A Third of NDC MPs Will Not Run in 2004

Though it has not been officially disclosed, party insiders say almost one third of the sitting MPs of the National Democratic Congress will not vie for their seats during the parliamentary elections of 2004.

But it is not as a result of any high handed action from any power within the party, but a commitment being demonstrated by the biggest opposition in parliament towards the realisation of the new image the NDC is building as a formidable political tradition.

The group who personally made these commitments to the Network Herald cited fatigue and unfulfilled political careers as some of the reasons why they may be taking that decision. But they all confirmed that they would always put their resources at the disposal of the party that gave them their first real political injection.

The group of NDC politicians says it is their way of refusing to give in to the notion that all political careers end in disappointment. They also reason that if they are able to give hope to the youth that there is life after a political career, they may very well be on the way of erasing from their minds the perception that the more you entrench the better your chances of satisfaction.

Party scribe Dr J. Nii Aryeh however told the Network Herald that the issue has never been discussed at any official party meeting so no such decision has been arrived at. He also wondered how any smart Ghanaian politician could take such a decision having already sacrificed a lot to get elevated to that position of trust.

Dr Aryeh observed that careers of professionals like teachers, lecturers and Attorney Generals have suffered steep declines after they have left political office. He therefore cautioned any such politician to weigh the options critically when confronted with such a “difficult decision”.

A cross-section of Ghanaians interviewed expressed regrets that there is no professional political class in the country.. They lamented the inability of the successful politicians like Senior Minister J.H.Mensah to mentor protegees that would fill their places. They called for the immediate development of an extensive literature on the political history of the country, depicting the role of the people in the political retrogression of Ghana.

Also, there must exist a more friendly and healthy political relationship in the country with energies internalised into not only winning power, but preparing to make the power relevant. Move away from the politics of unfounded insults and allegations while we consciously get the youth on board. On whether or not the MPs should continue representing their people, most respondents were of the view that except on very few occasions, the popular Ghanaian maxim that “water develops a stench when left too long in a container” will affect most of them.

They relate that since Ghanaians have inadvertently accepted a two term presidency , they have by implication apparently accepted that even members of parliament need to move after some three terms for someone else to take over-“moko aya ni moko aba keke”, to wit; one must go for another to come. That’s all.