Ghana will never be the same after SC’s ruling – Economist

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• THOMSON 12 years ago

  WE SHOULD LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER LIKE BROTHERS OR WE PERISH TOGETHER LIKE FOOLS.Martin Luther King jr. but this nana, want to be president at all cost,

  WE SHOULD LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER LIKE BROTHERS OR WE PERISH TOGETHER LIKE FOOLS.Martin Luther King jr. but this nana, want to be president at all cost,

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• MORE 12 years ago

  DOES IT MEAN WE SHOULD NOT BELIEVE THE PROMISE THEY MADE TO ABIDE BY THE RULING, OR THEY CANNOT HAVE CONTR0L OVER THEIR TEEMING SUPPORTERS.

  DOES IT MEAN WE SHOULD NOT BELIEVE THE PROMISE THEY MADE TO ABIDE BY THE RULING, OR THEY CANNOT HAVE CONTR0L OVER THEIR TEEMING SUPPORTERS.

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• Nana 12 years ago

  Yes you should not believe that promise. Did they not promise to accept the results of the December Elections in Kumasi? What happened after that is there for all to see. Yes i agree with Dr Jonah. No one will ever be sati ...
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  Yes you should not believe that promise. Did they not promise to accept the results of the December Elections in Kumasi? What happened after that is there for all to see. Yes i agree with Dr Jonah. No one will ever be satisfied with the SC rulling and unfortunately it could lead to something nasty. Lets live to see

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• Saint-on- Earth 12 years ago

  Ghana's disintegration and regional secessions start from here.I have always advocated for the secession of Western region and I'm ready to champion that as a westerner.

  Ghana's disintegration and regional secessions start from here.I have always advocated for the secession of Western region and I'm ready to champion that as a westerner.

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• big Mouth 12 years ago

  You think ruling "A people" in bits and pieces is easier a srong and homogenious society?go back to your history books,there is a lot to learn.

  You think ruling "A people" in bits and pieces is easier a srong and homogenious society?go back to your history books,there is a lot to learn.

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• insight to the bone 12 years ago

  very true , Ghana is over but the pandora box of hegemony ,ethnocentrism , chauvinism , tribal rascism , institutional corruption and veiled ideological hate has been opened. it is only a matter of time when the country brea ...
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  very true , Ghana is over but the pandora box of hegemony ,ethnocentrism , chauvinism , tribal rascism , institutional corruption and veiled ideological hate has been opened. it is only a matter of time when the country breaks up peacefully or in war . one can not in these times bury one's head in the sand like an ostrich but should prepare for the once unthinkable . its pay day for all the evils and stubbornness of the corrupt political oligarchy of the last 60 years who have neglected their obligations to the ordinary man for their own selfish gains. today the whispers are slowly becoming thundering shouts for freedom and yes Ghana can never be the same . it changed the day atta mills was brutally murdered and this govt refused an inquest so the truth be known . long live the republic of Akan

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• KOO 12 years ago

  THE JUDGES SHOULD BOLD AND TELL THE TRUTH. IF INDEED THERE WERE SOME MISTAKES OR ERRORS DURING THE ELECTIONS THEN WHAT CAN PUT GHANA TOGETHER IS DOING THE ELECTION AGAIN WITH PROPER SUPERVISION. BUT THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD G ...
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  THE JUDGES SHOULD BOLD AND TELL THE TRUTH. IF INDEED THERE WERE SOME MISTAKES OR ERRORS DURING THE ELECTIONS THEN WHAT CAN PUT GHANA TOGETHER IS DOING THE ELECTION AGAIN WITH PROPER SUPERVISION. BUT THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD GIVE THE VERDICT FOR THE PETITIONERS.

