Tuesday,
May 13, 2014
Of all opponents and critics of
the NDC (both as a political party and the government led by John Dramani
Mahama), none bare their teeth more than members of the New Patriotic Party
(NPP). They seize every opportunity to condemn the government as incompetent
and incapable of solving national problems.
The main spheres they concentrate
on are the economy, joblessness, and the consequent negative impact on the
lives of the people. Thus, they see nothing good to praise.
Cognizant of these issues, the
government has convened a National Economic Forum to collect and collate ideas
for management of the economy and invited the NPP to participate.
Unfortunately, the NPP turned down the invitation, citing reasons that have
shocked some of their own high-ranking officials. By abstaining, the NPP has
fallen on its own sword.
Its boycott of the event is
politically dangerous for its cause. On a larger level, it exposes the
immaturity or treachery of its leaders. The reasons adduced to buttress the
boycott are porous.
Ghana’s problems of
under-development didn’t crop up only under the Mahama-led administration.
Those who have their heads properly screwed on their torsos will be the first
to condemn the NPP for boycotting the National Economic Forum, for that matter.
I am happy that its own prominent
members such as Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, and others have risen
above their narrow NPP confines to make their voices heard at the shoddiness
entailed by this boycott.
Given the chance to participate in
the forum, the NPP-oriented participants won’t just step in to offer ideas on
what should be done to salvage the national economy; they will trace the origin
of the problems and pinpoint moments when specific governments failed to do
things right. They will definitely focus on the Mahama administration and jab
it for political capital. Thus, by boycotting this forum, the NPP leaders have
done a disservice to their own political cause and pushed their party into the
background as a nonentity.
At worst, they have denied
Ghanaians the opportunity to know what alternative measures they have for
tackling the country’s economic problems. The NPP has lost a golden opportunity
to bounce back into politics on a positive note!!
It is clear from this boycott
that the NPP is not ready to govern Ghana; and it will be shown the red card at
Election 2016. Those ready for governance seize every opportunity to register
their cause on the minds of the electorate.
More clearly, by boycotting this
forum, the NPP has reinforced apprehensions or suspicions that it is
ill-equipped to do the job of governance. Otherwise, what could compel it to
chicken out, having all this while boasted of having the “brains” to do what
the late Mills or Mahama-led administration has failed to do?
The problems that have pinned
Ghana down—and which have worsened living conditions—were not created by the
Mahama-led administration. They had been there and only reinforced by conditions.
One fact is that for as long as
the government of the day fails to solve pertinent national problems, it will
add to the existing ones that future governments will have to grapple with.
If the NPP really wants to wrest
power from the NDC government, it should be the first to recognize this fact
and position itself to deal with it by taking advantage of every opportunity to
make its case visible and heard. This national economic forum is too alluring
to be spurned; but in its characteristic “book” and “rogue” politics, the NPP
has lost it.
That is why its refusal to
participate in the forum geared at finding solutions to the economic problems
come across as ill-informed (if informed at all) and politically mischievous.
But it has a bitter repercussion. What does the NPP think it can do to solve
the problems that the John Mahama-led administration is creating? Participating
in the forum could give the NPP the chance to air such measures to shame the
Mahama-led administration.
But by boycotting it, the NPP has
lost the gamble and will pay dearly for it as it continues to be seen as a
party of idlers and lazy-thinking, empty braggarts.
Let's remember that what has
befallen Ghana under President Mahama has been accumulated over the years!! The
Mahama-led administration has implemented or failed to implement certain
measures; but the economic malaise persists. So, what is the explanation for it
all? How does the NPP see things differently?
Such questions can be answered by
the NPP if it participates in the forum; but it has chosen to cut off its nose
to spite its face and lost the gamble. What a pity!
I shall return…
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E-mail:
mjbokor@yahoo.com
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