The crux of the matter is the phenomenon of money changing hands in Ghana’s politics is too much for comfort. That is the crux of the matter. It may well be that Boakye Agyarko did not dole out GHC3,000.00 to each of the 10 Minority members. It, of course, is possible that the minister-designate gave the money to the National Democratic Congress members on the Appointments Committee for whatever reason. The fact still remains that too much money is given to undeserving people to influence them when a decision has to be made in Ghana’s – and indeed – Africa’s politics.
Don’t you know that African country in which it is practically a norm that the Federal finance minister sends emissaries to negotiate with senators and other reps of the people on how much bribe they will accept before approving the minister’s annual budget? In another West African country, the approval of the sale of majority shares in the state’s telecom company was frustrated until each and every honourable Member of Parliament was given US$5,000.00. Either presidential candidate of the two major political parties spends hundreds of millions of Ghana Cedis as goodwill and inducements every election year before winning or losing the polls. As a candidate for Parliament, if your constituency happens to be a stronghold of your political party, your primary election contest is a hard matter of dollars, pounds and euros. Those vying in not so-safe constituencies spend an average of GHC500,000.00 at the main electioneering, according to some informed estimates.
If you thought the MP-ship is coveted and that is why the high price, wait till I have told you about assembly election costs. Printing and filing of posters; printing and distribution of T-shirts; house-to-house campaigns and so-called ways and means cost some assembly-member applicants over GHC50,000.00 each. Don’t bother asking me about unit committee members; it is the same hazard, albeit on a smaller scale. Student Representative Council elections in all the tertiary and even second-cycle schools are now a matter of the highest bidder.
The heart of the matter is that Ghana’s politics is galloping to become too expensive to sustain. It is becoming too expensive to reflect the true will of the people. There is no doubt that our local assemblies, national legislatures and batches of executive have enlisted some of the finest brains this land has produced. There is no gainsaying the fact that there are thousands with even finer brains and competencies who could have contributed but stay clear because of the corruption and rough tactics rife in Ghana’s politics. In this and several other democracies, there are four tiers of school graduates. The very best students enter Engineering, Architecture, Medicine, Aeronautics and a few others. The second class go into administration and so have control over the first class. The third group goes into politics and control both the administrators and the engineers etc., who stayed longer at school to rack their brains. There is a fourth and lowest stratum: school dropouts, the underworld, drug barons and crooked businesspeople. This class – because of their money, influence and sheer numbers – controls those in government, administrators and highly skilled technocrats.
Coming soon in this column…
Ghana Today has consciously stayed off the merits and demerits of the accusation by the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to the effect that Energy Minister-designate, Boakye Agyarko, gave each and every member of the NDC on Parliament’s Vetting Committee cash to influence them to approve of his nomination. Ghana Today is deliberately avoiding commenting on whether Mr. Agyarko is guilty or not guilty. A committee of competent jurisdiction, or the continuing public discourse, will hopefully unravel the matter sooner or later. It is when the lizard catches a bellyache and lies prostrate that what has remained in the dark will be brought to bear. When it has been established that the Ablakwa allegation has merit or is baseless, this column will go to equal lengths to have a discussion with you, Cherished Reader. Indeed, we do have a date on the whole vetting business: origins, essence, deviations and universal best practices. But, save that till we can take a bird’s eye view of what is currently happening in Prof. Michael Aaron Ocquaye Senior’s 7th Parliament of the Fourth Republic. Suffice it to maintain that Ghana’s politics is becoming too much of a moneycracy and it is the reason real or perceived corruption associated with political office is now almost a daily allegation.
Too many people are suffering. Too many people are dying. Few people get everything, while so many people get absolutely nothing. In paraphrasing Black Reggae icon, Jimmy Cliff, I’m preaching to my fellow countrymen and women: Let us remake Ghana’s politics. Let us weed out the canker of corruption. And, if I may borrow a more current catchphrase from Hussein Obama; Yes, we can! Former National Democratic Congress National Organiser, Yaw Boateng Gyang, is on record to have admitted to listeners of Accra-based Ok FM on Tuesday, January 31, 2017 morning that bribery abounds in Ghana’s elections and allied activities. Some woes and lamentations of Sir John of the New Patriotic Party in the recent past suggested that delegates may milk an aspirant, give him or her firm assurances and yet swerve to another candidate. Candidate Agyekum Kufuor, in the run-up to the 2000 election, drew attention to the urgent need for more state support for parties and candidates contesting for political office. That need has become more urgent than ever before.
To get the public to support parties and candidates, politicians must beat a decent retreat from the real and perceived corruption that dogs them incessantly. To make the meagre public contributions useful in our body politic the extravagance, graft and plunder in politics have to be drastically scaled down, if not completely eradicated. To make the refining of Ghana’s and Africa’s politics a success, deterrent penal measures should be enforced alongside the sermons and warnings. What conscience has this nation, if it jails pickpockets up to 40 years but turn a blind eye on politicians who give or take bribes to the tune of millions?
It may sound odd. But, it is entirely possible. A conference of the New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, Progressive People’s Party etc., focused solely on the eradication of bribe giving and taking. An inter-party sanitisation committee at work. Let them publicise their deliberations and decisions widely, and, you will be overwhelmed by the kind of public acclaim and support they will enjoy. That is when we will begin to also talk about creating an even and fair playing field for all candidates and parties. That is when we can start looking at modalities for public support for political parties. That is when you are sure the principled and competent will be attracted into politics.
The axiom is that, if you think education is too expensive, try ignorance. My sequel is that, if you think stopping corruption in our politics is too idealistic, try allowing it to fester. We stand a real risk of our politics becoming too prohibitive to sustain. Our politics stand the risk of imploding. Let us stitch it before it tears beyond repairs. The whole essence of Parliament is to make laws and appropriations to ensure equal rights and justice. The whole essence of the Executive is to execute policies, projects, and programmes for ease of live in society. If those who initiate laws, those who approve them and those who enforce the laws themselves are unruly and incorrigible; may God save this country. Surely, there are many decent-minded people in politics. Certainly, there are many people in this country petrified by the dishonesty taking centre-stage in Parliament, the Executive and Legislature. Let no one plead that there is corruption in America and Britain. Let us maintain that corruption is eating away our very survival and resolve to uproot it. Let our leaders aspire to eschew corruption. Let us the voters shun their corruptible offers and give our mandate solely on the grounds of merit. Even if we are encircled by corrupt nations, let us stand out to be counted. Else, this democracy, our democracy, will sooner or later implode. Think about that!
By Ghana Today with A. C. Ohene
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