Kojo Tamakloe
Democracy is, said to be “ government of the people by the people and for the people” . How is this determined? Through the ballot box, especially where it is free, fair and transparent. Ghana had elections in December of 2011 and decided that President J D Mahama for better or for worse should continue from where the late President Mills left off ,with a “ Better, Ghana agenda” .
Since then we have had problems about how genuine the results are. I have been an electoral Presiding Officer and had to contend with Party, electoral agents that were watch dogs or eyes of their various parties . They checked the ballot boxes to ensure nothing was stuffed in before we started ensured the ballot papers code matched that of our polling station, and excess ballot papers were duly accounted for and returned so that any audit will show clearly there has been no cheating. I addition to the polling agents were the observers who came in to check and talk to the agents to ensure nothing untoward was taking place. I think. The Ghana election went through these same processes, which is why the International and NEUTRAL observers certified it free, fair and transparent . But, true to form the NPP will not agree. Everyone is wrong except the NPP .What were the NPP Party agents doing at the polling stations. ? Then I want to ask about the election of Nana as flag bearer. Who supervised it? Was it the same EC and the same processes used in the general elections ?Was that fair and accurate or was it flawed?. The same question can be asked about the parliamentary candidates and their election . So why are they not aware of electoral processes? In 1992, they boycotted parliament for 4 years as they claimed they were cheated.
Just a brief reminder how the NPP refused to accept past results dating back to 1951 and their vain trip to see the PM and the Queen of England to reverse the results. Let us not forget the violence they perpetrated against the electorate while shouting, their “democratic, credentials’, from the roof tops. Let us not forget how as far back as 1958 they had started assassination attempts against the democratically elected government of the CPP. This violence was combined, with vile propaganda of lies while Nkrumah and the CPP were trying to implement a “Better Ghana agenda” of accelerated development based on sound economic principles as opposed to their “bookish theory” of economics. How can one say Nkrumah squandered Ghana’s resources of $250m, when we had 400+ industries? The cost of building the Akosombo dam alone amounted to $258m. So well thought out were these, most, encompassed rural development and were agro based the main stay of our economy. Let me explain. Komenda sugar factory was a rural project based on sugar cane growing in Komenda, leading to sugar refinery. Pawlugwu Tomato factory was based on the same concept and were cotton farms in the Northern part of Ghana .The cotton was expected to feed the textile factories .Closing down the textile factories or the sugar factories meant the cotton farmers and the sugar cane farmers had no market. The Nsawam Cannery ran along the same lines. Then of course, he was sourcing for funds to build the Bui dam in the Bring Amado region to ensure power, but also rural development. It is said, “Use what you have to get what you need”. He combined vertical integration using the multiplier effect.
Let us see the record of the NPP which preceded, Thatcher’s and Reagan’s “ trickle down” approach . Cut down, reduce State expenditure, and create unemployment and presto the economy will grow. This stemmed from what they termed “structural adjustment “. “Structural adjustments being the policies implemented by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (the Breton Woods Institutions) in developing countries. These policy changes are conditions for receiving new loans from the IMF or World Bank or for obtaining lower interest rates on existing loans”. “ SAPs generally implement "free market" programs and policy. These programs include internal changes (notably privatization and deregulation) as well as external ones, especially the reduction of trade barriers. Countries that fail to enact these programs may be subject to severe fiscal discipline. Critics argue that the financial threats to poor countries amount to blackmail, and that poor nations have no choice but to comply.”
They argue that private persons “ can do it better” and will step in to do it. They point to Thatcher selling state property, which they acquired, as a success. However, how did that property come to be in the first place and what was the cost in human terms of unemployment? So what happened in our case? The people who could “better run”, the enterprises never stepped up and un fortunately still do not step up. How many have started Oil refineries or shipping Lines or airways. How may have started textile factories and manufacturing concerns.?The housing shortage is nearly 3 million and the astute business person like Jake wants to buy State real estate instead of building and increasing the Housing Stock. Do they want to state the market is not there? If the market is there, why are they not taking advantage of the opportunities? Therefore, their entrepreneuralship is to import from toothpicks onward and shout we are business people. People, Thatcherism were a failure, just as Reaganomics. Had it not been for the Falklands war, Thatcher would have lost her first re election bid.
