Election2012: My Impressions

“The calling to speak is a vocation of agony but we must speak: we must with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision”- Martin Luther King Jr.

The 2012 presidential and parliamentary poll has come and gone, leaving in its trail useful lessons for us as a country to learn so as to deepen our fledging democracy.

My very impression about the election was free, fair and transparent plus the peaceful manner in which it was conducted much to the admiration of both local and international observers.

Prior to 7December presidential and parliamentary election, poll after poll predicated it to be “too close to call” though most polls favored the ruling party. This consequently heightened the tension in the country. Electioneering campaigns were very vigorous with one party trying to undo the other with bread and butter issues. Sheer Propaganda and peddling of lies could not be ruled out entirely though. Coupled with this is a loud cacophony of noises on the airwaves.

 Though many Ghanaians were nervous about the peaceful nature of the polls; notwithstanding, the peace accord also known as Kumasi declaration initiated by the Asanteman Council and the National Peace Council to bind all the political parties to violence-free election.

However I have always believed Ghana could stand the test of time just as it did in 2008 election. The clarion call for peaceful polls by well meaning Ghanaians both at home and abroad including religious leaders and civil society groups was a step in the right direction.

It is my candid opinion that politics is not about do and die affair: Ghana is bigger than any political party and every effort must be made to maintain and sustain the relative peace the country is enjoying and every individual is free to carry out their legitimate businesses without let or hindrance. No matter how differing our views may be our collective will and incessant yearning for peace and unity must not be gambled with.

Let it be reechoed that the matters arising as the post election concerns are not out of place. It is not wrong to challenge the results of an election as we are witnessing now but the show of maturity, tact and professionalism in dealing with such an election dispute cannot be over emphasized.

Surprisingly, I have heard few people say even Obama could have won more votes but he was cheated. They say “voting machines in some parts of U.S diverted some votes intended for Barack Obama to that of Mitt Romney’s”

Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help myself but burst into a peal of laughter. May be, Obama would have made noise if the elections had not gone his way or perhaps refused to accept defeat graciously.

 

So if the United States of America with all its touted democratic credentials could record funny stories such as the one stated above, I will be pretending if I say our elections suffer no minor hitches.

The magnitude of the electoral hitches to me does not in any way affect the whole electoral process. After all there is no perfect democracy anywhere. Don’t get me wrong! This is not to suggest that we as a country should not pay attention to the logistic challenges that have bedeviled the process, necessitating the Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC) to extend the voting day into day two.

Whether we like it or not, the dais have been cast, a leader has been elected. What is quintessential is that once again the whole of African continent would continue to look up to us as a beacon of hope after having consolidated our democratic gains through the ballot box but not a barrel of gun.

However dissatisfied the losing side may be, they can only become satisfied if they remember that elections are not about them but the ordinary people.

It does not matter where our guns may be pointing, what matters is that we have a game to go home with. In moments like this when very few aggrieved individuals who are very fixated with gaining power at all cost are vandalizing, demonstrating sheer arrogance coupled with stabbing of ordinary Ghanaians wearing a particular political party T-shirt , it is only prudent that the law enforcement agencies proactively and decisively act to prevent further mayhem.

Interestingly enough, in the wisdom of our constitution framers, any aggrieved party in an election dispute, an avenue for seeking redress at the law court has been enshrined to seek justice whilst strengthening our democratic practice. The main opposition New Patriotic Party has indicated its readiness to challenge the results declared by the EC in court. This must not be seen as an attempt to scuffle the process but to test the provisions in the constitution. It does not serve anybody’s interest when people believe they have not been fairly treated by the system and can not find a way of addressing their grievances and the only way left for them is to resort to taking the law into their hands.

Moving forward, we have a country to build, aspirations to meet and dreams to achieve. When we cry over spilt milk we only allow others to figure out the shallowness of our imagination.

Congratulations Your Excellency John Dramani Mahama, president of Ghana.

Your victory indeed was well fought and well deserved.

Long live Ghana; long live H.E John Dramani Mahama

Nathaniel Ekue-Mensah

               ENOUGH WITH WAR DRUMS

“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or in the holy name of liberty or democracy?”

Mahatma Ghandi

Continuous vendetta whether openly or secretly would never heal the political bitterness that has shown its ugly head among the two political divides in this country.

Over and over again we have heard politicians making one promise or the other about their desire to eschew political vendetta when voted into power or in other cases we have seen politicians come to power and have vigorously pursued the agenda of political vendetta.

In any of the two instances above, they threw dust in the eyes of the people as though the confluence of the two does not lead to the same thing: Bitterness.

Koo let me inform you about the willy-nilly of the people you call your kin and kith. Who have with all scintilla of doubt caused you more pain than joy, their bickering, back biting and above all beating of war drum.

I have with great interest kept my watch over their affairs within the last few years and there is no denying the fact that both divide that is the elephant and the umbrella can not boast with chest high that the interest of this beloved country lay above theirs.

