Twinkle Twinkle Little Party

December 30, 2014

Twinkle, Twinkle Little PARTY

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is not a little Party by any standard. The NDC and its antecedent the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) have ruled Ghana for 25 years out of the total 57 years of Ghana’s nationhood. Its closest competitor in terms of governance longevity is the CPP (Convention Peoples Party).

The Nkrumahist/CPP tradition has had a total of 11 years in government since independence in 1957. These 11 years comprise the 9 years under President Nkrumah (1957-1966) and then 2 years under President Hilla Limann during the PNP Government (1979-1981). Against this backdrop, the P(NDC) is arguably the most successful political tradition in Ghana if longevity at the helm is anything to go by. In other words, the NDC is a twinkle twinkle big party.

Yet, there is a wonder about the NDC in several quarters. It has been wondered how they do it time and time again.

For a tradition which at the end of its first 19 years in government saw Ghana in HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Country) status, it is a wonder what makes the NDC twinkle. In 30 years, Lee Kuan Yew took Singapore from “Third World” to “First World”. In 19 years, Jerry Rawlings took Ghana from Third World to HIPC. Yet the NDC continues to twinkle.

For a tradition whose tenure under military rule saw the worst forms of human rights abuses and the disappearance of nearly 300 Ghanaians without a trace, it is a wonder what makes the NDC twinkle.

For a tradition that saw government literally hand over tens of millions of dollars to its Chief Financier as a gesture of appreciation in the name of Judgement Debt, it is a wonder what makes the NDC twinkle.

For a tradition whose tenure in government saw an unprecedented power rationing for over 3 years and counting, it is a wonder what makes the NDC twinkle.

For a tradition most of whose senior membership have been on government payroll most of their working lives, it is a wonder they are seen by some as the “job creators” Ghana needs. It is a wonder indeed. Even their pensions are being padded not only by their financial investments but also by allowances from serving as members on the boards of Government or State corporations. As long as the NDC continues to twinkle, such board appointments are guaranteed. It is a wonder indeed.

For a tradition that has been the first to govern with oil money not to mention an unprecedented amount of loans, it is a wonder that relatively so little could be chalked up by this tradition. It is an even bigger wonder that the tradition continues to return to government again and again.

For a tradition under whose tenure saw Ghana become the butt of international jokes a la cabinet boxing match (President Rawlings and Vice President Arkaah), it is a wonder what makes the NDC twinkle. Then there was the one in 2014 where the crème de la crème of international jokes was the airlifting of millions of dollars from Accra in an airplane across the ocean to Brazil to appease striking soccer players. This will surely make it to the top of the list of international jokes for 2014.

Yet up above the Jubilee House so high, like a fake diamond in the Ghanaian political sky, the NDC continues to twinkle. Or is it continues to swindle?

Gilbert Adu Gyimah

Alberta, Canada

Gilly.gyimah@gmail.com