Make our nation great and strong

By Nii Kwate Quartey

It is not a marching song. It is not necessarily defiant. [It is a promise]. ‘We shall overcome someday’. Deep in my heart [we Ghanaians] do/must believe.

It has been a civil rights song for 50-years now; heard not just in the United States of America, in North Korea as well, but not largely heard in Ghana as we march to the polls in December.

“We shall Overcome” is an inspiring force the Ghanaian should sing and believe in and for generations yet unborn to know as well.

Every Ghanaian must make an effort to secure for themselves the belief in Freedom and Justice where prosperity and development would thrive.

A writer once wrote “Long prayers do not impress God” that's why I pray Canticle 2 [Te Deum Laudamus] from the Methodist’s Hymn book in this article to back my title

22. O Lord, save thy people and |bless Thine| Heritage.

23. Govern them and |lift them| up for |ever.

Four Great men, H.E [Jerry John Rawlings, John Kufour, John Atta-Mills, John Mahama] from 1993-2016 have been lucky to serve as Ghana’s President in the 4th Republic. The era of the Johns, yet a country blessed with wealth and talent among others have traded these for corruption and self-interest.

Ghana is made up of an Agricultural and an Industrial society. Still, following colonization, a long way from making our nation Great and …………….

The African woman is incurably and largely religious and ergo [Be Aglow, For God] has a large gathering of “African Women” which is encouraging and a sight to behold. God certainly answers their prayers, yet it is the Ghanaian who votes at the polls.

But have the men being voted into office failed us? Are the oaths being taken a mere formality of constitutional procedure? Are their hearts filled with an unconditional yearning to serve?

Doctoring is a “calling” I grew up to understand and believe…Politics must be a CALLING. A call to serve with all dignity and willingness to do us right during their tenure of office.

Politics like Motherhood is a 24hr job but only in the lights and eyes of the people. Shouldering a nation’s burden is the Politicians job. So Politicians earn every penny they make. Service to Ghana is Service to God as well as Service to their Pockets.

Every Ghanaian should rejoice in the peace we enjoy, but we all must get involved. Involved! Involved in every way because every action we take is a choice, decided upon by us and on one else so rather than offloading the responsibility onto Religion each individual should be solely responsible for making their lives as Ghanaians meaningful through the choice we make on Election Day for the men and women who canvass for our votes to make our motherland Great and ………..

What are the keys to the Jubilee house?

50% +1 Ghanaian votes and; an appealing slogan to attract Ghanaian hearts, and the international public.

“In the world of representative democracy, you have to be the market share holder… [Only on one day every 4years]” – thus scoring at least a plurality of votes on December 7. [Prof John A. Quelch].

In Politics, voting day is all that matters.

Occupants of public offices, presidents, M.P’s, amongst others are individuals and as society we reap what public officers decide. Because Politicians do what they think is best for the people.

In every man a ‘god’ dwells, In every country in the world a Ghanaian is making an impact, taking a decision to either fall off a cliff or not. [GOOD or BAD].

Ghana will become great, when the people we vote for are truly transparent in their dealings and are as in love with Mother Ghana as the wives they leave the office to go home to.

As we fall and soon will fade, is there hope for the future generation? Our leaders set an example to make our nation GREAT & STRONG so that we might pass on those words of how those great men were that served in the highest offices in the land.

HOW MANY YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WANT TO BE PRESIDENT? How many of our youth [future generation] adopt public servants as Role Models?

Our leaders in office are not Role models anymore. Is corruption permanent? Is a distrust of public servants permanent?

Many outstanding personalities have held public offices.

To make Ghana attain my title again, hard times we must face. But hard times have we not already faced? Are still, facing?

Kofi Annan, was destined to be a leader and he became a leader but instead of running for the highest office in Ghana, he chose not to. Has he suffered a bout of reduced love for Ghana has a result? But because Ghanaian politics is not attracting the crème de la crème to get involved in, it leaves “the Fools to rule” like Aristotle once said.

The Beacon of Hope, the gateway to Africa, yet every single Ghanaian desires to leave Ghana behind and eager to willingly sign up for a 21st Century Slave Trade. Slaves don’t need to be forced; they only have pull factors from the fake glam of Outside Africa.

Africa is Hell on Earth, judging from how WILL SMITH, described America even as an African starring as Dr. Omalu [a Nigerian] in the movie concussion. Dr. Nkrumah had a plan for Ghana, Africa at large. Several years after his passing on, are the Ghanaians ready and capable of managing their own resources? Or is it time for intervention from our former Colonial masters? The Leader of the Free World has colored skin. Black is indeed smart.

Body Politics, an industry of insults.

Politics is business so is Football. That’s how come GH¢ 50, 000 didn’t deter over Ten elegant personalities filing nominations and Likewise over 100million Euros didn’t deter Manchester United from making the #Pogback transfer.

Ghana is certainly a 2 party state in disguise since the NPP&NDC are each guaranteed at least 40% of the vote[a healthy 2 party state] Ghanaian Politics must rise again. In Ghana, Politics is Personal.

Will there be a time in Ghana politics that Civility will top and government will work for the good of its people?

Politics indeed makes man, man does not make politics. They canvass for votes, they win and they forget.

Ghanaians don’t vote or decide after watching debates.

Ghanaians certainly don’t have the time to read manifestoes.

All the Ghanaian seeks is progress in their lives, not begging government to make everything free but to provide easy avenues to rise to the top. Twenty Six million Ghanaians each with hope of a better tomorrow.

Ghana has been blessed with Peace. Americans don’t enjoy the peace we do, Nigerians certainly don’t. Twenty six million Ghanaians adored throughout the world, shown love through loans, grants and IMF bailouts, so how hard is it to help the ordinary Ghanaian, to make the latter GREAT AND STRONG and their benefactor Proud and Fulfilled, backed by the gift of peace.

Politics is indeed a 24-hour job. Make a difference, write your name not in history books as a mere formality, but in our hearts and on our tongues like a Mother’s lullaby not taught in class, but which generations will sing in high praise of your good works.

The Ghanaian must vote wisely. The Ghanaian deserves better. Leaving Ghana is not the way.

So envisage a Ghana you want to see and VOTE!!!!

The man you vote for this year should not just Look good in a pair of jeans or on paper, but a man with ambitions for Ghana, and will to achieve, to take his responsibilities to us citizens first and shoulder the burden of our nation and make our nation GREAT AND STRONG.

God Bless Our Homeland Ghana and make our Nation Great and Strong. I am Nii Kwate Quartey and I only seek to bring my perspectives to bear on Ghanaian Politics #Election2016.

Writer's e-mail: st.lemuel@gmail.com