The time has come for political parties in Ghana to redefine their structures and ensure the active participation of the youth in decision-making, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin, has said.

He noted that the present political system in the country does not adequately respond to the needs and challenges that confront young people and, therefore, called for a more inclusive approach to addressing such issues.

The Speaker made the appeal in an address to mark Denmark’s Constitution Day and 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The event was held virtually on the theme: “Inclusive party governance and the future of democracy”.

Acknowledging the strides Denmark had made over the years in deepening inclusive party governance, including women and youth participation in decision making, Mr Bagbin said there was a lot Ghana needed to learn from that country.

“Governments have a critical role to play with respect to the inclusiveness of policy-making processes, and of the outcomes that they seek to promote, so advocating for inclusive governance requires strong processes and institutions,” he said.

To help Ghana to emulate Denmark’s achievements in that regard, the Speaker expressed his commitment to partner civil society organisations to reach out to political parties and their leaders to create the needed awareness and education for more inclusivity in decision-making.

The Speaker commended the Danish government for the many development projects it had carried out in various parts of the country over the years and called for a further deepening of cooperation between the two countries toward attaining mutual goals.

For his part, a former Speaker of the Danish Parliament, Mr Mogens Lykkotoft, underscored the need for democratic countries to build strong institutions, particularly the legislature, which he said, must have the muscle to hold the executive accountable for the people.