the discovered solutions.

He said it was only when CSOs employed persistent and effective advocacy to back their discoveries that they would achieve the important societal changes needed to enhance the good governance practices for consolidating Ghana ’s democratic gains.

The prominent lawyer was speaking on the theme: “Enquiry and Advocacy: The Think Tank as a Democratic Imperative”, at public lecture organised by the Danquah Institute (DI), as part of activities to mark its 10th Anniversary, in Accra.

Nana Bediatuo, therefore, asked policy think tanks to be thorough in their findings, while they diversified their funding sources.

Arranging funding for research, he said, committed parties or civil societies to be accountable and engendered innovative ideas that were needed to quicken the pace of economic development for the nation.

He said the issue of funding research was very important to the survival and sustainability of think tanks and, certainly, to the key role of the Danquah Institute in the economic development of Ghana.

The DI, he said, could position itself not to accept funding from the government, but from consultancy, publications and also individuals who had passed through the Institute.

He said these funds could be used to encourage research that would enable the Institute to continue to contribute its quota to national development.

“I strongly encourage the Institute to publish books and other literary works of its research and its findings as well as its short history with the successes for the benefit of the current and future generations,” he stated.

Dr Kingsley Nyarko, the Executive Director of DI, urged political parties to endeavour to build strong systems to enhance good governance and progress.

He said once the citizens were engaged actively in the decision-making process through strong institutions, they would move further up in continuing to help deepen the country’s democracy.

Dr Nyarko explained that these strong institutions must be made up of strong individuals as well, saying that, “We also need strong men in our society to make progress, men who are competent, capable and have the drive and passion for excellence.”

He charged political parties to inculcate sound values and principles into their members, especially the youth, to make them effective and more beneficial to nation-building.

“The time has come for our political parties to realise that the survival and the sustenance of our democracy depend on the quality of their members, especially the youth,” he added.

The DI Executive Secretary pointed out that enlightened and empowered citizens played vital roles in the sustenance of governments, hence political parties should develop the capacities of their members to become worthy ambassadors.

“The people are powerful; they can make and unmake governments, make their political parties attractive or unattractive, relevant or irrelevant,” he emphasised.

He encouraged all political parties, particularly, the New Patriotic Party, to train, as well as orient, the minds of their members to appreciate and understand the ideologies of the party.

These, he said, when taken serious, would reduce indiscipline, promote decency and a culture of excellence in the party, and make it more attractive, relevant, responsible and accountable to the society.

Mr Peter Mac Manu, who chaired the event, said policy think tanks in a democratic era must detect loop-holes that hindered the development of a nation and thus commended the DI for its immense contribution towards the country’s democracy.