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Opinions of Thursday, 22 November 2018

Columnist: Kwaku Badu

My friend, are you sure Mahama masterminded Anyidoho and cohorts sad exit?

Apparently, the thoughtful observers have been reading all sorts of meanings into the hardworking Voltarians humiliating defeat in the just ended NDC’s National Congress held at the Trade Fair Centre on Saturday 17th November 2018.

One of such reflective critics is a discussant from the USA, who emailed and drew my attention to the fact that the majority of the Voltarians who were voted out on Saturday 17th November 2018 were unrepentant critics of NDC’s ‘Messiah’-Mahama.

The inquisitive discussant thus likened the scenario to former President Mahama’s unputdownable book, titled: ‘My first coup d’état’.

Sources however have it that in the said book, former President Mahama revealed how he is fond of taking idiosyncratic decisions and often indecisive in his pursuits.

The discussant thus inquisitorially suggested that the Voltarians episode could be summed up as: ‘My second coup d’état’.

In fact, there is an ongoing public discourse following the unfortunate exit of the hardworking Voltarians from the NDC’s National Executives.

While some observers are suggesting that the NDC Delegates did not take into consideration the regionalism by ousting the Voltarians from the National Executives, others are insisting somewhat strangely that the critics are stoking tensions by raising the otherwise germane question of regional balance.

But I am afraid, it is absolutely wrong for anyone to suggest that those who are raising the question of regional balance are ‘bang out of order’.

For if anything at all, the 1992 Constitution promotes ‘regionalism’. Indeed, Ghana’s Constitution obligates the elected presidents to ensure regional balance when selecting the members of the government.

To me, the onus is on the political parties to ensure that such convention is adhered to at all times.

Let us however commend the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for putting pragmatic measures in place to remedy such unforeseen occurrences.

The NPP has prudently decided to select the deputies of most positions so as to ensure the regional balance. The positions include the National Organiser, the National Youth Organiser, the General Secretary and the Women’s Organiser.

Prior to their recent National congress, some of us prayed fervently and ceaselessly to the Omnipotent God to avert the violent clashes that characterised the NDC’s 2005 National Congress in Koforidua in the Eastern Region amid unfortunate blood bath, which led to the resignations of prominent party members, most notably, the then party chairman, Dr Obed Asamoah, who went ahead and formed his party.

We are therefore most grateful that the Omnipresent God mercifully listened to our prayers and averted any violent clashes during their National Congress.

What will continue to generate debate amongst discerning Ghanaians, though, is the inexplicable ousting of the Voltarians from the NDC’s National Executives.

To be quite honest, I find it really difficult to believe why the NDC apparatchiks always find it so expedient to take the good people of Volta Region for granted.

Indeed, it is extremely puzzling to keep hearing that the people of Volta Region are ever content with any decision by the party and therefore can never turn their backs on the NDC.

The all-important question then is: how long will the NDC apparatchiks continue to give the good people of the Volta Region a raw deal?

K. Badu, UK.

k.badu2011@gmail.com