Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, has cautioned that rising political polarisation in Ghana is weakening national cohesion and eroding public confidence in the rule of law.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Monday, December 15, Prof. Oquaye said the country has become overly divided along partisan lines, stressing the need for a conscious national effort to reverse the trend and rebuild unity.

He observed that many issues which ought to be addressed strictly within the framework of the law are instead treated as political contests, a situation he described as unhealthy for democratic governance.

“Ghana is too polarised. Some people must sit and have an agenda on how to deal with this polarisation and forge national cohesion,” he said.

According to Prof. Oquaye, the tendency to politicise legal matters undermines the very foundations of justice and accountability.

“There are so many matters that are purely legal, but we are still tempted to go the political way, to the disadvantage of the rule of law that we all want to see prevail. It is not good for a society,” he noted.

He argued that addressing the challenge requires the involvement of seasoned leaders who have held public office and understand the long-term consequences of deep political divisions.

“This should be a complete agenda to be looked at by men and women who have tasted office and know what is happening. We cannot go on like this,” he stressed.

Prof. Oquaye also lamented that activities which once united Ghanaians across political lines, such as football, no longer serve as common ground, reflecting the depth of the divisions.

He further called for a more inclusive political structure that allows different groups to participate meaningfully, warning that exclusion could breed frustration and desperation within the political process, ultimately undermining national unity.