Anytime they have the opportunity to let your kinsmen know what new they seek power to implement, they throw it to the dogs, rather; they would spew insults and agitations on each other.

My worry is not about the largesse they would amass for themselves or perhaps had amassed for themselves but what would become of Nkrumah’s Ghana if war were to break out today.

Koo the sweetness of a fruit is in the eating.

That is to say, our brothers and sisters who have experienced war before on the continent tell me that it was not a pleasant endeavor.

Speak to anybody from Liberia or Sierra Leone or even recently chaos torn cote devoir and you would always be told they wished it had never happened.

So as I stated earlier if politicians or politricians as many Ghanaians wish to call them this days decide to empty the tax payers money into their individual accounts the law must be allow to take its cause.

But again my problem is with war. War is one human occurrence that is easy to start but in my opinion very difficult to end. One man to me can easily start war but the question is can one man easily create peace?

There are a lot of things that unite us as a country than divide us. Talk of our divergent cultures like Homewo, Hogbetsotso, Akwasidae, etc that attract a lot of foreigners coming to just watch us entertain and make merry within ourselves.

Our natural resources: cocoa, timber, gold, salt, and now oil would all depend on each one of us to push the nation forward. So you see the north have some natural resources to boast about like wise the south, hence the adage ‘unity is strength’ still hold.

Koo the moment we begin to beat war drums and chant songs that lead to increasing tension and agitation then we are shooting ourselves in the foot.

The damaging effect of this phenomenal on our country is not only in direct reference to our political and democratic system but has a serious implication on our economy as well.

People would lose their jobs, investors would hesitate in coming to invest, foreign aid could seize, remittances from abroad might not come at all and a lot more could happen to the economy.

Come to think of it koo, our institutions are still grappling with strengthening themselves and operating free from political influence as a result they are punched at any given opportune time with carrying their pay masters instructions even when it is obvious they are genuinely executing their constitutional mandate.

Political commitment towards strengthening these institutions is paramount yet it is not a priority of political office holders.

As the elections are fast approaching, Koo it is my prayer that every stakeholder in this country including you would live above reproach so as to preserve the long held accolade of a peaceful republic within the sub region.

Nathaniel Mensah.

niiequaye@yahoo.co.uk

CHORTLING AT THE IDIOSYNCRASIES WITHIN THE STATE.

. As i would not be a slave, I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy ABRAHAM LINCOLN

 I have with all respect had less interest in the whole hullabaloo surrounding the cocaine turn baking soda scandal.

This is not as though am not a true patriot of the land but as an ordinary Ghanaian, I have no choice but to be fade up with state institutions who have refused to learn from their flaws and justify the trust repose in them but rather keep repeating the same mistakes.

Few years ago if you remember a similar incidence occurred under the leadership of the gentle giant and I vividly remember the attacks and criticisms that the government and the police service received. I know your memory is not short lived hence you would not be happy if I have to recount the whole saga that accompanied those missing cocaine parcels.

The story today is not far different form what happened some few years ago. So I keep asking myself whether we are serious as a nation.

As you might have heard or read in the media already, the later days of the year 2011 was a dramatic one not even leaving out the early part of this year.

Firstly, the two reports submitted by the chief justices committee and the bureau of national investigation “BNI” are reported to have pointed fingers at the police service. Mind you I say reported to have pointed fingers because as I write I am yet to grab my fists upon the two reports and believe you me I would certainly do that and get you more details of the two reports.

I am very sure you are also not concluding by now that the police service has questions to answer with regards to whereabouts of the cocaine turn baking soda.

Interestingly, the police service have swiftly organized a press conference where they spilled out several flaws within the two reports subjecting them to public ridicule promising GH¢ 50,000 rewards for any one with information with regard to the scandal.

Personally, I see that to be an insult on our intelligent as Ghanaians since nobody follows the police officers to and from their exhibit control rooms or unless they want the spouses and children of the officers to come out and “chook” their spouses.

  For me, I beg to differ with the police service on this one. But come to think of it, what is it with GH¢ 50,000 this days? 50,000 for bail, 50,000 for reward, 50,000 alleged to bribe the judge handling the case.

Secondly, the argument being put out by the defense counsel for Nana Ama Martins the lady accused of possessing drugs that the substance intercepted by the security service few years ago at the airport is not cocaine can only be thrown to the dogs.

The question which borders my mind as a Ghanaian is whether or not her counsel doe not know this for the past three years that they have been wasting their time in court until now.

So again, the past few weeks had another interesting controversy about a judgment debt totaling GH¢ 52 million or so paid wrongly to a businessman alleged to be a financier of the ruling National Democratic Congress.

But one thematic issue yet to be established is whether Mr. Alfred Woyome the said businessman has a contract with the state and this yours truly is still waiting for the outcome of investigations that the President has ordered.

