ESSENTIAL NECESSITIES OF LIFE ------means basic human needs in life. A news report, published by Ghanaweb of Thursday May 10, 2007 indicates that three Ghanaians domiciled in the Diaspora have jointly sued the electoral commission in attempt to have the commission implement the ROPAA for the 2008 and subsequent elections. Anytime a group decides to sue the government we know it is serious and we should all take notice. People elect a government, and the rights of the people should be paramount to that of any government.
It is quite unfortunate that the writer used the words “Ghanaian expatriates” for our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, a term that might seem to suggest they are “foreigners”. As much as I support the passage of the bill, I will caution that Ghanaians both at home and in the Diaspora must view its implementation beyond politics and self interest. ROPAA means representation of people amendment act. It is an act of parliament which has been signed into law by the President. In the report, Nana Akufo Addo, an NPP aspiring presidential candidate and foreign minister, addressing an international stakeholders’ forum on external voting recently, noted that “with the passage of ROPAA in 2005, additional burdens had been imposed on the Electoral Commission, particularly financial ones”. He added: “It is the expectation that the Commission will negotiate these additional financial requirements with the relevant public authorities so that adequate resources will be found to enable the Commission carry out its constitutional and statutory obligations".
Another quote attributed to the former Attorney General, is that “Laws on the statute books, which are unapplied, undermine the rule of law”. In my view, Nana Akufo Addo is dancing around the major component relevant to the ability or inability of the electoral commission to implement the bill, and that is Money. The foreign Minister is a cabinet Minister and I would expect him to openly make a statement to Ghanaians and the world that the Government will make money available for the bill to be implemented in 2008, instead of pushing the electoral commission to the wall. Beyond that, let him leave the implementation decision to the commission so that it is not perceived as if there is pressure from Government to implement the controversial bill to the advantage of some political aspirants or parties. Nana Akuffo Addo contends that Laws on the statute books, which are unapplied, undermine the rule of law, and if I may ask, is the ROPAA the only law in the statute books yet to be applied which if not rushed through 2008, will undermine the rule of law? I don’t think so. Even though I support the Bill, I am vehemently opposed to its implementation for the 2008 elections UNTIL basic essential necessities of life to all Ghanaians are provided. It has been reported many times by Dr. Danso in his articles (citing World Bank reports), that huge loans and grants of more than $603 Million have been procured for water, as also for electricity, since January 2005. The people of Ghana want to see better and satisfactory delivery of water and electricity before we dance around the priorities for votes.
Essential necessities of life to all Ghanaians are also constitutional demands of the people. Water, a Basic need of life is a hard commodity to get even in the capital city Accra. People have to walk miles to be lucky to get well water for domestic consumption every day. There are serious water-borne diseases all over the country especially in the Northern parts of our country. In view of these priorities, one may ask: are Nana Akuffo Addo and others like those who are going to court for ROPAA not ashamed, when Governments upon Governments every year sign loan pacts meant for the provision of this essential commodity? Are we serious as a Country and as a people? Why can’t we sue the government for the first and basic human necessities first? Those of our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora know that once they pay their taxes in their adopted nations to government, they can enjoy twenty four hour flow of water, uninterrupted electricity supply, extraordinary medical care, better school systems, clean environment, and a host of opportunities. These are what I think our Diaspora brothers must go to court to demand answers from our Government why with all the abundance of wealth, our people still live in misery, diseases, no opportunities, and majority have no means of livelihood. I am a co-Founder of the Ghana National Party, perceived as Diaspora or “Burger” Party by some in Ghana, but it is my prayer that we all reason beyond politics and think first about the PRIORITIES OF OUR COUNTRY.
My brothers and sisters, in the past four months I have traveled across the countryside of Ghana and sometimes I feel like weeping! I can tell you there are thousands of villages in Ghana still without a Health post, not to think of a Clinic. School children are still learning under trees and in huts, millions die from malaria and other preventable diseases and some are going to court for ROPAA! Are we sure this is priority #1? In the featured article of Saturday May 5, 2007 on Ghanaweb, the author Dr. Kwaku A. Danso asked “Can we use the Law to Stop the Sale of Ghana?”. Another good question for us all to ask is: Can We use the Law to force the Government to Obey the Constitution and provide for the Basic necessities of life as stipulated in Article 36 of the 1992 Ghana Constitution? The Law states: “The state shall take all necessary actions to ensure that the national economy is managed in such a manner as to maximize the rate of economic development and to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every person in Ghana and to provide adequate means of livelihood and suitable employment and public assistance to the needy”. (Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, p.36-37)
If we sincerely love Ghana and the suffering masses, please, let those people take time and travel beyond their own towns and see if they will be convinced that the mere extending the voting franchise to our brothers and sisters overseas cannot wait until the essential basics of life are provided to our people! I am not suggesting that we cannot do both. However, let us remember our parents, families and friends we have left behind are crying for salvation every passing day. In any event, even if it takes ten years, the ROPAA implementation under any Government of the time should be done in a manner that in the end the strongest opposition and all critics to the bill will even say it was fair.
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