NPP parliamentary primaries and other burning issues

As restrictions regarding coronavirus ease for economic and humanly activities in the country to continue and the pending the 2020 December general elections getting close, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the weekend held it parliamentary primaries for forty-seven constituencies.

Besides the shocking losses experienced by some parliamentarians and the possibilities of new entrants to the August House, the burning issues are more than the realities on the grounds. Globally, the Coronavirus has caused more harm to humanity in general than expected. In Ghana, the downwards hardships ordinary Ghanaians experienced are uncountable. Ghanaians choice for democracy arguably comes with enormous challenges known in both theories and practicalities.

Numerous videos captured by the mass media and social media outlets over the weekend clearly showed that protocols regarding the global pandemic were not observed at the various polling centres by the delegates across the country.

Meanwhile, corporate entities, religious bodies and educational institutions were made to follow such strict guidelines before operating during this era of the COVID-19 period.

It is imperative to find answers to questions like were there guidelines to govern NPP parliamentary primaries held over the weekend, as it was a requirement for opening churches and mosques? Where were the Veronica buckets, soaps and hand sanitizers? Why was social distance as a major protocol in curbing the spread the COVID-19 not observed?

Although, Ghana's key stakeholders in the fight against COVID-19 using science and data posited that many positive cases recorded were asymptomatic implying that they do not show symptoms of the virus. Notwithstanding that, will there be mass testing for the delegates and their families, party supporters present at the polling centers as far as coronavirus is concerned? Or, it is the case that each and everyone is for him or herself as far as health is concerned?

Again, the president of the republic has constantly expressed his endless worries on how some fellow Ghanaians have constantly breached the protocols relating to the pandemic. Some of these fellow Ghanaians like the pastors are in the gallows for not observing the laws enacted by the parliament.

The parliamentary primaries also recorded pockets of violence in Effiduase, Wulensi, Wenchi among others. In view of these and among other factors, will the constituencies’ chairpersons be arranged before the court for not ensuring observation of all protocols relating to coronavirus and be sentenced to jail as was done to some pastors for similar offenses?

Will failure by the appropriate institutions to arrange people concerned to face the law regarding the violence during the governing party parliamentary primaries be called justice or injustice?

Violence and its related characteristics have strangely found themselves in the body politics of Ghana since independence. The worrying trends and consequences we record as country anytime we go to poll only resonated debate but little has been done to curb or reduce it to the minimum level if possible.

Notwithstanding the outcome of Ayawaso West Wuogon's bye-election violence and the subsequent promulgation of vigilantism measures put in place and further relating it to the violence recorded over the weekend, how do we avoid this violence in the coming controversial registration and December general elections?

Congratulations to those who managed to retain their seats and to the candidates elect. Going forward, there must be an expansion in the electoral college to curb the allegation of money being used to woo delegates.

With larger party registered members, it will be difficult for the parliamentary aspirants and other party officeholders to use money other than their competencies to gain such positions. Key leading chairpersons of the various parliamentary committees losing their seats will arguably affect the continuity element of administration but it’s important the newly elected candidates are also given the chance to contribute towards the nation-building through people representation.

Every concerned Ghanaian must certainly express some amount of worries towards the pending electioneering activities because people wanting political power, by all means, care less about valuable lives of the very people they claim to have at heart thereby representation their welfare.

God bless our homeland Ghana.

Mohammed Rabiu Adam

(mohammedrabiuadam@gmail.com)

Social Studies Teacher

Tiwnikli International Senior High School (TINASCO)

Republic of Turkey Street,

Ghana National Mosque Complex,

Kanda-Accra.