In their election manifesto the NPP said they would transform the economy using Free SHS. This “educated” labor will transform the sluggish economy with their ideas. It will become the “ Akufo- Addo economy” from the “ Guggisberg economy” . Now we have graduate unemployment. These are people with higher educational levels than the SHS graduates are but we see no transformation. Do not get me wrong I am all for quality education for all. My point of divergence is if the University graduates are not making a difference, how will the SHS graduates make a difference?
Foreign Policy and trade. The NPP has had a poor foreign policy philosophy. It has been xenophobic based on their internal tribalistic policy. Apart from getting it wrong in the 70s with their dialogue policy, they still make mistakes to day. How can you trade with people you have no respect for and who you insult? Nigerians are 419 and Togolese “ nyebro” or trokosi. In addition, there is general hostility towards other African nations. This from people claiming to be business oriented. So how will they promote trade?
Let me digress a little to clarify his or her dialogue policy someone said was what liberated South Africa
1958-1966 “Start of the South African Border War. The Wind of Change speech by British PM Harold Macmillan. Proclaimed South Africa a Republic after 1960 referendum. Abolished the separate Black voters roll. Launched Bantustan policy. Was assassinated” This man was Known as Hedrick Verwoerd. A Greek immigrant who said B J Vorster’s policy towards the native Blacks was extreme killed him and so he killed him right in parliament
Next was B J Vorster who “then Abolished the Coloured voters roll. South African Border War escalated into a full-scale conflict. He managed policy of détente with African countries, and accepted to let black African diplomats living in white areas.” . This is what the NPP accepted as dialogue between, 1966 -1978. So tell me how dialogue won freedom for the Blacks? The suggestion that by drinking tea with Vorster or P W Botha known as the “ crocodile” for his hard line , they will grant franchise to the majority Blacks. Could Winston Churchill have convinced Hitler to stop the war over a cup of coffee? Therefore, they describe me as infantile.
Let the NPP sell us their economic vision, coupled with how we can be secure. This apart from having turned Ghana into a cocaine coast, an armed robbers paradise, tribal division , so much so by 2008 we had demonstrations from Ga Adangbe youth, Ahanta Youth, Asante youth just after 8 years . Ghanaians had lost their National identity and saw themselves more as components of their tribes. Their articles emphasize this on a daily basis. How can I trust a Minister of Interior in charge of the police, Ken Agyepong of Kill the Gas , kill the ewes . How do you feel secure with the Adofo Rocksons, Okoampas, Katakyie Agyemangs and the myriad of KKK walking the corridors of power? Would I need to carry a gun and introduce a “stand your ground law”, in case I am attacked by one of the zealot KKK? The perception is the Judiciary as an NPP judiciary. Can I expect Justice or do I exact my own?
Economics :Here are a few countries we need to compare Ghana with as per GDP for 2013. USA 1.7%, China, 1.7%, UK 0.6% and Germany 0.1%, while Ghana is at 6.7%. Some African countries are South Africa 0.90%, Botswana -2.2%, Nigeria, 6.72%. Therefore, if these are the figures, should we be talk down the Ghana economic performance or should we realize there are other factors at play and work out how to grow the economy. After all the NPP are ‘experts” at Structural adjustment”. The policy that killed our infant production units. What else do they have to offer?
Ghana is faced with corruption, yes, which encompasses all of us. How many times did you not send money even to your brothers and sisters for your housing project and it disappeared? Should we focus only on the leaders only or all of us? So let us depoliticize it and fight it. The new taxes affect all of us. When they steal and we defend them, we pay the prize.
Mis education does not exist in the classroom only. We take courses we are not suited for. If you have the aptitude for technical work, why do you want to be an academic? Recently we descended heavily on a Minister for saying this obvious fact, of University education is not for everyone .The ex Soviet Union and China had free education up to University level. Did all the citizens become University graduates? Even the bible when talking about the gift of the Holy Ghost talked of having different gifts. Some to prophesy, others speak in tongues, others to heal
Then there is the erroneous education by parents and communities to the effect some are better than others? Did Princess Kate not carry her baby for 9 months, just like you and me, be it Serwaa, Amina, Adzovi, or Adoley? So why all of a sudden someone is better than the other ?
Ghana must move forward and be allowed to move forward. Let the retrogressive forces think twice
Forward ever, backward never
The writer Kojo Tamakloe is an Nkrumaist who believes African Unity is the key for Solving Africa’s underdevelopment
