Why More People Are Leaving The NDC

“I felt strongly that the type of governance the NDC wants to practice in this country is unsustainable. Again their wicked and exclusivity posture made me realised that they want to put this country to ancient monument’’ Mr. R. Donkor.

The above was a confession made by a former staunch NDC member -Mr. R. Donkor at an encounter with him at London. His confession, the recent resignation and come back of Alhaji Said Sinare; the National Vice Chairman of the NDC, and the defection of Grace Omaboe (Mame Dorkono) has given us insight into the real intent of the opposition NDC and also why many people are disserting the party-former General Secretary, National Chairman, National Women Organiser and many prominent members have all left the party over the years.

Mr. R. Donkor gave detailed developments in the NDC and was surprised that some members of the NDC have the courage to accuse others of mismanagement when they themselves were worst offenders. This writer has constantly lauded our democratic credentials and will continue to cherish when opposition parties scrutinize government policies. This is the sort of work we want the NDC MPs to do. But one thing that seems awkward is that in their quest to examine government actions; some members of the NDC are behaving as if they are better alternative. The recent challenge by the NDC running-mate, Mr. John Mahama to the NPP to ask Ghanaians whether they are better off in their living condition, tells you about a desperate politician who is at the verge of sinking but wants to carry more people along to his suffering.

Although, majority of Ghanaians are in employment(both in the formal and informal sector) now than any time in our history, no one is happy about our current economic situation but the plain truth is that it could have been worst had the NPP government not embarked on pragmatic economic policies.

There is no argument that the liberalisation of the economy has not given appetite to both Ghanaians abroad and foreigners to invest in this country. The NPP policies have really invigorated the influx of investors at a time when many other Africa countries are struggling to attract investors into their economies, so for the NPP government to embark on their economic policies which are attracting huge investors into the economy is indeed commendable.

Under the NDC, many Ghanaians entrepreneurs were afraid about the threat the party poses in confiscating their assets at the whips of their ideology. The NDC by their tradition feel uncomfortable with people who have made it in life through their own hard work, thus wealthy people who do not belong to them were policed to know the sources of their wealth. It is no surprise that so many foreign companies and individuals continue to have cynicism and scepticism about the NDC and this truly influenced them not to invest in this country for fear of the NDC using socialist propaganda to confiscate their assets and suppress entrepreneurship .No country will ever prosper if it uses military tactics to frighten the people they are supposed to govern. This is the main reason why the NDC will continue to receive hostile reception from many developed countries. It was not a matter of coincidence that the Reformists (Modernizers) in the NDC always collide with the hardliners (macho vigilante) who unfortunately form the shakers and movers of the party. Truly, until the modernizers (reformists) take full control of the party, Ghanaians will surely regret if they make the mistake and vote the NDC back into power in this year’s election. The NDC in their current modus aperandi can be described as a demagogue that takes delight in the suppression of the people. The NDC seems to think that their socialist orientation and propaganda machinery will work in our current dispensation.

. What could have happen had the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) been introduced during the NDC tenure? They would have packed the programme exclusively with their supporters. It is very refreshing that employment into the NYEP does not demand ones political affiliation. The NPP is the sort of party that does not discriminate in the sharing of the national cake. It is very unfortunate that some have not realised the NPP openness to all Ghanaians irrespective of ones political affiliation. This singular stand taken by the Kufour led Administration has met the disapproval from some party activists who believe that the extreme openness from the President is working to their disadvantage but the President, I believe, thinks that for this Nation to move forward demands that all Ghanaians are treated equal regardless of ones party card. Obviously the President, being the father of the Nation, cherishes national cohesion and unity hence his attitude to treat all Ghanaians the same and this strategy has worked perfectly. Surprisingly, the President’s fatherly gesture has been misrepresented by some people as weakness; His Excellency just let the ‘foolishness’ of some saboteurs to go unnoticed. If a party that does not respect the police service, judiciary services, intimidates and suppresses the people is what some Ghanaians are eager to have in power, then sorry to say that this country will go back 10years in her developmental pace.

Of course the NDC is exploiting the unprecedented global economic hardships to pollute the electorate to believe that things are hard because the NPP government has made it so. The untainted truth is that, it is not only Ghanaians that are suffering but all over the world majority of the people are truly feeling the pains of the increasingly huge prices of crude oil and the economic slow down in some developed countries.

In spite of the hash economic conditions that as a nation we faced the most crucial question that we have to ask ourselves is which party is laying the foundation for our development match? Today some are increasingly being sceptical by sale of the government 70% shares in Ghana Telecom, when research abounds that the Private-Public partnership is what has propel the Americans , Europeans, Singaporeans etc to the destination that we all cherish to be. In the 80s when the then British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher embarked on similar adventure, she faced the wrath from some British, today the United Kingdom is ripping the benefits of Miss Margaret Thatcher’s noble economy models. It is very interesting that the very people who systemically witnessed the destruction of our institutions are those making the most noise against the 70% sale of GT. The best these people could have done is to offer alternative measures that will save GT and not this communist militancy.

The good people of Ghana are certainly not going to give their votes to a group of people who take delight in peddling untruth. It is regrettable that because of politics, the NDC is always rehearsing how to tell untruth to the populace with the notion that the people will believe, especially in the midst of our economic difficulties. In their midst are all kinds of propaganda secretaries, the propaganda tool which has outlived its usefulness is regrettably being cherished by decent people in the NDC. Again, every Ghanaian who cherishes the development of this nation should examine the Pro-NDC papers and you will be shocked the kinds of things they write, they have no respect for authority and thought it is only the NDC that own this country and that without the NDC this country can’t move forward. Interestingly, in-spite of their vicious and harboured vendetta, the NDC go round the countryside promising Ghanaians that they have change, no, they are a group of ‘chameleons’. They will surely strike if Ghanaians make the slightest mistake and vote for them, promising Ghanaian entrepreneurs will be suppressed, freedom of speech will be curtailed and the fear of ‘military’ manoeuvring will be back. Let no one be delusional in trusting that Prof. Atta Mills will control the ‘stubborn’ in his party. Deep within his thoughts, he knew he can’t control the ‘socialists/military oligarch’. Prof. Mills having recognises this, is the more reason why, I believe, wants to build his own core of disciples in the party, however, it will take Prof.Atta Mills another 6 years for him to nurture and groom his disciples but the party can not continue to make him the flag bearer. That is the basic clue why the socialists ‘oligarch’ don’t want to give him funds for his campaign because they know he is fighting a losing battle.

I urge all Ghanaians that regardless of our current economic predicaments, the NPP under Nana Akufo Addo will be the better party to propel this country to a destination that majority of Ghanaians yearn for. The trust and confidence the international community have in the NPP government will blossom giving more confidence to investors to invest in this country, the only way to give jobs to majority of our people.

Let the NDC continue to use ‘military antics’ and propaganda, come December, Ghanaians will unequivocally tell them that, “you have paid the prize for your untruth”

‘To him that is wise continue to say the truth’

MARTIN KWANING (Former TESCON President)