The distribution of freebies to prospective voters has kick-started.
The ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), considers the approach a time-tested medium which it abandons to its electoral peril.
The trend which has gone on for a while now represents a blot on local politics, as it refuses to give way to best practices. There would be many who would allow their conscience to be bought by politicians. The bidders behind the conscience purchase believe that keeping the people, the source of votes, hungry and impoverished, is the best option to manipulate them as has been the practice for many years in illiteracy and poverty dominated societies.
It is appalling how the educated would exploit their less fortunate compatriots for electoral leverage.
Another way to achieve this diabolic objective is to keep education from as many people as possible especially in areas already suffering the effect of illiteracy.
Although the distribution of items is yet to peak, it is our anticipation that like it happened in Nigeria when desperate Goodluck Jonathan used this crude vote-seeking mechanism, the incumbent administration would empty the state kitty so it can spread the freebies across the nation: desperation being the impetus.
Some Ghanaians with forlornness lavishly etched on their countenances would collect the freebies and not reject the purchasing of their conscience.
As we advance in political age, the stupidity and crudeness of allowing our conscience to be bought by selfish politicians is becoming glaring to us.
In the not-too-distant future, such uncanny distribution when elections are around the corner would be considered not only anathema but offensive. When you offer cooking utensils and smoked fish to households three months to the next elections, you do not accord the recipients any deference.
Pictures of women lined up with shining utensils and NDC labels embossed are becoming prominent in the campaigns of the NDC. Juxtapose these with pictures of sacks of semolina and rice in Nigeria with the images of Goodluck Jonathan in the heat of the former President’s expensive campaign and the similarities cannot be overlooked.
In Nigeria, we heard about how some traditional rulers received whopping amounts of money but refused to give the required backing to the PDP, the then ruling party.
Governments resort to this crude tactics only when they are unsure of their stewardship at the helm and dread the marching orders of the people.
Fishermen have been given outboard motors so they can come along with the JDM train. Politics done in this fashion is not only inappropriate but triggers questions about the source of the funds for the frivolities. When the government does not have a great integrity, such occupations prompt deep thoughts and remind the people of previous acts of looting of the public kitty.
The First Lady has been busy of late as she partakes in the distribution of the freebies: she has specialized in dealing with women’s stuff such as hairdryers and others: her headlines making the pages of many newspapers. Whither Ghanaian politics?