John Mahama
The expression ‘Spoils of War’ can be altered to ‘Spoils of December 7’ to suit the realities of the Ghanaian situation today.
Referring to the acts which followed wars of yore where properties were pillaged, men sold into slavery and women of course usurped by the victors, the expression was rightly coined.
Today, in our local situation following the last elections with the stakes excessively high, a lot of things are happening, glossing over which would be immorally inappropriate.
So much has been penned about the unspoken acts following December 7 and still unfolding.
The dismissals from state institutions of citizens of this country continues unabated.
Not even the paltry number of physically challenged Ghanaians who were recently employed are being spared the sacking order of the President through the Chief of Staff.
A spokesperson of the grouping of the physically challenged has said that regardless of their state, and not over 300 strong who were recently employed, they have been given the marching orders too.
Former Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has had to break his silence to express disgust at the unfolding developments in the local political space.
We could not agree more with the former Vice President for breaking his silence, especially as civil society organisations (CSOs) have lost their voices. Staying longer before calling the attention of the President to the unfolding anomalies by the former Vice President would have constituted a dereliction of civic duty to Ghanaians on the part of the man who represents patriotism and decency in our body-politics today.
Although women are not being stripped naked and flogged humiliatingly as it occurred during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) era, the acts of looting and illegal seizures which took place recently reminded many about that blemish in our history.
After all, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is an off-shoot of the PNDC, and so when traits of the junta are spotted today, apprehension and fear of a possible return of the dark days cannot be described as unfounded.
We can no longer wait for the unwritten convention of waiting for 100 days before expressing concerns about anomalies, no, not when the centre appears not to be holding and Ghanaians are thrown out of employment because of their political inclinations.
Barring a change of mind of someone of political influence at the country’s apex bank, the wife of a top New Patriotic Party (NPP) personality at the place could be on her way to Tamale on transfer because her husband belongs to the opposition fold.
She is lucky because, for others, the exit is their fate.
If this is what resetting Ghana means, then the citizens of this country have reason to regret their voting pattern on December 7.
Surprisingly in spite of the anomalies in state institutions, the so-called CSOs or the so-called neutrals are silent. They are sleeping on their assignments because the NDC is in power and most of them have been offered juicy jobs.
Democracy allows for divergent opinions and plurality of parties, but at the end of elections, the emerged winner becomes President of all, not for his political grouping, as being played out today.
New voices are needed to play the roles of CSOs, the previous ones no longer able to do so and their partiality now fully appreciated by all.