-PART 2
The theme for the just ended NPP Congress held in Koforidua couldn’t have come at a better time than this year when they are looking through all the prospective candidates to nominate the person to lead the Party from 2008.The topic was timely, for not only the NPP family that needs to move forward in unity but the Nation has to move forward in unity as well.
One thing, however, that the NPP Government under President Kufour had had low marks is the seemingly polarised Nation we are all witnessing now. Though the Government must be commended for taking certain decisions, which understandably all aimed at reconciling the Nation, not much had been achieved. Today the Pillars of the politicisation of our Security Services have been dismantled giving a relief to the wicked nature of making our Security Services to be loyal to one individual instead of being loyal to the Nation.
Disillusion and apathy amongst the supporters of the two leading Parties-NPP and NDC- are increasingly serving as a barrier that need serious attention if we are to make any headway in attracting investors into the country. One thing is clear, it is solely not the faults of the Government but the Opposition NDC must also take part of the blame. For on many occasions their actions seems to wound the NPP Government, they have repeatedly dragged the government into an uncomfortable position making any planned Unity gradually becoming illusive. Any action by the Kufour Administration is re-coined, re-packaged, re-coloured and nothing that the government does is seems good in the eyes of the NDC.
Mischief, unwarranted attack, and an extreme Pull-Him-Down posture from some members of the NDC are not good for our young democracy. Regrettably, to say, few NPP faithful have also senselessly attacked the NDC. Which country on this planet earth, where Constitutional Democracy is being practised would you hear or read that a General Secretary of an opposition party makes an unsubstantiated allegation that a sitting President wants to assassinate him and even recently some of them made an attacked on the NPP Government wanting to kill Mr. Rawlings. I cannot understand the wisdom behind the NDC well rehearsed ploy against the Government. Paradoxically, after their Accra congress, they are planning to visit the Holy Place of God-the Church and the Mosque. For me it is time Ghanaians open their eyes and voice their concern against people from the NPP and NDC camp that want to destroy this country by their actions. Read the writings in the pro-NDC papers, they are horrible, tasteless and to say the least murderous writings. Equally important is that Ghanaians should shun any wicked writings from the pro-NPP papers. It irks that Ghanaians are not being well informed about the repercussions of some of these writings in the media. What is the Ghana Media Commission doing? I strongly think Parliament must begin by summoning Journalists and individuals who are bent on destroying the noble profession of Journalism.
I wish God could have given people an insight into President Kufour brain and could have realised that this is a President who will never bring an undue hardship to his political opponents let alone kill them. Admittedly, President Kufour had been the victim of his own absolute calmness-mindful of his desire to see democracy entrenched in the country- had allowed unnecessary attacked on his person and government to be buried.
Notwithstanding, one thing that had baffled me is the absence of good lawyers from both camp-NPP and NDC- to sue individuals who make sweeping allegations against them or the party. Send them to the Courts to prove their allegations. There is no doubt that such consistent allegations scare foreign investor which every developing country urgently needed.
No country can ever develop if her citizens are polarised. Today, Politicians attitude and utterances are increasingly driving people from voting, for majority of the electorates see no need to waste their time for such tedious process when eventually politicians will end up fighting rather than concentrate on the job of building the Nation.
Let the economists engineered all the best economic strategies, if the people are divided no progress can be made. When governments actions seems to seclude the opposition, it affects our Public and Civil Servants, depending on which side the majority of them belong to, they will not be motivated enough and will undeniably try to stiff government efforts in implementing policies that are geared towards improving the lives of the people. In this scenario, regardless of the huge amount we are spending on the Public Sector Reform, absolutely nothing will be achieved. Frankly, Hon. Paa Kwesi Nduom-Minister for Public Sector Reform- will be wasting much of his time if a ‘’Unity of Purpose’’ is not being felt amongst our Public and Civil Servants.
When a Nation is United there will be no need for fear which will necessitated a President or his Vice motorcade over speeding to avoid a potential sabotagee. Though security will be tighten around the President and his Vice, whenever out of the seat of Government, the unnecessary over speeding of their convoy, which had been witnessed in this country for many many years- apparently to dodge any physical attack on them- will be minimized.
