When osagefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah led the civil revolution that emacipated Ghana from the control of the, never did he envisage the destiny that awaited him and is homeland. Afer the overthrow of nkrumah’s regime, Ghana was plagued with sociopolitical instabilities that marred the beauty of our new found freedom. However stability was restored with the ushering in of the fourth republic. The country decided to embrace the utopian idealogies of multiparty democracy.
Democracy conceptually ought to give power to the people. Unfortunately the establishment of Ghana’s democratic principles in the fourth republic were embedded on deep rooted ethnocentric partisan political affiliations. The ghanaian society refuses to recognized that ghana has never been united as a nation should be. Every facet of life has been consitently and unabatedly politicized. Democracy which we practised in essence has metamorphosized into kleptocracy and the political elite have the capacities and capabilities the hold the country captive.
Our culture seems to be incapable of assimilating the basic principles of democracy. Intolerance at least at the political level has become the norm of the day. Day in day out, stories of clashes at political events are being reported by the media. Yet as a sleeping giant we are, we turn blind eye to the looming and insidious political political instability that beckons us.
For the past couple of decays ghana has held successful elections which saw power alternating between the two political parties. However during the electioneering periods, the country is always subject to an invisible hand of anxiety. People are always afraid of the outcomes of elections as far as violence is concerned. We always hear about our African neighbors experiencing conflicts as a result of elections, yet we pretend and assume to be immune to such skermishes. Is any country really immune to political instabilities?
Few days is left before we go to the polls to elect our new leader. There is not a day that passes by without we hearing of attacks at political health walks. Everyday the media covers stories clashes that take place between npp and ndc followers. Some Journalists are also responsible for some of this clashes be that the provide platforms for disparaging comments.
How can we as a nation feel safe when a day does not go by without the main opposition party accusing the electoral management body of trying to commit electoral crimes. The npp had 8 solid years to establish a robust identification system. Yet because they wanted to exploit the loops in the system they keept to the status quo. Why did the npp government failed to initiate and complete constitutional amendment which would absolve the president from appointing EC commissioners? They failed to do the right things yet the thinks they can arrogated to themselves the moral authority to hold the country to ransom. The current government had also failed to unite the country. Can you call yourselves a leader when your country is soo much polarized? Politics and ethnocentricism has created an artificial demarcation in this country.
2016 presidential election would leave a scar in the annals of history of Ghana. Civil insurrection is not far from the shores Ghana. Are we ready to die for politicians? Are we ready to see the sould of this nation ravage by war? Arab spring came and gone yet ghana stood still. Maybe as a nation we yearn for a type of arab spring. According to surveys, 65 to 67% of our brothers and sisters expected this election to be marred with electoral voilence. People are scared because the witness daily the ugly side of ethnocentric politics. The preside John mahama and his main contender nana addo go about campaigning without making any substantial effort to asure us that the election would be peaceful.
In fact how can they asure as when the conscious keeps pricking them. Peace council and other CSOs provided a platform for the parties to sign a peace pact to show Ghanaians that we are united. What became of that? It never came fruition with the lousy excuse that they are busy.
To make matters worse members of one party threatened to deal with their leaders should they dare sign the peace pact. They claimed that they want justice not peace. Can justice resurrect the dead? Can it? We are always eager to blame the ndc government for the woes of this country.
However we forget that npp is also party of the elite system deliberately established to oppress and suppress we the people. For 8 solid years npp administration was incapable of establishing a permanent identification system.
That is where the problem comes from. How can the EC rig the elections if we had a good identification system that captures everybody, those who are Ghanaians, foreigners, under-age and even be able to capture those who are dead. We have not functioning database yet we claim to want a perfect electoral system.
We as a nation create problems for ourselves, then we come back procrastinating. Ghana is at a pivotal point in it life-course. If we succede in this election then there might be hope for the future. At least only for the next for years unless we are able to do serious introspective and introspective analysis of our state and do the necessary changes.
I am not a prophet of doom and destruction but rather a vulnerable young man who is concerned about my home land, the bosom of dr. Nkrumah. I feel that the a high possibility that this nation would be plunged into civil conflicts if some stakeholders find the outcomes to be unfavorable. Peace cannot be bought in makola market yet war, pain and suffering lurks in the hidden shadows of darkness, waiting for hatred to be birthed by ethnocentric politics. Ghana has not experience war before. The time has come to choose where we want to go. The only think I do as young man can do is to ask a simple questions. ARE WE READY FOR WAR OR DO WE WAR TO CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE TOGETHER.
King David Dzirasah
Unversity of Cape Coast
Department of Population and Health
Student
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