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The ‘winner takes all’ syndrome has been observed to be the biggest threat to the democratic gains made by Ghana since the country returned to constitutional rule in 1992.

The practice has the potential of breeding disunity and disloyalty to the state and must therefore be discarded in order to safeguard the country’s shining democratic credentials.

Naa Dr Ernest Sangsor-Tulong I, Gengenkpe Naa and a Senior Lecturer at the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) made the observation during a post-election evaluation workshop in Wa.

The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) organised the workshop with support from Ford Foundation under the Peaceful Elections and Inclusive Governance (PEIG) targeted at ensuring peaceful elections and inclusive governments in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions.

The overall aim of the workshop was to assess the effectiveness of the project implementation, learn lessons for the future, and ensure that the project’s direct beneficiaries, the implementing partners and the funding partners got the greatest possible benefit from the project.

Naa Dr Sangsor-Tulong who in private life was known as Dr Ernest Kunfaa said the post-election violence and seizure of public offices and other government properties after every change of government was the by-product of the ‘winner takes all’ mentality.

He therefore called on the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to lead an education and sensitisation crusade against the practice in order to bring a change.

The Senior Lecturer at the UDS Wa campus said elected governments must understand the need to work with all capable citizens of the nation despite their political persuasions to bring about development.

Naa Dr Sangsor-Tulong said it called for the need for all citizens to consider loyalty to the state very paramount and must deliver to their best ability if called upon by a government.