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• Omanhene (U$A) 12 years ago

  Regardless of the outcome of the electoral petition being heard at the Supreme Court, Ghana (the country itself), Ghanaians, institutions, attitudes, tribes and ethnic groups, etc., etc., WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
  
  WHY?? Bec ...
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  Regardless of the outcome of the electoral petition being heard at the Supreme Court, Ghana (the country itself), Ghanaians, institutions, attitudes, tribes and ethnic groups, etc., etc., WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
  
  WHY?? Because the Ghanaian democracy is too young and damn fragile to withstand such pressures. Many people are not politically sophisticated or educated enough to understand stuff like this. People join or like political parties and politicians based on ethnicity, tribal links, regional alignments and personalities.
  
  "Ghanaian political parties have NO CORE IDEOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES". For example, where do the major political parties stand on Taxes, Size of government, Number of Supreme Court Judges, Salaries & Benefits to politicians, Decentralization of the central government, Voting and governance participating rights for educated and talented Ghanaians living abroad?, etc., etc., etc. They all believe in the same things, except when it comes to POLITICAL POWER. I can govern better than you and I can also STEAL better than you.
  
  So, with so many "low information voters in Ghana”, the country will NEVER be the same regardless of the ruling from the Supreme Court.
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• Sampene David. JSS student. 12 years ago

  I strongly oppose what Dr.Jonah has said. Ghana would impove on its democratic parth and such nonsence things would stop. People and politcal parties, would learn how to play good cards and stop stealing and also learn from h ...
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  I strongly oppose what Dr.Jonah has said. Ghana would impove on its democratic parth and such nonsence things would stop. People and politcal parties, would learn how to play good cards and stop stealing and also learn from how to respect the madate of the people, so what dose he mean Ghana would not be the way it is?
  Ghana foreve has been peacful and wpuld remain good for the betterment of its people. If this decision had not been taking, than that would have been a diffrent ball game. challenging of an election, remains a constitution right so what is this Dr. saying?
  staying uncorncer about issue like these is dangerous. it would encourage the system of only the "fit of fittest shall survive".But with this, it pouses the question of "who the cap fit."
  let us learn how to respect the constitution, if only we have, and lets obey the laws of the land and play the games of politics by thr rules. the good thing observe and done is we as a nation has not played the democratic process with the Guns as the fools were agittating and beating the drums of war.
  who are we going to fight with. who are we going to overthrown? At the end of it all, is it not about the betterment of Ghana? So what?

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• Kit Yawson 12 years ago

  Dr Jonah you are so wrong.Instead the the decision of our honourable judges shall be respected by all Ghanaians.We are not unruly people as the Kenyans over 5 years ago or thereabouts when over a thousand people were murder ...
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  Dr Jonah you are so wrong.Instead the the decision of our honourable judges shall be respected by all Ghanaians.We are not unruly people as the Kenyans over 5 years ago or thereabouts when over a thousand people were murdered due to vote-rigging allegations.
  After the Supreme Court ruling Ghana would of course not remain the same in the positive sense that in the event of future elections (by elections or general elections) nobody or no political or non-political organisation shall attempt to "steal" othe parties' votes.If the honourable "Dr Jonah" was not in Ghana during the general elections he should contact those of us who were there.Going to a roundtable discussion organised by the IEA is not sufficient ewenough to make cheap predictions to unsettle the minds of some of our vulnerable folks.

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• AAD 12 years ago

  I think the DR. is right but Ghana would move on but the lesson we should take from this is that true democracy prevails only when candidates accept defeats in elections and offer their uncompromising support to the winner f ...
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  I think the DR. is right but Ghana would move on but the lesson we should take from this is that true democracy prevails only when candidates accept defeats in elections and offer their uncompromising support to the winner for the good of the country. In my opinion no election in any part of the world has gone without hitches. -This is the reason I fault the SC for taking this case. The court could have referred the petitioners to the results declared by the EC.

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• OSEI 12 years ago

  AMIDST ALL THESE ALLEGATIONS, STRIKES, AND PETITIONS, IF MAHAMA HAD OFFERED ANOTHER ELECTIONS AS A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE GHANA WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.THAT COULD HAVE ESTABLISHED HIS LEGITIMACY.

