A GNA feature by Emmanuel Kpeglah
Accra, Oct. 8, GNA - The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is like a brooder hen that cannot reject recalcitrant chickens no matter their gluttonous passion for bad deeds. And as reflective mother, IEA picked its pieces together after collapsing at the feet of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a recent credibility contest.
It rose as a determined democratic soldier (IEA) and put political parties together on the peak of the Akwapim Mountains (at Little Acre Hotel= ) in the Eastern Region to deliberate on how to minimize slippery tongues of politicians a bit. I mean the INSULTS. It has just become too much and gradually sneaking toward institutionalization. The IEA at every quadrennial since the Fourth Republican Constitution docked in 1992 keep assembling political parties to draw their own codes of conduct to regulate them in their electioneering campaigns. However, the very ethics they drew and appended their signatures to, they trampled upon it with the impunity of a fugitive. They turned deaf ear= s to the ethics and went against it without logic of guilt.
The last code drawn in 2008, had all the general secretaries of the various political parties appending their signatures to - the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention Peoples Parties (CPP), the People's National Convention (PNC), the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere, United Renaissance Party (URP), Ghana National Party (GNP) and the United Love Party (ULP). The IEA and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) are the two other institutions that were also signatories to the code. The NCCE is there to educate the masses on the code while the IEA is to oversee its implementation.
Code 10 of the document read: 93No political party member and agents or candidates shall resort to the use of abusive or inflammatory language or incitement; and specifically, all Political Parties and members shall refrain from incitement to hatred on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion, creed, sect or any other criteria." In a well turned phrase the preamble reads: 94The roots of a thriving democracy are to be found in peace, stability law and order as well as compliance by all stakeholders with well-defined electoral laws and codes."
Well drawn law made useless by half hearted efforts or sheer neglect o= f implementation. The political party representatives that signed the documents also could not reconcile with their moral jury - their conscience and burden of contract imposed by the code to restrain their followers from insults. In fact, the 2008 campaign was one of the worst as far as insults were concerned. It was the season that flagged high the health issues of some politicians. Some political parties branded murderers. Some presidential candidates were referred to as school boys who were tutored by more experienced political party. It was the same season that referred to a flag bearer of a political party as too short a man to become President. All these were done at the expense of healthy debates - how to question politician as to how they would be able to provide kenkey and fish= , water, electricity and how to rebuild the hundreds of industries collapsed under our watch, how to solve the sanitation problems, the congested university halls, the accommodation problems, the chocked gutters and many myriads of setbacks the country continue to enlist day by day.
The media sentinels that must sieve these odd speeches rather present viable platforms to tear ourselves apart especially during phone-ins where mostly two enraged opponents are pitched together.
It is evidenced that as Ghana paces towards another election in 2012 the story is not a changed one, most politicians in their maneuvering to undo each other crusade with insults. It is a serious illegality but with careless abandon of the law, politicians exchange reason with emotions and run amok with abusive use of language against each other. It is sad indeed.
This noxious behavior is pitched on media platforms which provide potent proliferation grounds for this unpromising tendency. Listening to the radio in the morning in most cases portrays Ghana being on the blink of war because of the verbal attacks politicians and their followers dish out to each other. The headline of papers growls with insults.
It seems the purpose for this scramble is to win the hearts of more electorates as politicians seemed to have perceived that those throwing the tongue lashing missiles mostly win voter hearts.
However, there is no evidence of any democracy thriving on insults. Bu= t evidence abound that such vitriolic language lead only to tragic consequences which occur when provoked hearts raise clubs and cudgels against each other at the realization that mere words could not express their concentrated emotions.
Purity of speech, especially in cleric discourses is associated with power in public life but in Ghana such dispositions is rather linked with weakness and simple mindedness. In some jurisdictions people who constantly use inappropriate language suffer incredible damage to their reputation and face intense media criticism. But do the Ghanaians media criticize such speech deviants? In Africa there has been an enduring culture of uttering taboo words equated to moral degeneracy but just as styles of dress have become more casual, language use has also become coarser, depending on one's perspective. So when politicians use words such as 93stupid" 93fool" "greedy bastards," 93useful idiot" 93boot licker," 93Atta Mills ye dull"= there is a dock of justification they lean on as their vulgarity enjoy heavy endorsement by their pay masters.
Recently when tempers bubbled on Joy FM Station News File Programme an= d run over, Nana Akomea, Communication Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), known for his affability, derailed into insults. Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo instead of reprimanding him rather recognized him as a victim. President John Evans Atta Mills was one of those who not long ago lamented the intemperate language in political communication. This was the second time in the year he had drew attention to this life style together with some religious groups, but President Mills was seen by the opposition NPP as a poor arbiter as some of his ministers are guilty of same vulgarity= ..
Former president John Kufuor made it clear to Ghanaians that he would never punish offending ministers to destroy the NPP. With this covert endorsement of verbal vituperation breeds the practice and on and on, we march with it giving credence to the dictum 93Spoil the rod and spoil the child."
