NPP And The Growth Of Democracy In Ghana

Ghana stands as an oasis of stability in Africa and a champion of free speech and human freedom. This is by no accident but by the careful nurturing of human rights and the unfettered release of human potential by the NPP Government of 2001-2008. The NPP, an off shoot of the Danquah/Busia/Dombo tradition has fought any form of oppression and the limitation of human rights going back to 1949 under the UGCC led by Grant, Danquah, Akufo-Addo, Obetsebi-Lamptey and others. UGCC never won the right to put their beliefs into practice, being upstaged by the hired Organizer, Kwame Nkrumah. The opportunity that came in 1969 under the Prime Minister ship of Dr. Busia was cut short by the Acheampong coup of 1971. The baton that was passed on to Victor Owusu in 1979 did not see the finish line then Rawlings came and pressed his feet on Ghanaians necks for 20 good solid years as AFRC/PNDC/NDC. Ghanaians lived in fear. A wrong word out of ones mouth and death would come visiting after the whipping and jailing. Democracy was not even a wish

Yet the flames burning to set the people free did not die in the Danquah/Busia/Dombo camp. God listened to the prayers of Ghanaians with the end of the Rawlings era and the election of John Agyekum Kufuor in 2000 and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NPP was founded on the strict principles of the rule of law. The founders of the political traditions having witnessed discriminations both in Ghana and abroad avowed to make Ghana a country free from such institutions as torture and the rule of the jungle. In 1992 when the NPP lost the elections to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), they protested in a book called “The Stolen Verdict”. The party did not call for armed struggle to make their point; neither did they vilify the person occupying the seat of the President- the unchanged Jerry Rawlings.

The peaceful protest and willingness to abide by rules let to the introduction of transparent ballot boxes for the first time in the voting history of the country. In addition, voter picture cards were issued to eligible voters for the 1996 elections. Even though the NPP did not win the elections that year, the party introduced a number of people into parliament and these people were to energize parliament on the path to a true democratic system. It is the work of this group of people in parliament who were to prepare the way for the NPP win in 2000.

The 2000 elections marked a turning point in the life of the NPP and Ghana. Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor became the President of Ghana. He became the first person to take over the country from another political party. For the seven plus years that he has ruled he has endeared himself to all Ghanaians as someone who respects him and the governed. He has been pressured to speak against the outbursts of his Predecessor, Rawlings, yet Kufuor has shown great restraint.

At this point it will be worthy to note that under the Presidency of Mr. J A Kufuor significant achievements have been made in the road and health sectors. The cash and carry system was replaced with a health insurance scheme. The long awaited Keta sea defense wall was built, a project that was started under General Kutu Acheampong. Oil has been discovered in Ghana and Ghana has benefited from the Millennium Challenge Account. The West African sub region, which was in turmoil when Kufuor came to power, now has elected presidents in Liberia and Sierra Leone. As ECOWAS Chairman, he made sure that peace returned to the sub region. With Mr. J A Kufuor in power, the perennial border closure between Ghana and Togo, and Ghana and Burkina Faso have become a thing of the past. As the chairman of the African Union he brought immediate peace to Kenya when trouble erupted there. No doubt in his absence, trouble is still festering in Zimbabwe.

Mr. J A Kufuor will go down in history as the President of Ghana who nominated an ex-President and his Vice, belonging to another political tradition, for national recognition despite the fact that the nominations were turned down. This is the humble nature of the man who has ruled Ghana for the past seven years.

The culture in the NPP where every viewpoint is tolerated is what nurtures the members of the party to become great leaders. No one opinion in the party is the supreme opinion. The party deals with aggregate opinion from high and low. That is the very same nature the flag bearer of the party, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo is bringing to bear on the country. Throughout his campaign he has never advocated for violence in case he loses the elections. However, the war drums have sounded already in the other political tradition that does not believe in dialogue but brute force. Ghanaians cannot afford to have such behaviors being displayed before the youth who are the leaders of tomorrow.

Nana, as he is affectionately called worked under president Kufuor first as Attorney General and later as Foreign Minister. During the seven long years, he has learnt a lot in and outside the country. With his rich experience, Nana is set to continue with what the President has done and go beyond to place Ghana on her rightful place on the map of the world politically and economically. Nana’s campaign of a new Ghana is going to involve every Ghanaian whatever one’s political persuasion. Nana’s campaign is all about securing for the future generation and us our free speech and a community where everyone is equal before the law and where the law reigns supreme. When Nana comes out with his detailed manifesto, all Ghanaians will realize that they have a place and a part in it. The manifesto simply says “No Ghanaian Left Behind”.

As the country prepares for the general election in December 2008, let us pay heed to human life. No life should be lost because one belongs to the other party. No one should be beaten because he/she holds a different opinion. Let us all agree that the politics of the “macho man” is over and the politics of the ordinary man and of reason has just begun. Nana stands for jaw jaw and not the war war always hinted and practiced by Rawlings, Mills & Co,