  AMIDST ALL THESE ALLEGATIONS, STRIKES, AND PETITIONS, IF MAHAMA HAD OFFERED ANOTHER ELECTIONS AS A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE GHANA WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED.THAT COULD HAVE ESTABLISHED HIS LEGITIMACY.

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• Yeabr3 _Mo 12 years ago

  What the petitioners have presented publicly,no monumental reforms would be needed to fix whatever 'flaws' may exist with our current electoral system! The cardinal problem,as we can clearly see with the myriad of 'other' so ...
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  What the petitioners have presented publicly,no monumental reforms would be needed to fix whatever 'flaws' may exist with our current electoral system! The cardinal problem,as we can clearly see with the myriad of 'other' social and political issues,is attitudinal. If you have individuals or groups whose pre-occupation is gain power at-all-cost,and by-all-means,then no matter the insitutional reforms that are instituted, they will always come up with 'creative' ways to achieve their objectives.
  we all witnessed how the 'neo-cons' who dominated the 2nd Bush administration,manipulated the international system,and set in motion 'events' whose rippling effects we are still feeling across the globe!
  I mean the 2012 elections, for all its shortcomings,is a far cry from previous ones,notably 2008,where voter turn-out in certain key consituencies,reached astronomical proportion,110% or more in many instances! Then again,who can with certainty,that "vote-buying" is going to disappear anytime soon giving the level of poverty and economic hardship the majority of our people face in this country?
  Now,why should the EC,an equally vital state institution, be fair game,but not the Judiciary,which has not performed any 'wonders' within our polity? Not unlike other Ghanaians who are entrusted with key roles in this country,how many of the of the actors operating in this sphere - from the Bench,the Bar,court officials and investigators - can be said be to be above reproach? Just as we should not undermine the judiciary,the EC should not be singled out for bashing as though it operates in isolation!

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• Murder by the Book 12 years ago

  The Politics and the "Prophet"/Church industries

  The Politics and the "Prophet"/Church industries

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• Maame Serwaa 12 years ago

  So does he already know the outcome of the ruling? How would the ruling create distrust for the EC if the SC rules to uphold the election results?

  So does he already know the outcome of the ruling? How would the ruling create distrust for the EC if the SC rules to uphold the election results?

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• baabi ussif checkora 12 years ago

  well said

  well said

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• Yaw Owusu 12 years ago

  In Ghana we give to many titles to people and at end they cannot perform.
  Common water, light, schools, good roads and accomodation we cannot provide our people but we have all kinds of titles given to people in Ghana. God o ...
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  In Ghana we give to many titles to people and at end they cannot perform.
  Common water, light, schools, good roads and accomodation we cannot provide our people but we have all kinds of titles given to people in Ghana. God only knows how they got them. When did Dr Kwesi Jonah become eminent economist. Did he win the Noble Prize in Economics. He did political science.

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• W. Addo 12 years ago

  I have been to Ghana over 32 years, but please don't underestimate the intelligence of people of Ghana. Nothing extraordinary is going to happen, but peace. The fact that this case is proceeding shows Ghana is maturing polit ...
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  I have been to Ghana over 32 years, but please don't underestimate the intelligence of people of Ghana. Nothing extraordinary is going to happen, but peace. The fact that this case is proceeding shows Ghana is maturing politically, and the judicial branch is operating the way it's supposed to. Both parties need to counsel their followers to accept the outcome and refrain from violence. Let's stop bashing Mr. Addo and respect him as dedicated statesman. As for Hon. Mahama, I know he is a peaceful man and he already stated that he will accept the outcome. May God help Ghana.

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• Chris 12 years ago

  it is my conviction that GOD is in control and that every Ghanaian will remain calm after the SCs ruling.

  it is my conviction that GOD is in control and that every Ghanaian will remain calm after the SCs ruling.

