Voting For NDC Or NPP- What The 2004 Voter Should Know

Politics sometimes make my stomach turn and I often weep when those we think are supposed to know better, use the hopes and aspirations of the people to their own advantage .They present vague solutions to real problems and paint it as the best antidote to the puzzle. From the day the white explorers used the Bible to convince us they are angels and used half of our souls as slaves, our political leaders from the colonial era until today, have disappointed us and still do not have answers to the clue.

The 1970s saw the now infamous house cleaning by Armed Forces Revolutionary Council {AFRC} but what we have today is the same old story of the past. The Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) and its nephew National Democratic Congress (NDC), came up with a laudable but self fulfilling slogan ?Probity and Accountability? during the 1980s and 90s but when they were probed to answer questions on the Aveyime rice project; the Exim bank $1 million issues, they termed it witch hunting. Now, you put pen to paper and you don?t even know what to write because they don?t practice what they preach. The proponent of this slogan is not even helping matters after overseeing the citizens vetting committee, house cleaning with the Boakye Djan?s and others, is now trumpeting this old word witch hunting as it just happened four years ago. Messrs Kwame Peprah, Victor Selomey, are now doing time in prison because of the filth their supposed house cleaning leader failed to clean when he was the overall compound overseer.

Then came the down of the 21st century, when we thought it was going to be different with the emerging mantra of ?ZERO TOLERANCE? for corruption speech at the independence square on 7th January 2001. We thought a new day meant a new beginning and another chance to probe and be made accountable to the citizens of Ghana but what do we see today, a continuation of the old mistakes of the NDC. Whilst other countries like Uganda, Botswana and South Africa are concerned with curbing H.I.V, our politicians are using a CAF cup final match between two great teams that can be used as a unifying force, as a political tool to win votes. Sounds funny huh! I think the Kuffour led government will do a lot of Ghanaians good if they can explain why Mallam Issah, Kwame Peprah and Victor Selomey all served time or are serving time whilst Ben Kouffie and Alhaji Bamba walk around as free men. Ben Kouffie represented Ghana when he signed on Zivadinovich as head coach of the senior national team the Black Stars, this guy bolted with our money and now the ex-GFA capo walk around as a free man. Is this different from what Kwame Peprah and the like did? I think they all caused financial loss to the state and as such should be probed and if found guilty, do time. Bamba, it is alleged forged the president?s signature and was asked to resign. The logic is that since he resigned, it meant there must be an iota of truth in the whole affair. I think if Mr. Kouffie and Nyaho Tamakloe must all do time because they have caused financial loss to the state by signing on con-men as coaches, then Bamba shouldn?t be above the law if they are proved guilty.

My advice to the 2004 voter is that, they should or must vote on issues and for people who have proved to be credible and not people who want power to avenge or revenge for the mistakes of the past. If you think I am off track, analyze how the Hackman?s, Appraku?s respond to the antics of the ex-president and you will agree with me that there is a little bit of anger and revenge in their tone. Now the NDC wants a come back and the NPP want to continue. Let them answer this question ? A COME BACK FOR REVENGE OR CONTINUATION OF ABOVE THE LAW POLICY?.

Have a nice week and let?s read my next article ?PRESIDENT?S INVESTMENT TOUR?.

D.T MENSAH, NY