It is a fact that so many strikes embarked upon by workers are genuinely not towards their welfare but as a tool to make a government unpopular among the people.
I have been desperately looking for answers why politicians cannot adopt simple strategies that will unite Ghanaians that will invariably help fight our common enemy-poverty.
How on earth can a Chief threaten a Minister not to visit his locality and the Minister will naively responded by his posture to the Chief ‘take your town’ What kind of politicians we the Youth are emulating in the country? The out-gone Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi when in power and pushing for the privatisation of the country’s postal services and faced with severe critics from a camp he wisely and humanely went to the ‘enemies camp’ to candidly explain the wisdom behind the reformation in the postal services. It is a fact that some Ministers have visited Constituencies without even informing the local MP about their intended visit. Government Departments, and Local Assemblies have organised durbar and unwisely failed to invite members from other political parties, for to them, those members are in the ‘enemies camp’
Some Ghanaians have put the politicisations of everything in the country at the door steps of Mr.Rawlings, surely you will be engaging in a fruitless argument if you dispute that some actions of the Ex-President are not serving as disincentives to foreign investors and our desire for unity, however, there is a clear wisdom in according the Ex-President all the necessary hand of friendship and respect, surely there will come a time when a Divine Hand will torch him to calm down.
As the NPP marshal all their strength to hold on to power by nominating a Candidate in 2007, the Delegates should re-focus and understand that economic strategies alone do not push a country forward. Today the Americans are hailing their Former President Gerald Ford as ‘A Nation Healer’. For when the Nation was divided and was at war with itself, this man with his genius brought the America Nation together.
The NPP Delegates have the finest opportunity to nominate a Person who has the ability to unite this Nation. This country, more than ever before is yearning for a President that will not have the wicked philosophy of ‘WE and THEM’. A United Nation will surely triumph in the midst of the current unfavourable global dictates.
A person who has epitomised through his actions and attitude a sense of willingness to bring Ghanaians together, sharing the National Cake without discrimination, and embracing all manner of people without he compromising his Party’s philosophy.
For far too long Ghana had suffered much from political silencing of the opponents, this country is grieving too much and the time is ripe for a leader of the Nation. Too much acrimony, unnecessary chieftaincy and Land disputes, which on many occasions had it, root from political manoeuvring. Our current disorganised/apathy to politics do not suite well for our forward match .It is undeniable that many members of the opposition and ordinary Ghanaians have not yet set their brains going; in other words, their ideas about the NPP remain rigid or partly so. That isn’t because they are not good Citizens. It is a result of exact historical conditions and perception, which the next President must address. No Nation can make progress if the majority of the people have blind faith in government, he must continued with the tradition deepen by President Kufour where many people will not hesitate to speak their minds, even when they are contrary to government views, he must destroy the status quo where cronies are only helped. Stability and Unity are of prime importance.
To strengthen the unity of Ghanaians of whatever ethnic, religious, nationality or political affiliation, he must make sure, first to strengthen unity throughout his own party and hopefully the Koforidua Congress zeal will be a guide to all members. Over the years there have been too much secret bickering in the NPP camp, to the extend that some DCEs have showed disregard to MPs and vice versa. Few supporters have demonstrated against President Kufour Nominee for a DCE without they taking the acceptable channel of addressing their grievances. A unity from the Party will undoubtedly transcend to the National level.
There are plenty of evidence to suggest that many countries have developed based on a Unity of Purpose and a clear understanding that we are One People. Our National Anthem clearly marshalled us to be united. This is not the time to look for those who in the past engineered Division in our body politics.
This writer will plead with the NPP Delegates to forget about how long a person had been in the party, money contributed, or charisma, though all very important, but looking at our current Political Temperature, it is very imperative to look at the contenders who has the strength and ability to bring all Ghanaians together.
We went to school to learn academic knowledge, we look up to our chiefs to learn traditional wisdom, and we throng to the Church and Mosque to seek for Divine directions. A time for all these to manifest in the Nation is NOW.
I urge all NPP faithful to let common sense prevail.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
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