Justice Sophia Akuffo, a former Chief Justice, says morality, excellence and service are not mere lofty ideals but rather they are real and practical tools for nation-building.
She said they were the pillars on which sustainable democratic governance rests and as a nation, “we must recommit to these principles, not just in words and populist slogans, but in accountable action.”
Justice Akuffo made this recommendation, when she delivered the 25th Anniversary Lecture of the Methodist University Ghana (MUG) on the theme: “Morality, Excellence And Service In Sustainable Democratic Governance.”
The MUG was established in 2000, and it is 25-year-old in 2025. In recognition of this, the University is celebrating the year as its Silver Jubilee and has lined up activities for the celebration and it is as part of the activities that the University held the public lecture.
She said Ghana awaited a generation that valued truth over convenience, merit over favouritism, and service over status, morality as an end.
“Let us build a Ghana where democracy is not just sustained but thrives in every heart’s aspiration; where governance is not simply endured but is trusted; where every citizen, male or female, rich or poor, young or old, feels a fulfilling sense of belonging,” she added.
She said democracy was not a mere booklet setting out grand declarations, it must be seen to be lived.
The former Chief Justice said to establish and maintain true democracy; it must be underpinned by a steadfast moral compass; an unwavering sense and reality of morally centred patriotism that guides and steers leaders and citizens alike in every area of life.
“It must creatively hone a national ethos, which drives and motivates each person and institution. Without this, democracy devolves into a mere mechanism of procedure, a formality devoid of conscience or principle, and governance becomes more and more transactional rather than transformational,” she said.
Justice Akuffo said in the service of the nation, “we must not sacrifice transparency, efficiency, quality leadership and responsible citizenship for endless empty promises, temporary rewards and ultimately ineffective governance.”
She said what Ghana needed for sustainable development were citizens, who selflessly strive for effective participation in civil life and leaders, who understood that power was not a privilege to be enjoyed personally by a partisan few as a lucrative reward.
She said it should be a sacred responsibility to be fulfilled through assurance of continuous and valuable outcomes for all persons and sectors of society.
“Corruption, nepotism, and impunity are moral failures, not forgetting legal infractions and they continue to serve as proof of a breakdown in our collective values and the core raison d’etre of the nation,” she added.
GNA
