The Member of Parliament for South Ablekuma, Fritz Baffour, must be gasping for breath as members of his NDC party in the South Ablekuma constituency are lacing their booths in readiness for a showdown with him for what they perceive as the total neglect of issues concerning the constituency since his assumption of office.
Instead of serving as a conduit through which members of his constituency could channel their grievances to the house of parliament, he rather became an obstacle to the voice of his constituents. Haughtiness instead of humility, exclusion of some areas of the constituency instead of inclusion, and abandonment instead of responsibility and accountability became the hallmark of his tenure. He has indeed been a reflection of the politics of greed that has engulfed the NDC since its assumption of office, leading to all the grassroots agitations against the government for which the NDC would be remembered.
Snippets of information picked by this writer indicate that strategies are far afoot by some individuals with the support of some heavyweights within the party to torpedo the second term ambitions of the ace comedian for a more capable candidate. In this regard, knowledge of issues and a clear understanding of grassroots matters are paramount to the battle for the 2012. So far, five names have emerged as candidates who are in readiness to face the MP at the NDC primaries come 2012. But as it is, only one person can contest the parliamentary elections on the ticket of each party at a time. Ethnic backgrounds of candidates are already in close scrutiny as some members of the constituency strongly believe that the South Ablekuma seat must go to a Ga. This is, however, contrary to the global awakening in politics in recent times. Obama came from Hawaii and won the Illinois seat to become a senator, and continued to the presidency. There are many examples around the world today. Young people today are looking for people with the right mix of skills and competencies who can deliver not people who think their ethnic heritage confers advantage. Even, considering the multiethnic composition of South Ablekuma today, it can only be regarded as a cosmopolitan city with diverse ethnic groups occupying the constituency. The point is that no single ethnic group has a political advantage based on ethnicity. Therefore, candidates must rather concentrate on policy issues which are definitely going to be the turning point in the 2012 general elections.
It is obvious that two of the candidates whose names keep coming up would easily pass the litmus test on policy issues. They are evidently highly qualified individuals with a profound understanding of the policy process and the economic issues that envelope the constituency. One of them, with the support of his father who is a minister of state, has already started posting posters around the constituency indicating his candidature when the party’s constitution clearly forbids that until it is time to do so. We are waiting to see what sanctions may be imposed. The other three, just like the man they are planning to unseat, may not be very familiar with these issues. Their only bet might be that they are natives of the Ga Traditional Area or are basking in the believe that the population of their ethnic groups could square off the Ga ethnic card, which does not automatically confer any privileges in the political process any longer.
Beyond the NDC primaries, it is apparent that whoever wins must be ready to face off the Mary Dzata of Ghana politics, Ursula Owusu, on the other side of the political aisle. Indications are that majority of constituents do not endorse Mary Dzata’s style of politics either: insults, attacks on people, and very degrading attitudes that do not augur well for womanhood and as an example for young girls in the constituency. This is the reason why the NDC cannot afford to either maintain a mediocre MP or field a candidate who has nothing to offer the constituency except his or her ethnicity. After all, the floor of parliament is neither for creating ethnic equations nor for comedians. Or shall we say it is also not for those who can rain insults best. If a comedian knows his work as an MP, that is fair enough. But if he lacks the skills needed to consult, collaborate, and even the intellectual ability to stay on top of issues as he represents his or her people, then it is better that comedian remains in the circles he is well known in – comedies. For example, on the reputed JoYFM’s News File program last week, the Member of Parliament could be heard saying he could not make any sense of the financial transactions surrounding the STX deal. But interestingly, he voted to endorse that bill on the floor of parliament. He is one of those who must be axed from parliament as quickly as the NDC primaries.
As the saying goes: ‘lucky winds don’t last forever, so as they blow the man in the hot seat should make his profit while they last.’ I believe Fritz Baffour would learn some lessons and save what he has accumulated so far and not expend it on a wild goose chase for a seat he lost within the first year of entering into parliament. There are signs that he has only recently started contacting those who made it to happen for him in 2008 elections when he even called his opponent to congratulate him as a loser of the 2008 parliamentary seat for South Ablekuma.
This is happening against the backdrop that he fought even his campaign manager who was the main financier of his 2008 bid soon after winning the seat. As another saying goes, ‘be good to the people you meet on your way up the ladder, for they are the people you meet on your way down.’ Fritz Baffour is now coming down and very fast. Where are the people who helped him up the ladder to help him down? How are the mighty fallen? Tell it not South Ablekuma, lest the daughters of our opponents rejoice!
Gustavo Amar Clottey NDC Sympathizer Korle-Gonno, Accra Email: gustavoclottey@yahoo.com