One major factor to this problem is lack of tolerance. In Ghana politicians hardly tolerate each other as most adorn bulky political lens which perhaps eclipse them from seeing opponents good deeds properly. Their lenses are such that they see clearly what they themselves have done as faultless.
Even if not well done, efforts must be invested to give it a better look. In a recent discussion on Metro TV Good Evening Ghana John Kufuor described his eight years reign as knowing no error, he actually worked wit= h clean-hand-ministers and questioned the host to show evidence of a single corrupt act in his government.
He defended his regime with stout elegance and saw almost everything wrong with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration and hardly spared a thought to identify at least a good in the previous administration= .. This was evidenced in his sectional addresses to parliament, which identified annually how the NDC damaged economy. He was said to have told the then opposition NDC to shut up as they made efforts to fix the economy the NDC ran down in their 19 years regimentation. The NDC is also guilty of such attitude as former President Rawlings was also throughout his 19 years rule saw no good in the UP tradition. If h= e could have his own way the NPP would never ever rule this country.
The world we live in is far-flung from being perfect and there is no way it will ever be perfect. So it is with all situations under the sun, bu= t our politicians want us to believe they have perfection existed under their rules which left Ghana flowing with milk and honey with streets gilded with pearl no hunger, no thirst- no problem. If this is true Ghanaians must be given the right to make such judgment not politicians running amok with the good tidings of the regimes where realities of the situation does not support that. It is the root cause of the insults.
Congratulating someone for his or her good deed is a way of feeling joy for his or her accomplishment. The etymology of the word congratulation comes from the Latin word congratulationem which comes from 93com" meani= ng together and 93gratulari" meaning 93give thanks" or 93show joy". S= o when one congratulates, it is the expression of joy for the person's accomplishmen= t. Though some argue that extending congratulation is only suitable for wedding, graduation and some other achievements than politics, it is important to note that congratulating someone is a sheer show of sportsmanship. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sportsmanship as a "conduct as fairness, respect for one's opponent and graciousness in wi= nning or losing."
Nana Addo was said not to have congratulated John Mills after he lost the 2008 elections could be seen as demonstrating of lack of fairness and respect for his opponent. If one is not prepared to lose as much as he or she determines to win, then he or she is unfit for any race. Though defeat is painful which sometimes leads to irrational temper tantrums especially among high profile personalities, politicians must have the nerve to tame such monstrous emotions to breed peace. This is because so long as respect for one another depletes the likelihood to insult the person and the least frustration will be high.
Critical observation has revealed that the worst insults that are mad= e in the political history of this country were on charged political platforms. Politicians get excited and charged with zeal perhaps dangerously, anytime they meet large crowds and as a result become irresponsible in their utterances to win favour as they take shelter in fre= e speech. The opposition NPP in Parliament in most cases spring in defence of people who use vulgar language and are conditioned to face the law. When Nana Darkwah accused former President Rawlings for burning his own house th= e opposition NPP boycotted Parliament because the security operatives picked and detained him (Darkwah), which was said to be against his human right bu= t was tight-lipped on his unsubstantiated allegation that could lead to anarchy.
When Mr Atta Akyea was picked for questioning criminal offence the NP= P quickly held a press conference stressing hard the immunity he had as a Member of Parliament. Political leaders must have the gut to dissociate themselves from statements of insults by their own people. By doing that they will not only earn respect and confidence from electorates but build the party stronger. It is only when we have very strong political parties that Ghana's democracy could be strong. As the IEA descended from the hill summit bearin= g the ethical commandments for the 2012 elections like Moses the Ten Commandments, politicians must remember they agreed that as the first step all political parties should incorporate the provisions in the code into their constitution.
Political parties and political leaders must demonstrate commitment towards the enforcement and implementation of the provisions of the code by educating their members and supporters on the provisions as well as disowning those who breach any of the provisions.
The electoral system must be made more open and transparent to build public confidence and enable the political parties to accept election results. The law enforcement agencies must be empowered to enable them to discharge their duties without political interference in the prosecution of the people who commit electoral crime without fear or favour. Political parties and their political leaders must use responsible language, condemn and sanction those who use abusive language or make inflammatory statements.
The implementation and enforcement bodies of the code should sit up an= d be fair in the discharge of their duties as efforts are also made to expand the scope to cover all political actors and activities. Political parties should be charged with specific duties and obligations towards adherence to provisions of the code.
The National Media Commission (NMC), the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), the Private News Paper Publishers Association and the Ghana Broadcasters Association must ensure the enforcement of guidelines and medi= a codes of ethics to enable the media to contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of democracy.
The media houses should not allow their platforms to be used to undermine or subvert any other provisions in of the political parties code. There must be tolerance in political discourse and political parties must b= e guided by the Directive Principles of the State Policy enshrined in the chapter six of the 1992 Constitution.
There must be enforcement of the prescribed sanctions against breaches of any provision in the code. The Judicial Service should establish special courts to deal expeditiously with crimes associated with elections. It is the hope of Ghanaians that these set rules political parties hav= e again reminded themselves with should be obeyed in the interest of Ghana. Ghanaians are just too tired of the vulgarities. Happy political season and may the best of the candidates emerge our leader in 2012.
