Friday,
June 13, 2014
Folks, do you
recall the NPP’s senile Joseph Henry Mensah’s ill-wish for the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) when it lost the 2000 elections? I do: “In a year or
two of the NPP government under Kufuor, the NDC will be dead!”
J.H. Mensah
himself is closer to death today than the NDC is. Who has heard anything from
him over the past 8 years? No mortal being can cheat Nature; but political
parties outlive their founders if properly managed.
None of the
diabolic meausres implemented by the NPP administration harmed the NDC. It
survived the whirligig and bounced back to torment the NPP at Elections 2008
and 2012 and will continue to do so for as long as the NPP refuses to face
reality to know that its “rogue” politics is anachronistic and won’t win it
political power.
The factors that
prompted the formation of the NDC are still relevant to contemporary Ghanaian
politics and will continue to prop it up as the party with the most widespread
national appeal. The NPP is a tribal cabal nourished by nothing but a
holier-than-thou coloration that repels instead of attracting Ghanaians
across-the-board. If you don’t agree with me, you have the benefit of your own
doubt; but just take a good look at the pattern of voting to know why only two (Ashanti
and Eastern) out of the country’s 10 administrative/political regions go for
the NPP. Even then, the NDC gets good votes from there, which confirms its wide
appeal.
Because it is
viable, the NDC has chalked 22 years and deserves commendation for coming into
its own and resisting all kinds of pressure to remain vibrant and viable. It
has proved its haters wrong and will continue to do so as long as it remains potent.
It straddles all the disparate political camps, attracting support from
pro-Nkrumahists and Danquah-Busiaists. Forget about the “Dombo” after thought
here. Otherwise, why has the NPP’s Bawumiah continued to lose in his own
hometown and constituency at Elections 2008 and 2012? Northerners won’t fall
for liars and hypocrites (“Kabonga”)!!
To bolster
itself, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken a giant step to
regularize its membership parameters and to ensure that it remains viable. It
has introduced a biometric membership card, which President Mahama launched at
a National Executive Council meeting in Accra.
I am gratified
at this innovative approach toward membership drive and wish that the exercise
will be conducted properly in all crannies and nooks of the country. I agree
with President Mahama's claim that the new card will help the party to easily
identify its members in good standing. And his assertion that the move makes
the party the most mordernised party in the country is unquestionable.
(A desperate
Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings has just re-launched her fiasco of a National
Democratic Party. People like her need to be told that they will do themselves
a world of good if they swallow their foolish pride and return to the NDC that
gave them the exposure that they are abusing. Tearing themselves apart on this
kind of wild goose chase has made them the butt of public scorn).
As General
Mosquito also said, members of the party are to pay a token amount to defray
the cost incurred in producing the cards.
According to him,
the biometric registration process has been conducted in eight out of the ten
regions with most advanced areas being Western Region where 44,000 cards have
been printed and 18,000 distributed.
In the Northern
Region, he said 80,000 out of 150,000 cards have been printed.
The Chairman of
the Biometric Registration Committee, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said although they
received international proposals the system they adopted is home-grown.
Coming at a time
that the critics and opponents of the NDC administration are moving heaven and
hell to cause disaffection for it, this measure should guide the party in
assessing its strength nationwide. Then, it can do things to remain viable.
Beyond this
biometric card, though, the need exists for the party's leaders to work in the
interest of the party and country and not the self. Too much exists to suggest
that they are self-centred, which demoralizes the party's followers.
Party work
demands sacrifices. Those who do the trench work (foot-soldiers) have been
complaining for long that they have been neglected. The leaders must
"grow" the party by making it attractive.
One area that
they need to consider is funding. Though some rich members of the party may be
willing to provide funds and resources to boost party work, it is important
that the party itself be retooled through commercial ventures. Once registered
as an entity, the party can embark on commercial ventures to provide resources
for itself and be self-supporting.
I have in mind
such commercial activities as transportation (taxi and cross-country
transportation), which will also create job openings for party members. Other commercial
activities (such as agricultural production) can be considered for investment.
There are many opportunities for the party to establish itself to become
self-supporting. It needs only bold steps to be taken as such.
As the party
prepares for its delegates conference on October 24, it is imperative that its
leaders reach out to the members who have been embittered by the government's
inability to solve problems, which has angered segments of the population and
will make their electioneering campaign tasks difficult.
There is much
despondency, which has to be addressed expeditiously. The leaders must also
listen to the party's followers so they can work together instead of tearing at
each other's throat. Party work must not be reduced to a "one-man-show".
Beyond this
biometric card, the party's leaders and followers need to intensify their
membership drive and reach out to those who are needed to grow the party.
The NDC must be
properly managed to grow and remain vibrant and viable. Only then will it
continue to be the nemesis for the Danquah-Busia camp, having already dislodged
the pro-Nkrumahist camp to become Ghana's foremost formidable political force.
As Ghanaian
politics continues to be full of nonsense (thanks to the late A.A Munufie’s
observation), only those political parties that know how to adapt to changing
times will attract massive following. The NDC knows how to do so and must
continue to preen its feathers so as to remain beautiful on the political
horizon to boost its membership. Those stuck on “rogue” politics can do all
they want.
I shall return…
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E-mail:
mjbokor@yahoo.com
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