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• Concern Ghanian 12 years ago

  GHANIANS ONE LOVE

  GHANIANS ONE LOVE

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• Peter Francisco 12 years ago

  I was thought by Dr Kwesi Jonah as a Polity Scientist. I never thought he was an Economist. Is he?
  In any case he makes very good points.
  We should also note that Political parties, the Executive and the Media are going thr ...
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  I was thought by Dr Kwesi Jonah as a Polity Scientist. I never thought he was an Economist. Is he?
  In any case he makes very good points.
  We should also note that Political parties, the Executive and the Media are going through massive vibrancy. It is time for the Ghana's Supreme Court and the Judiciary to do same. And the envisaged end result should be what will be best for the Country.
  The EC should become more and more transparent as time goes on; it is the best we have right now. The people and the media must be extremely careful for the consequences of the Supreme Court's Ruling will be formented by them and not the petitioners nor the EC; nor the Supreme Court. The issues at stake right now are in the likes of Gas and Fire for which water must forever divide. If not Gas and Fire could ignite an unstopable inferno that we might all regret. Let's allow the best brains to handle this and the end results be inscribed into the good books for all of us and posterity. I was initially worried when this matter went this far, but now am starting to like it. It could help us all if we have it properly.
  Thanks for your audience.

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• JUJUMAN 12 years ago

  NOTHING TOUCH NOTHING SOUND. WE ARE SOLIDLY ON GROUND.NO FEARS BUT SHOULD ANYONE DARES WE WILL CRUSH HE OR HER ON THE GROUND.

  NOTHING TOUCH NOTHING SOUND. WE ARE SOLIDLY ON GROUND.NO FEARS BUT SHOULD ANYONE DARES WE WILL CRUSH HE OR HER ON THE GROUND.

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• KOKI 12 years ago

  Thank you Dr. Jonah. This is the sort of discussion or talk the nation needs at this point in time. Plain facts, bold, rich and wise counselling/proposals.
  
  I wish this man were a regular visitor to the GhanaWeb forum. He ...
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  Thank you Dr. Jonah. This is the sort of discussion or talk the nation needs at this point in time. Plain facts, bold, rich and wise counselling/proposals.
  
  I wish this man were a regular visitor to the GhanaWeb forum. He becomes a shining and worthy template for those who can't put their views across without being unnecessarily angry and vulgar.
  
  The points raised should be hummed by all of us; politicians, foot soldiers, media practitioners, columnists, security men and women, contributors on GhanaWeb, serial callers, students, etc.
  
  The tempo of such positive deliberations must be increasing by the day as time ticks for the Court ruling.
  
  It is extremely important for every single august body e.g. Christian Council, Conference of Catholic Bishops, Moslem Council, NUGS, National Peace Council, all Civil Societies to take the baton.
  
  The Asantehene (Otumfuo Osei Tutu II) and Dr. Jona among others have set the tone. It yields little fruit to be so loud when something negative has already happens. It could be too little too late for all such bodies and other respectable sons and daughters of the land to raise their voices to quell any disturbance of the peace and attempt to calm nerves should the unthinkable happens AFTER the ruling.
  
  The time to do such talk and appealing to the nation is NOW! And daily it should until we become saturated with the call to put nation before self, bored and fed up with the call to wise up and embrace peace come what may after the Ruling! It is only at this "saturation" point that we can confidently assume every corner of the land, every soul of the land and every nerve cell of our nervous system are calmed and copiously conditioned for peace and not WAR!
  
  I only stand opposed to the pessimism Dr. Jonah apparently expressed that Ghana will never be the same no matter how the ruling goes. If the never be the same means a significant change in our Electoral System and our political interactions I concur. I hope that's his mind. Should the never be the same connotes division, tension, chaos and hell breaking lose on the nation, I shudder to stall it and say it loud let us all do everything humanly possible to forestall it.
  
  Our politicians should not lose sight of the fact that a four-year term is not all that there is to power. If it's not now , time and season happens to everyone under the sun.

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