The search for a President for the 2024 general elections by the major political parties has begun in earnest at a time when the country’s economy is in serious crisis – a situation which makes the popularity of the NPP Party seem to be waning whilst that of the NDC is soaring.
The NDC is breathing a sigh of relief because, to them, the outcome of the next Presidential election is a forgone conclusion. The NPP does not need a soothsayer to predict that the next election will be contested on the state of the economy and very soon the political scene will be flooded with campaign promises on TV, airwaves, bill boards and unrealistic manifestos etc. all seeking the vote of Ghanaians. The NPP’s wish to “break the 8”may seem to be a big joke but the results of elections can be very unpredictable.
Many Ghanaians believe that the removal of the ruling political party and its President will necessarily bring about a change of policies and economic reliefs. Unfortunately, the perception is very wrong because the performance of five past administrations under the Fourth Republican Constitution have proved otherwise. On assumption of office, many Presidents do not sing the same song with the political parties that propelled them to power. Governments pretend to pursue Parties’ objectives but also implement some parochial policies that undermine the parties’ popularity and reward some people who might have financed them.
The NPP’s sagging popularity has come about because Government policies and decisions are not shared with the party in spirit, hence party communicators do not enthusiastically sell Government progress to the public. When party communicators cannot explain Governments’ policies and decisions, then all is not well.
The truth is that political parties do not nominate or nurture presidential candidates. It is rather individual party members who offer themselves to become Presidential Candidates. Consequently, political parties do not own Presidential Candidates.
Though political parties, vet, organize primaries and support Presidential Candidates during their campaigns, the fact still remains that they don’t own them. The Candidates prepare themselves, seek financial and logistic resources, select supporting teams and contest presidential primaries within their political parties.
Once elected, the political parties throw their weight behind the winning candidates as their leaders and use the party structures at various levels to assist them in their national campaigns.
The acquisition of money and logistics to support the national campaigns still remain the Candidates’ responsibility.
After elections some Presidents see the victory as personal achievements and do not lend themselves to be controlled or criticized by their parties.
The Fourth Republican Constitution which ushered the country into civilian rule, after nineteen years of revolution, concentrated absolute power in the hands of one person – an Executive President, the only important citizen in the country. Parliament or political parties cannot control them, order, sanction or call them to answer questions on any crucial national issue.
In developed countries institutions serve as pillars of governance but in Ghana, institutions govern at the “whims and caprices” of the Presidents. Presidents could become glorified dictators, courtesy the Constitution.
In presidential elections, many Ghanaians vote for political parties and not necessarily the Presidential Candidates.
They do so because political parties ironically, at the various Delegate Conferences elect them and present them as their leaders but in practice, political, parties do not own them. In my humble view, until political parties nominate, finance, have the power to remove or keep the presidential candidate, voting for the political party instead of the Presidential material is a serious mistake.
On assumption of office, Presidential aides become spokespersons for Governments and not Party Executives. They become too powerful, some arrogant and virtual tin gods who are feared by ministers of state.
When bold national executives of political parties try to flex their muscles with the Presidency, a wedge is driven between the Party and the Government.
In the past, comments such as “mofa mo Party na yenso yen fa yen aban” literally translated “take your party and we take our Government, or “moka koraa, na me ye ne more” and literally translated “you can criticize but, we will still do what we want to do” have been made. Presidential aides constitute an ‘‘inner’’ Cabinet that can undo real Cabinet decisions. The aides become the agents of corruption, become fabulously rich and since they do not hold any public office, they cannot be held accountable to many corrupt allegations that fly around. They have caused the downfall of many Presidents.
Ghanaians must therefore elect a Presidential Candidate irrespective of his political coloration who must be HONEST, has a high sense of INTEGRITY and INCORRUPTIBLE.
Honesty, is the quality of being truthful and sincere with the people being led, whilst integrity is the quality of doing the right thing at all times. He must be fair and firm, but without honesty and integrity, he will not succeed.
Corruption, the most destructive evil undermining the socio-economic development of the nation has been condemned by past Governments, but no effective plan or strategy has been put in place to deal with it.
The sad reality is that the younger generations see or believe that corruption is the best way to achieve success in life. Corruption, like prostitution can never be eradicated but its effects on development can be minimized as other developed countries have demonstrated.
Rwanda, an African nation who has won the heartsof many people for its fight against corruption,is an example Ghana can follow. Exposing corruption and holding the corrupt to account is the only effective way to minimize it, but when honesty and integrity of Presidents are questionable, corruption flourishes.
Politically polarized, NPP and NDC practice “Jason’s Law of Corruption” – A Nigerian popular Columnist – Pini Jason Onyegbaduo states that “The decibel of an average Nigerian’s public outcry is directly proportional to his distance from the opportunity to do exactly what he condemns.”
Jason’s Law maintains that the farther the distance between a Nigerian (African) and power-authority position, the higher the noise he makes against acts of corruption, the nearer he is to the position, the lesser noise he makes….and when in the position, the noise ceases completely.”
Hypocritically both NPP and NDC condemn corruption but when in power they don’t seriously fight corruption. The loud criticisms of NPP by NDC, does not mean that when NDC comes to power they will deal with corruption. NO, they will create, loot, share and worsen it.
George Orwell stated that “A people that elects corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims but accomplices.’’ Many Ghanaians are not happy with the state of affairs in the country but in Ghanaian parlance, “na who cause am?” We are “accomplices” in electing political leaders from the polling stations, constituencies, districts,regional and national levels.
The process is tainted with corruption, especially the use of money and other goods to buy votes. When voters are influenced by gifts and vote without clear conscience, what kind of leaders are elected?
The characters of some Presidential aspirants who have offered to serve Ghanaians are questionable and suggest they rather need to be served. The NPP has many Candidates but Dr. Bawumia stands tall. The election of a leader based on the party’s tradition of “di wo lane mu” will not augur well for the Party in the next elections.
The current problems are generational that need solution by generational leaders and not septuagenarians who have undergone some “yoomo therapy” to make them look young. The NDC is lacing its boots for former President Mahama, but will many Ghanaians vote for a candidate who has been tested and rejected as corrupt and incompetent? The Presidency, you know, is not a correctional institution.
Nana Addo believes in digitalization and is convinced that it is the best option for government administration to survive in the 21st Century. “If we are lagging behind in these sciences and new knowledge, then we are going to lag behind in our development as a people and where we are, is where we stay’’ – Daily Guide 10th January2023. (To Council members of the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU). The President was referring to the progress his Government has made in digitalizing some administrative processes to minimise corruption. The only Candidate who can sustain this drive is Dr. Bawumia.
To progress as a nation, our Constitution must be changed immediately. Until then, we need to elect an INCORRUPTIBLE, HONEST President with a high sense of INTEGRITY. Ghanaians must NOT be voting for a political party in the Presidential race but an individual with these positive traits. The constitutional powers entrusted to Presidents have been abused in the past, to enrich themselves, relations and cronies and impoverish Ghanaians. Ghanaians must vote wisely in the next elections to avoid falling from the frying pan to fire. If we fail, it will not be complaints but gnashing of teeth.
Vote a personality not a political party.
By Brig-Gen (Rtd) J. Odei