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The parable of a political party is akin to that of a vulture’s nest. A careful look at a vulture’s nest will give you an indication that, it is made up of a lot of debris of all kinds. Just as the vulture’s nest, a political party is made up of all kinds of individuals with all kinds of efforts. For a political party to capture power, all party faithful must put in their efforts, ranging from physical to spiritual. These diverse personalities with diverse efforts make a political party a complete entity, ready to capture power to form a government.
So, in an event a political party gains power, it is crucial to recognize the efforts of all individuals who contributed in one way or the other to its victory. This recognition ought to be in a form of appointments or implementation of policies that will serve the interest of individuals who matter. If these efforts are not fairly recognized, then, such a political party should prepare to stay in opposition. The largest opposition NDC lost woefully in 2016 because their own people voted against them. The NPP lost a lot of parliamentary seats because our own people voted against us. There is no need to churn out evidence to back the claim that “a political party that does not serve the interest of its members very well, ends up in opposition”. Indeed, majority of us are living testimonies to the above claim.
Recognizing the efforts of diverse individuals, who contributed for a political party to gain power should be balanced and well measured to pay for all efforts that were made. All individuals who contributed should be fully recognized in one way or the other. When these recognitions are skewed, it creates a lot of problems for a political party, and muddies its future political fortunes.
It is not a hidden fact that the 2017 appointments of the NPP government at the local government level were more of party-financier-based than grass-root-based. For emphasis, most of the MMDCEs were imposed on the people because, they themselves were either party financiers or people they knew were party financiers who lobbied to get those positions. Most grass root men who were more than qualified to fit in as MMDCEs never got those opportunities; just because the party was bent on satisfying the desires and egos of party-financiers who spent their moneys to get the NPP into power. One of the MMDCE applicants narrated “after the committee meeting to approve my candidature as the DCE of my district, some of the committee members called and congratulated me, just for the regional chairman to call me and said he took Ghs300, 000 (3billion old Ghana currency) from one woman during the campaign, and for that matter, she is going to be considered for the DCE position instead of me”. This is what we are talking about; should everything be financier-centered?
It was not for any reason most of these appointees were fiercely rejected by the grass-root men who toiled and suffered with their physics in their respective constituencies to help the party gain power in the 2016 elections. A lot of protests and demonstrations were witnessed among the NPP fraternity at the length and breadth of the country. Indeed, the grass-root men registered their displeasure with those appointments without any hesitation. But most of those appointments and appointees were upheld and, it is needless to say it is part and parcel of NPP’s abysmal performance in retaining most of their parliamentary seats.
There is an adage in Dagbani that, a man who asks for an addition might have been holding something in his hands, otherwise an empty-handed man needs not ask for an addition. In 2017, it was highly understandable and fell within the locus of logic for party financiers to hijack appointments, because he who gives more expects more. Oh yes, the NPP was in opposition and had little resources to finance its campaign, but here we are in 2020, another NPP government ready to be formed. Does the NPP have an excuse if grass-root men are denied appointments in the name of satiating the desires of party financiers?
To make the dream of handing over to a fresh NPP government in 2024 a reality, NPP should take a serious look at the grass root of the party. The 2020 elections have actually reminded us about the fact that the grass-root is the engine and steering wheel of every political party, and dictates the fortunes of the party. The grass root showed its love and contentment with the Nana Addo’s administration, but rejected most of the disappointing appointees who did not serve them well.
Indeed, NPP has paid a parliamentary price for its poor management of the challenges at the grass-root level; a presidential price awaits us if the grass root of the party is poorly served in the next NPP government.
A word to a wise, is more convincing than ever.