History is there to educate people about the past; serve as a lesson and a guide to redirect the steps of the follow-up generations. Forget your past, refuse to learn the required lessons, fail to be directed by the beacon, and you are in danger.
The tortuously tyrannical, murderous and long reign of the metamorphosed NDC, coupled with their rampant political corruption, cronyism, nepotism, tribalism and favouritism, were the very factors that helped effect a change in government when the opportunity offered itself. However, the NPP have sooner forgotten, but taking to, and relishing in the same evils of the NDC's of yesteryears, which normally offer a tangible reason for political misfits, but professionals in a field, to dabble into politics, they becoming worse than the accused in the end.
The NPP seem to embed themselves in a delusive cocoon, believing that the people's apathy for the NDC is forever. They then think they can persist in their reprehensible acts with impunity. Though a sympathizer of the NPP, as often made clear, my foremost allegiance is to Ghana and the collective interest of Ghanaians but not to any one individual, a group of people, a tribe or a party, at the expense of the good and welfare of the masses. I will therefore not hesitate to point out one's mistakes in the hope of exacting corrections for the better. For however the intensity of the people's animosity, possibly cutting through bones as it may be, towards the NDC, it will sooner thin out, becoming even not skin deep, should the NPP fail to subject herself to total reformation and transformation of character for the better.
How often has bad governance, especially corruption and favouritism, not cited as justification for the overthrow of elected governments in the history of Ghana by the Armed Forces, rearing their ugly heads in the political scene? The Convention People's Party (CPP) of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was overthrown in February 1966 by the Military junta, National Liberation Council (NLC) of Kotoka, Afrifa and Ankrah, for been absolute dictatorial, needlessly throwing his political opponents into prison, spending Ghana's money on ambitious Pan African projects. While the Ghanaians felt the pinch of it in their pockets and lifestyle, still Nkrumah noticed not the adverse affect of his policies on Ghanaians because of his overzealousness in the execution and realization of his perceived dreams, Africa unity and he, ruling Ghana onto death. Anyway, he was a charismatic leader with far reaching sight, able to read into the future to see what was best for Ghana and Africa. Hence, his relentless forward ever pursuit of his envisioned policies without heeding the masses' cries, distractions and bickering, for he believed in "the majority is not always right" philosophy.
The Progress Party (PP) of Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia was kicked out of office in 1972 by the Acheampong's Supreme Military Council (SMC).The Busia's government was accused of political corruption rampant among government officials, infighting among them, insecurity visited upon the country by robbers with the government virtually ineffective combating them, and failing to deliver on their promises. Busia's administration was barely two to three years in office, the accusation stuck though, Busia as a person, had better plans to rescue Ghana from the near-perpetual relegation to the periphery of economic emancipation, kicked in and out at the whims of the developed nations. His followers in government were the devils hence, the downfall and overthrow of the PP government.
The "SMC 11" of Akuffo dethroned the Acheampong's "SMC 1" of which he was still a member, in what came to be known as a "Palace coup d'etat" when the flagrant abuse of power, corruption, could no longer be entertained by the general public. The "SMC 11" though was in the process of handing over the reins of government to a civilian government, it was overthrown by the Boakye Djan and Rawlings' Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) junta, uprising of junior army officers on 4th June 1979, same accusations levelled up against them in addition to what they told at the National Reconciliation Committee (NRC).
The Limann's People's National Party (PNP) administration was short-lived, kicked out in 1981 by same Rawlings metamorphosing into Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), intimating that the government was corrupt beyond imagination and repair, which was a fact.
However, all the purported Saviours in Khaki uniforms always surpassed the accused in the very vices they accused them of. The Rawlings' AFRC/PNDC/NDC administrations are unprecedented in the history of Ghana regarding intransigencies, abuses, corruptions, political murders, with a total combination of the faults of which their accused were painted in and executed for, in political witch hunt. They were worse off actually, said, without mincing words.
Have the NPP learnt and taken a cue from the history of change of governments in Ghana by usurpation, very well? No! By their prevalent despicable acts, the stench of which reaches to the sky, are beckoning for trouble. They are slinging mud at the people, underestimating their intelligence, taxing their patience and fortitude, biting the very finger that feeds them; surely, a bloody nose awaits them sooner if they don't reverse gear; discontinue the journey of corrupt-destination in pursuit in fifth gear.
"It hurts to tell the truth but in the end, it brings comfort". Not desiring to be an inimical critic or a pervert attempting to add fuel to the near-saturated highly flammable situation in the country any further, fearing the consequent cataclysmic explosion of the time bomb situation ticking off at crescendo, I will advise those parading the corridors of power to go back to learn the history of our political upheavals very well. The intentional figurative deafness, blindness, callousness and nonchalance of the government to the allegations of all sorts against the government functionaries, will predictably pull the strings, triggering off the upward surge of neutrons to collide with the protons, sparking off fatal lightning strikes that will burn and claim many victims. It is a fact that corruption is rife in the government yet, the President claims otherwise. He thinks by investigating and punishing the culprits is going on a wild goose chase hence, naively demanding documentary proof of such allegations prior to undertaking any investigations of any sort.
