Ghana’s democracy is doomed

Kojo Tamakloe

Every day I assess what Ghanaians think by way of reading through the websites . One thing I notice is the NPP and its ardent supporters “seeming” hatred for dictatorship. When Dr Nkrumahs name comes up they will write about him being an autocrat. By definition an autocracy “is a system of government in which a supreme political power is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms of popular control” . Theirs, they claim is democratic, meaning “,free and equal representation of people: free and equal right of every person to participate in a system of government, often practiced by electing representatives of the people by the majority of the people” Other definitions will be

1. “democratic nation: a country with a government that has been elected freely and equally by all its citizens

2. democratic system of government: a system of government based on the principle of majority decision-making” Similarly other synonyms will be:” social equality, equality, egalitarianism, classlessness, consensus, fairness”

So Nkrumah was wrong and Rawlings was wrong. Personally the best form of teaching is practice. Actions it is said “ speaks louder than words” . It is up to the NPP then to practice what they preach and put to shame those of us with a different political persuasion and support ideologies like Nkrumaism and or NDC. I believe in the rule of law . In it is also the concept of morality and ethical behavior . By moral I do not mean only sexual behavior but all manners of behavior that one can call having integrity

Election time is here and instead of telling us how they will solve Ghana’s problems ,starting with poverty ,and a meaning to “ Freedom & Justice” from a campaign that was started 6 years ago we get no such but a call to “ all die be die” . How does that fit in with FREEDOM , equality, fairness, consensus, egalitarianism . This is patently a call to arms and violence and so what is the choice? Peace or violence ? Can that be called democratic ? .

Yen akan fo . Why only the Akans ? What of others .It reminds of Barry Goldwater in 1964 who never wanted to give Blacks the vote and freedom. It was to be Whites only. Thank God the good Americans made sure he lost by a landslide .Let the good Ghanaians do the same. Let the tribalists lose by a landslide

Freedom of speech and right of dissent . As we try to reconcile that with the democratic credentials and free speech we get Mr Karbo marshalling his troops to lynch a radio producer ,Nana Bobie, for allowing utterances that do not sit well with the so called democrats . So he loses his job to teach him a lesson. His family must starve to death . A lesson “ in free” speech ?. A lesson on how not to think , hold contrary views, nor express them upon the pain of death . Well “ leopards do not change their spots” Did the grandfather Busia not do the same and when the courts ruled other wise shout “ No Courts, No courts” . I am sure they are saying now” which judge , which judge” knowing they have the judges on their side. Taking food out f the mouth of their perceived “ enemies” is well within their armpit The predecessors were “ Apollo 568 “ sending our brothers away on “ aliens compliance order” and “ proceed on leave’. . So what is the choice ? Tribal supremacist exclusivity or inclusivity of all ?

Morality and Ethics . Then we have the likes of Jake Obetsebi Lamptey fighting to loot State property . He cannot distinguish between what is right and what is immoral. All he wants is to use the State and his position to make as much money as he can. But who can blame him? What did Justice Chinery-Hesse give Ex President Kuffour? Poor ,HIPC country, like Ghana ,must dole out about $2m in retirement apart from all the per diem , per diem he had . God bless our absentee “ sky borne “ president . He must be the first ‘ Bungie jumping president. By the way, it is all Legal. Surely how can a rotten head of a fish not have a rotten body? Kuffour is a Christian, a Roman Catholic, and so “upright” and I, a trokosi, so evil? That we call democracy or fairness. Is this not autocracy where the rich and powerful oppress the poor?

“Kill the Gas, Kill the Ewes .” I am sure this command by Ken Agyepong and endorsed by Ex President Kuffour and Nana Addo is the kind of climate in which one can freely elect your representatives. The election should be free and fair. There are 230 constituencies and there is a problem in one area so we declare war on the tribes deemed different or not accepting our point of view.I do not think even the KKK declared such a war . Is that what democracy is all about? Socrates the father of democracy said,” I am neither Athenian nor Greek, but a citizen of the world’ . Do persons of different tribal, religious, gender, persuasions fall under the new type of “NPP democracy “or is it just lip service?

Violence on the airwaves and websites . That is where the greatest fun is, of insults and bullying. The fun is some people really believe by calling some of us Togolese or trokosy , then they have made their day, and stop us exercising our right to express ourselves. Is that not childishness.? Why should I feel ashamed of my roots? If the Volta region is poor , so be it. But why do I meet people from the so called wealthy regions on my travels doing jobs I could never be caught doing? The clowns used to call the Nigerians names when they were in Ghana , only to troop there in droves doing the most menial of jobs. Too many of them were uneducated . The son in law and the grand child of the Chief of you guys Ex president Kufour is Togolese. Are they trokosi also?

NPP, the “Christians’. Whatever trokosi is supposed to stand for, I am not sure. If it is that it is evil and condones violence and murder ,where do we place Ken Agyepong? What of Mr Karbo and Nana Addo who went all the way to Israel to show his Christianity but cannot apologize for “all die be die” or chastise Ken Agyepong? Christianity talks about “ love your neighbor, thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal” , but NPP practices all these .Ken Agyepong the “professor of genocide” is a hero and a Christian and campaigns for the Presidential aspirant . The aspirant himself denigrates females and urinates on the sacred house of the Mosl;ems, the Mosque . What can one think? NPP is a collection of the extremist tribalists , black KKK, xenophobes ,religious bigots, sexists, thieves , people of NO morals or ethical values

Where are we? Ken Agyepong who is on an anti corruption crusade and stands on the same platform with Jake Obetsebi Lamptey who is on a looting crusade. Wow , what a party , what a set of people?

Guys we need to balance our budget and stop borrowing , develop local human resource , and put them into jobs and reduce unemployment. That will put money in the pockets . We need to implement STEMIC principle as soon as possible

Vote CP P for “ work and happiness” , an equal and just society

The writer Kojo Tamakloe is an Nkrumaist and Pan Africanist who believes a United Africa is our solution