President John Dramani Mahama has said democracy must be judged not only by the conduct of elections but also by its ability to improve the living conditions of citizens.

Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Mahama said democratic governance would lose meaning if citizens did not experience tangible improvements in their daily lives.

“I have always believed that democracy must deliver tangible social benefits,” he said. “Citizens must experience democracy not only through the ballot box every four years, but through improved access to food, quality education, decent housing, accessible healthcare, and economic opportunity.”

He said democratic governments had a responsibility to ensure that political freedoms were accompanied by opportunities for citizens to improve their livelihoods.

President Mahama linked the principle to Ghana’s development agenda, saying investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, social protection and economic opportunities were necessary to make democracy meaningful to ordinary people.

He said the strength of a democratic system ultimately depended on whether citizens could see a connection between the institutions they elect and improvements in their everyday lives.