You will be surprised to hear that even though it was the elements in opposition New Patriotic Party that drew the nation’s attention to the woyogate scandal, they have virtually refused to appear before the Economic and Organized Crime Office (E.O.C.O) to assist in investigating the issue leaving them very suspicious.

Not long ago a minister of state at the ministry of Attorney General and Justice Mr. Martin Amidu was fired after making a very gargantuan statement about a colleague minister who is frustrating his efforts to unravel the mystery behind the woyogate scandal.

As if that was not enough, the iron lady minister highly admired by even me and hugely condemned by the opposition and some section of the media madam Betty Mould-Iddrisu Ghana’s first female attorney general and minister of justice and now education minister has tendered in her resignation letter.

These are indeed interesting developments that needs to be watch without a blink of an eye. And as to whether they are nemeses which are likely to be an albatross around our necks only time could tell.

SOURCE:  NATHANIEL MENSAH

WWW.NATMENSAH.BLOGSPOT.COM/ NIIEQUAYE@YAHOO.CO.UK

NO SHOW! MR SENIOR JOURNALIST OR EDITOR

“Journalists aren’t supposed to praise things. It’s a violation of work rules almost as serious as buying drinks with our own money or absolving the CIA of something” P.J O’Rourke

The infamous presidential forum for editors and senior journalists in the country by and large is becoming a culture that could become a very meaningful practice within the Ghanaian political landscape.

Three years down the streak, the interruption with senior journalists and editors by the president have greatly improve over the years as without any doubt it help strengthen the democratic tenets of the country.

Barely would a journalist be it senior or junior have the opportunity to pose daring questions to a president more especially within our political system where bureaucracy and autocratic leadership has become the order of the day coming in handy with a lot of frustration.

Further more, presidents meeting with the press personally I think should be the neck cracker to fortifying the accountability scenery of our state institutions of which the executive arm of government fall.

Holding public officials accountable is very paramount to spiraling the sanctity of governance at all levels as it put the system on its toes.

According to best practices, journalists have as part of their role in a state to ensure checks and balances not withstanding their conventional role as the fourth arm of the realm.

Are Ghanaian journalists losing focus of their basic mandate or it’s just a share fantasy of glimmering in the title of senior journalist or editor?

One thing which has continually baffled me is whether the Ghanaian journalist is conscious of what defines him as a journalist or it’s just a duty of serving as a share political publicist.

The last time some journalists had the chance to interrupt with the president, the outcome was a disaster with many Ghanaians criticizing not the people who asked the questions but the nature and manner most of the questions were posed to the president eliciting irrelevant answers as a result of irrelevant questions.

My wonder is whether these senior journalists continue to let the ordinary Ghanaian down as a result of failure to do enough research or mere negligence. Is it proper to conclude that what we are witnessing is a reflection of how they do their job as watch dogs?

My beef is, if the media can let go of golden opportunities like the editors forum to ask more reflective questions such as what the government is doing to alleviate the many plights of Ghanaians like the recent fuel increase, the poor nature of roads in my village, no portable water, schools under trees etc. but have chosen to sing praises and timidly ignore the issues that worry the average Ghanaians, then the future of independent press and press freedom is at a risk.

As it is now, the opportunity is gone. We can only hope and pray that tomorrow present us with more of such editors forum with less of such errors from senior journalists.

The reality though is that many of such opportunities will present themselves in the future but the onus lies with the press to prove they deserve it and actually merit it.

Source: NATHANIEL MENSAH

www.niiequaye@yahoo.co.uk/www.natmensah.blogspot.com

A HUNGRY JOURNALIST IS AN ANGRY MAN

Recent media reports about an alleged attempt to bribe some journalists in the northern part of Ghana could have come at an appropriate time like this.

I anticipate a strong resentment to my introduction but one can not denied the fact that in a democracy like ours where fragility can not be sweep under the carpet anything is likely to happen.

Many a time we have seen and heard of calls on authorities in charge of journalists welfare especially the Ghana journalists association and media owners to prioritized their members and employees conditions of service but to no avail.

Over and again it has been reiterated that the media’s role in  a democracy can not be over emphasized hence a corrupt media could only be connected with a corrupt democracy.

My concern over the years right from journalism school to now a full fledge freelance journalist has always be about how we can safeguard the independent of the media in Ghana if there is any at all.

So my question with regard to the recent alleged buying of some journalists in the northern part of this country is whether has things fallen apart and the center can not hold?

Are our men and women entrusted to looking at the welfare of its people falling asleep instead of standing up to their task?

Least we forget, a hungry man is an angry man.

For me i would be very much taken aback if the Ghana journalist association would want to take any drastic  action to please members of the republic instead of working hard to avert its possible  future repurcation.

My worry however is that we must make hay while the sun shine, they must learn to turn their tide properly.

NATHANIEL MENSAH

A FREELANCE JOURNALIST BASED IN ACCRA
WWW.NATMENSAH.BLOGSPOT.COM/NIIEQUAYE@YAHOO.CO.UK