By Kit Yawson
Election 2016
Ghanaians are going to the polls this Wednesday 7th December,2016, to elect a new government that shall take over the administration of our country from 2017 to 2020. Care must be taken to choose a credible, competent and efficient leader to champion the cause of our dear nation.
The electorate are advised against voting on tribal, religious or parochial lines. We no longer need promisers to lead us but we need a leader with a proven and practical track record and an incorruptible person who shall be a servant rather than master of the people.
Past and present leaders
Other rulers, past and present; President Kwame Nkrumah, Prime Minister Busia, Presidents Hilla Limann, J. J. Rawlings, J.A. Kufuor, J.E. Atta Mills and now J.D. Mahama, then of course, punctuations of Military rulers; N.L.C; NRC; SMC and AFRC. These leaders have set the pace for us and the mandate of the next Government of Ghana would be to continue from where the last of these predecessors would leave.
Incredibly, our nation has stalled in the developmental agenda and there is a great need to accelerate the growth of our economy by a level-headed group of people who are proactive, willing to listen to the needs of the people, and have the ability of turning our misfortunes into fortunes, thus, making the best of a bad situation through decisive leadership which can be found in no other person than Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom (a.k.a Edwumawura) and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).
Prospects
Getting close to 60 years of political independence, we could have accelerated the process of development against the background of the rich natural resources at our disposal which other nations can only dream about, namely timber, gold, manganese, cocoa, bauxite, agricultural products, oil and gas. There is the need to add value to these natural resources via introduction of relevant manufacturing bases, thereby creating thousands of jobs for the high rates of unemployment in the country. We have been exporting our raw materials to the developed world to add values to them only for us to import them back into the country.
Challenges of the people
Incredibly, our country has been classified as a matured democracy by the developed, or if you can permit me to say “civilised world”. For this reason, the United Kingdom Government has decided to withdraw its annual grant of £4,000,000 (four million pounds’ sterling) to support of the process of our development into a full fletched democracy with effect from the beginning of 2017. In my opinion we are nowhere near maturity as a nation, let alone being democratic for loads of reasons you and I are aware of.
Travelling through the Tarkwa/Nsuaem constituency on the campaign trail I have experienced small towns and villages that lack some necessities like good roads, public toilets, schools, electricity, public libraries, community centres and worst of all school children would walk at least 2 (two) hours from the village of Mile five to the nearest town just to attend school and return home; thus, no less than 4 (four) hours travelling time. These villagers desperately need mini bus public transport to address this problem but help never came to them.
The irony of it all is that there has been an NPP member of Parliament in this area for 16 (sixteen) years. If you could imagine that NDC administration is in charge with the added problems of the District Assembly members belonging to an opposing political party, not forgetting that the District Chief Executive is an NDC appointee, reasons can be assigned to the lack of development in these areas.
In all these, there were NDC and NPP posters on buildings in the village, courtesy of the upcoming elections. The villagers told us point blank of the gifts they had received from the big parties before the PPP Team got there. Our message for the villagers was to vote for the PPP so we can take their plight on board in the House of Parliament.
TIME FOR A POSITIVE CHANGE
Moving on, now is the time for Ghanaians to say we have had enough of the current administration and that there is the need for a change in the direction that our nation is going. Old dogs cannot learn new tricks and it goes without saying that the only political party that has ruled Ghana more than any other political party is the NDC. We are aware of countless number of malfeasances under the NDC administration and these have not been entirely resolved. The excuse is that these matters are in the law courts.
However, moving the clock back, the founder of the NDC, from AFRC and PNDC eras, the Junior Jesus days and let the blood flow days may be things of the past. But has the NDC administration learnt anything from those old days? We have officials in NDC administration today who were students chanting Junior Jesus and the rest of it.
What would they say in 2016, by 4th June,1979 standards? One would expect that a party formed by Flight Lt. J. J Rawlings would adhere to the powerful A.F.R. C. principles of Probity, Accountability and Transparency? Have they done that? If not, why not?
And so, what does the NDC administration take Ghanaians for when they muster up the impudence to ask Ghanaians for 4 (four) more years of “J.M Toaso” (JM Continue). Are they truly serious and would Ghanaians buy into this idea? Clearly, the NDC Administration has run out of ideas, lost its direction and needs to be retired for a new administration to take over to move the country forward.
The masses are yearning for a change and are therefore not willing to compromise or extend NDC’s lengthy rule, come 7th December,2016. Effectively, the swansong of “Mahama Toaso” (Mahama continue) must be changed to “Mahama Twa So” (Curtail it) and give way to Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and the Progressive Peoples’ Party (PPP). The only way to do so is for the electorate to vote for Dr. Nduom and our Parliamentary candidates.
No one political party is endowed to rule Ghana indefinitely and all we are saying is for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) to be given the chance to implement our Agenda for Change based on 4 (four) strong Pillars of Stewardship, Health, Education and Job Creation.
We are waiting in the wings to provide inclusiveness in governance, Ghanaian specialists whose talents would otherwise be wasted, no matter their political persuasions, women and the youth of the country and above all provide efficient, competent and incorruptible leadership that the nation so desires. We have a practical leader who is proactive and does things rather than promise. As a private man his Groupe Nduom has set up businesses all over the districts and regions. This is a leader who can ensure that the taxpayer’s funds are used efficiently.
Peace
Ghana is not planning civil wars, yet there have been so many calls for peace leading up to, during and after the general elections without considering the impression we are creating to the international community.
The truth is that our country shall never descend to the levels of Rwanda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Egypt, to name a few developing countries that have taken to wars to resolve their political differences and those wars have resulted in millions of lives lost in the process. I am proud to say that Ghana is not one of such countries. We have a culture of tolerance in that we inter-marry along religious, political and tribal lines although there are the odd pockets of skirmishes in a comparatively few places. No one is intending to go to war with each other.
As so many stakeholders are talking about peace running up to the elections the Police Service and our Armed Forces may work together to ensure peace throughout the election period and we have absolute confidence in our security service.
Finally, I urge you to make this election a Mission Possible for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) by voting for us. Please do not stay around the polling station area after voting nor would you get involved in any political argument. Stay safe and AWAKE.
