The General News of Tuesday April 4, 2006 said the New Patriotic Party is yet to decide when to go to congress to elect its flag bearer for the 2008 presidential elections. The News also said a leading member of the NPP and presidential Aid Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffour has proposed 100 million cedis per an aspirant. According to the presidential aid, it is a very good avenue for more funds to be raised for the party, adding that, "the financial base of the party needs to be very strong to ensure the party's independence and survival." Dr. Tuffuor, another aid of the President also said these aspirants could raise this money themselves or through their numerous supporters and they should be in the position to contribute their quota financially to the party. This author thinks this is a bad move as taxing candidates so much provides a recipe for corruption when elected.
Politics has become a big business in Ghana. The higher monetary commitments of candidates have become one of the reasons why Ghana is no longer producing independent thinking politicians. At the same time it keeps elected officials attention from duty to finding dubious means to recoup their investments plus some thousand percent profit. To enforce the said proposal being solicited by the Establishment of the party is not only tantamount to increased corruption within the party but also an attempt of the Establishment to circumvent power from the young visionary candidates.
100 million cedis registration fee for presidential hopefuls to contest on party level is preposterous, to say the least. It only favors the Establishment in the party who has already looted so much over and above their income. Is NPP now saying to qualify to run on their party ticket one has to be a multi-millionaire? What happened to vision and ideas? Is it the money that matters to the party or ideas and vision? I know this is no money to aspirants like Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Education and Sports and MP for Akim Oda, Prof. Aaron Michael Ocquaye, Minister of Energy and MP for Dome-Kwabenya; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and MP for Abuakwa South, Hon. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing and MP for New Juabeng North, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister for Regional Integration and NEPAD and MP for Offinso North, and Mr. Alan Kyeremanteng, Minister for Trade and Industry. But what about the new blood like Dr. Frimpong Boateng, Mr. Agyakor and Dr. Kennedy? Does the party expect them to borrow this money from the banks or what? And how do they pay back? Loot when they are elected?
If an incumbent party has no means to raising funds other than taxing presidential hopefuls then we have a big question mark on the NPP party. Would Kufour and his aids have agreed to this in 2000 or 2004? Then why are they putting this burden on the new aspirants? What this proposition seeks to do in my opinion is to weed out the genuine and honest politicians; the presidential hopefuls who have never had the chance to loot some money and saved for this occasion. We know that folks who are already in government who had this ambition have already saved billions of cedis and millions of dollars for this occasion so to them this 100 million may only be a small pocket change. Although the idea appears to sound good it may be shortsighted and kill the spirit of competition based on ideas and vision. What NPP needs to do is to transform her candidates into a formidable force through series of debates prior to congress and let the delegates choose the best candidate from amongst them. As Kennedy said in his article, Rebuilding the Party, the NPP ?cannot punish Kufuor for his betrayals but we can and will punish NPP.? Any attempt to do the contrary may spell disaster as it seeks to endorse the same old folks who may not even have a vision for the country. Some of the reports even suggest that these old folks have not even been able to do anything for their constituencies. Experience also suggests to us that some of these folks hide behind their monies and never make extra effort to learn even on the job. No wonder they cry for more time.
The chairman of the party would need to put his foot down to affect the necessary reforms in the NPP. What Mac Manu needs to do to save the NPP from the current mess of corruption in the party and save the face of the party for 2008 elections perhaps, is get his party executives together and distance themselves from the President?s office. The party should rather find another means of raising money for the party other than over burdening the presidential hopefuls and keeping the good, genuine and clean blood out. Any attempt to levy this proposed 100 million cedis is an attempt to validate the Establishment at the expense of vision and integrity. Instead the old folks must learn to give generously to the party that has made them rich. These are the men who have refused to declare their assets then and now. To play this presidential game on level grounds we need some transparency. All the candidates must be vetted and also declare their assets; anything less than this would not be a fair game.
NPP would be better of rebuilding the party now than over burdening her candidates for more money. The occasion calls for NPP to clean its house and win back the confidence of the people not impose extra burden on vision and integrity. See all the recent by-elections? results! Does it tell the NPP leadership anything? I think for a ruling party to lose three consecutive by elections and massively should tell the party hierarchy to wake up and face reality. NDC is gradually gaining grounds due to the way the NPP is running the country. Is the party waiting for the NDC to have a foothold in the Castle before it sees the need to clean their house? In his ?plan of action? addressed to the NPP Kennedy, proposed the following strategies which may need a revisit:
Improvement of communication within the party, between party and government and between the party and the public.
Improvement in the party?s structure and functioning. Under this, he suggested revamping the appointments system, preparing an accurate database of party members and a review of our disciplinary procedures to make them fairer.
The establishment of a new culture of humility, consultation, openness, fairness and most importantly, taking care of ?our own?. By this, he meant the party family and not tribes or personal families.
The assertion and acceptance by all who serve as functionaries or in government of the supremacy of the party over this and all governments formed by, for and of the party.
The establishment of a Leadership Development Program for the party so that the NPP can be the dominant party far into the future with ideas, innovations and visions that will provide an endless stream of competent men and women to lead this nation.
The establishment of an ?Identify and Celebrate our Heroes? program (Rebuilding NPP 2005 May).
NPP should not underestimate the NDC in 2008 at all. For Ghanaians are getting frustrated with this government and unless we see a new face, and a new blood, I am afraid NPP may be shocked in 2008. NPP should never be deceived that electorate has any confidence in the Establishment. The electorate may not show it now but come 2008 we shall see. The voters don?t mind taking the money from the Establishment and refuse to vote for them, after all its Ghana?s money. Ghanaians are wising up. They are getting sophisticated and tired of rich tycoons taking them for granted. Tycoons who don?t have any vision in creating jobs for them and their children. Tycoons who are only capable of buying votes. No wonder after elections then they come to the Castle without a plan of action or agenda and start asking for extension of stay.
How on earth should an incumbent contemplate a 5 year term instead of the 4 years we know simply on the grounds that it takes the whole of the first year dealing with appointments and by the time the selection of cabinet is over the term is ending. What!? Is this an organized political party or independent candidate speaking here? The party should have a plan and ministers at hand long before the swearing in to office. The President elect must enter the Castle with at least his or her 4-year Development Plan right at inauguration. We need a President with a Plan not Promises. Ghana in 2008 must learn to distinguish between promises and party manifesto from ACTION PLAN. The need for a rigorous presidential debate is very crucial in 2008. Let?s ask our candidates not what they would do but how they will do what they say they would do.
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