Law student Francisca Oteng-Mensah is the youngest nominee for a seat in Ghana’s Parliament.This November, she will run as an opposition candidate in Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. The trailblazer could become the youngest MP in Ghana and one of the youngest legislators across the Commonwealth. Michael Gyekye, 23, a Correspondent from Koforidua in Ghana, interviewed the youthful politician …
Tag: Democracy
Dear 2025: I’m 80 and Still Cleaning Up Hitler’s Mess
February 6by Similoluwa Ifedayo Dear 2025, I hope you are doing well, or at least better than I am. I am 1945, …
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Read moreOn 29th May, 2015, it seemed a messiah had come to fulfil the promise of the All Progressive Congress, which was “Change”, writes Omeye Kenechukwu, 20, a Correspondent from Nigeria, who examines the past year of government and events. Corruption has eaten deep to the heart and mind of Nigerians, as the oil-rich country seems unable to boost …
The resignation of Britain’s Prime Minister after the historic Brexit vote offers an informative view on leadership, writes Mary-Jean Nleya, 24, a Correspondent from Botswana. As the media is abuzz with the resignation of David Cameron as British Prime Minister, there are leadership lessons to glean from his conduct. On Wednesday, July 13, 2016 David Cameron …
With election day looming, Angelique Pouponneau, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from the Seychelles, questions the rules about eligibility to run for office and speaks with youth who have stepped into the political arena. In some countries, the only eligibility requirement to run for election as a member of parliament is to be aged 35. They do …
Cameroon is introducing new national ID cards to its citizens, writes Medjom Colbie, 23, a Correspondent from Yaounde in Cameroon, who explains how a decree signed in August marks the beginning of a secured system and a campaign for the identification card. According to the decree of 04 August, 2016, describing the procedures and the delivery of the national …
Legislation setting the voting age creates a conflict for potential voters, writes Angelique Pouponneau, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from the Seychelles, who argues the rules should make more effort to enfranchise interested youth. It happens in nightclubs all the time: “ID please,” says the bouncer. If you are below the age of 18 you should …
Bangladesh has the same branches of governance as other countries, but Naim Ebna Rahman, 20, a Correspondent from Dhaka in Bangladesh, notes complexities have endured since 1971. He looks at some of the reasons, and recommends how to strengthen those branches. After emerging as an independent nation, several military coups from 1975 to 1995 interrupted the …
Human rights are an integral part of the values and principles of the Commonwealth as espoused in the Commonwealth Charter. The role of young people as equal partners in development is essential for sustainable development and progress. It is for this reason that the Commonwealth has for the past 40 years invested in building networks …
The news media has a vital role as both a conduit and a filter of the news, writes Ibrahim Olalekan, 27, a Correspondent from Abuja in Nigeria, who argues the news media must exercise responsibility and standards in fulfilling that role. McQuail (2005) says that the term “gatekeeping” has been widely used as a metaphor to describe …
As Kenya’s 2017 election approaches, Joshua Orawo, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kenya, has been thinking about elections in Africa and the customary tendency of candidates to resort to their communal-support bases in anticipation of any election. Certain intricacies surround any general election in Africa, and they are not exclusive to Africa. One of these is …