The NPP government like her immediate predecessor get sick and edgy at the sight of the truth, throwing up the contents of their distended bowels, manifestly in anger and formulation of silly excuses in a bid to exonerate them, justify their actions or ward off their accusers. The President has just unfortunately decided to bury his head in the sand like the Ostrich, assuming all is well, not wanting to know about what goes on around him. By this untoward attitude, he could well be accused of corruption himself. For it is a foregone conclusion that "the elderly person at home who sits by unconcerned when children consume snake is himself eventually counted as a snake eater".
Really, Ghanaians are often taken for fools by those entrusted with power. If the President's assertion is anything to go by, why then his government and NPP's difficulty and edginess at accommodating the honesty, frankness and selfless determination of the NPP MP of Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Hon. P.C. Appiah Ofori to weed out the corrupt practices in the Party and the government? He has by his actions incurred their wrath, then relieved of his chairmanship on a committee. Why he was not offered the platform to graphically reveal with proof the corrupt nature of the Central Regional Minister Hon. Isaac "Hercules" Edumadze, when he endeavoured to? This speaks volume about how corrupt both the Party and the government are. He is though, reminiscent of "a lone tree that cannot withstand the ferocity of the wind" or "one tree that cannot make a forest", thus singularly cannot effect the desired corrupt-free outlook in government, I still give him a nod of the head and a tap on the shoulder, to forge ahead with his noble aim. He is overtly endearing himself to all the right thinking Ghanaians, thereby placing himself in a better position for a higher office in future. Anyone doubting this prediction should read about how Boris Yeltsin was able to ascend the Russia presidency.
It is quite derisory on the part of the President to believe that his inaction in the form of muteness in the face of mounting allegations of corruptions, inefficiencies etc; against his party and government can be translated into, "silence is wisdom and patience is virtue". No, it is not." Run silent, run deep". Ghanaians are far too old to yield to such pretentiousness. Though the President is not the author of hardships as he claims his office demands that he finds solutions to problems, not to dodge them with preposterous statements.
As the wages of sins is death, so is the wages of political misdemeanour or felony in Ghana a coup d'etat.The only way to avert it lays in our politicians living honest and exemplary lives worthy of emulation; anything questionably short of that is a catastrophe.
The NPP failing to institute discipline and turning a new corrupt-free leaf will be swept off their feet in any next general elections. They failing again to deliver on their policies and promises; failing to accept to serve their nation in any capacity, but each aspiring for the presidency hence, neglecting the current demands of their offices, but putting in place campaign strategies for 2008 sooner, will culminate in their demise. It is also the turn of the present Vice-President to head the NPP for the Presidency in 2008, irrespective of what those considering themselves as NPP heavy weights may think, unless he decides not to. Surely, he is not twice a Vice President only to help win the votes of a section of the population. Is he?
I would rather prefer a new breed of honest, sincere and faithful politicians in the country's political arena. Not the regrouping of the same old corrupt ones under a new political banner, surfacing to perpetuate same stupid acts.
We need people like Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Hon. MP P.C. Appiah Ofori, and one Kofi Boadi of Kumawu Abotanso, Police Divisional Commander Paul Avuyi, who I can vouch for their sincerity, honesty and corrupt-free lifestyles, to lead the nation. Such honest people are always kept at arms length by the dishonest ones that chance to be at the helm of the country's political and economic affairs. There is also a young adult of 16, an orphan, though intending to do medicine at a University in Paris; she is noted for her political acumen far exceeding most of the Ghanaian politicians. One will be amazed to see this lad prescribing solutions to Africa's ailments which if adhered to, will extricate us from the self inflicted negativities and dooms.
Governments must be held to account when they renege on the principles for which they were voted. If Ghanaians are going to vote NPP again, they should want to know their views are being researched and represented. Finally on the day of reckoning they should bear in mind that they can run but they cannot hide. Is it much ado about nothing? I'm afraid not. The NPP relishing in using the tyrannically committed evil acts of the NDC as a yardstick, to relatively become the lesser evil whose crimes pale into insignificance, is as evil as the word evil. They should do things which will not give them up to ridicule; identify themselves with the suffering masses.
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"It does not belong to he who is leading to direct their steps". The NPP should heed this advice of warning be it destructive or constructive criticism. Benjamin Franklin, once the President of the USA, said, "Our critics are our friends because they show us our faults"." A word to the wise is sufficient".
Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.