Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako says Ghana’s democracy has been reduced to mockery by the lack of seriousness on the part of some politicians.
The veteran journalist says there are some political parties and candidates who delight in creating jokes at the expense of critical national issues.
Speaking on the Joy FM/MultiTV’s news analysis programme Newsfile Saturday, Mr Baako said some of these candidates would be unable to stand the test of critical scrutiny on the very issues they are communicating to the public.
“They are too many, too many jokers out there,” he said.
Ghanaians will have 17 competiting candidates to choose a president from If the Electoral Commission (EC) does not disquality any of them in the coming days.
The 2012 election saw the disqualification of some politicals namely the National Democratic Party (NDP), the New Vision Party (NVP), Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), the Independent People’s Party (IPP), YES People’s Party and the Democratic Freedom Party for failing to do due diligence in the filling of their nomination forms.
Speaking to Joy News during the submission of her nomination form to the Commission, NDP flagbearer, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings said she had filled all the relevant sections of the form in order not to repeat what happened to the party four years ago.
Though sections of Ghanaians see some of them as serious enough to become president, they believe many of them are there for comic purposes.
With 58 days to the presidential and parliamentary election, flagbearers of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Akua Donkor and All People’s Congress (APC), Dr Hassan Ayariga have been singled out as two individuals who lessen the political tension in the country with their speeches and actions.
Speaking to some journalists in Accra last week during her introduction as the running mate of the GFP leader, Patricia Asante said she was 32. This triggered a reaction from Madam Donkor who said the original age of her running mate was 42. This went viral on social media especially Facebook.
Dr Ayariga was also taken on when during the delivering of highlights of the APC’s 2016 manifesto he mispronounced certain words such as serious. Some people took to social media particularly Facebook to mock at him.
Even though he admitted comic relief helps to release stress, Mr Baako said the repetitive nature wastes time that could have been used for something worthwhile.
The ace journalist resisted the pressure from Joy News’ Evans Mensah who hosted the show to mention some of the candidates he has labelled jokers.
“I’ve looked into the crystal ball and I can see many of them.”
“We need to bring some integrity to bear on the process to stop this thing about people running around launching their manifesto and going about,” he said.
“Democracy has room for jokers but not at the expense of serious things.”
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