2008- THE NEED FOR CHANGE

In the year 2000, there was an outcry by the Ghanaian people for the need of a change of Government. Radio stations took up the clarion call; civil society joined in and for advantageous politicians, Christmas had really come early.

For some of us, the change was a necessary evil for the future democracy of our country. Currently, as far as democracy is concerned, Ghana is seen as the black shinning star in West Sub-Saharan Africa.

The advantageous politicians came bearing gifts to the electorate. ?We do not eat roads?. ?Look at your pocket and vote?. In those days macro-economics was not an achievement. Infrastructure improvement in telecommunications, electricity and water counted for nothing. The advantageous politician said; ?Look at your circumstance and vote?. Any increase in petroleum products in those days led to large protest and the introduction of VAT led to a demonstration that ended in loss of life.

Slogans were and are the order of the day.

?Zero tolerance for corruption? ?Positive change? So far so good? Golden age of business? ?100,000 jobs in one year? ?Good Governance? ?Rule of Law?

Even when many of us were saying that the foundations that were being laid by President Kuffuor and The NPP Government were of sand and not concrete, we were and still are, being accused of ?envy?!

So we say to Ghanaians today, ?what does your pocket feel like?? We say to Ghanaians today, ?what are your circumstances under positive change??

Today we are being told about macro economic indicators. Suffer a bit longer, all will be well. We have now had over 5 years of the promise and fail government and the situation gets worse by the day.

Ghana Airways collapses in questionable circumstances with money allegedly being taken from it office safe in USA.

New airline GIA is caught in turmoil with question marks over its ability to survive the current debacle. There is talk of a raising debt. Visions of Ghana Airways come to mind.

A hotel building stands in airport residential area with question marks on its ownership.

Our leadership is entwined in amorous scandals that would put many a novelists to shame.

Our Chief Justice is under scrutiny, stemming from the mistrust generated by the executive involvement in the judicial process, by packing the Supreme Court to overturn a perfectly valid decision, which did not suit the NPP Government. The African Peer Review criticised this action.

We have a sitting NPP MP languishing at the pleasure of the USA prison service charged with some of the most serious offences of drug trafficking available involving heroin.

CHRAJ is quite busy at the moment and will appear to require more staff. This is due to the process of selective justice in our beloved Ghana where NPP officials go to CHRAJ for investigations and NDC sympathisers are dragged straight to court sometimes before all the charges are formulated and on other occasions, after attempts to arrest them in church.

The president who is a lawyer and should know better, chastised his Attorney Generals for showing weakness, because they have not been able to convict more NDC officials for corruption. Where is the evidence against the NDC officials?

The NPP Government grant amnesty to a person wanted for an investigation into a murder charge, in the erroneous belief that, he is in possession of 1st hand information to destroy the NDC party and its leadership. He attends the National Reconciliation Commission, without any worthwhile evidence and appears to have taken the Government on a wild goose chase. The rule of law and good governance were quickly forgotten on this occasion.

A Human Rights record which is simply shameful, for a democratically elected government. Where is justice for the Ya-Na and Mobilla?

Unconstitutional actions of removing privileges from the former President are justified in a bizarre interpretation of the law.

Under the uncomfortable gaze of the Ghanaian, the government has now decided that it is time to prosecute a few more NDC sympathisers including the former 1st Lady and former Finance Minister who was granted a pardon in a humanitarian gesture which appears now to have served its purpose.

When a wise Professor warns the Government of the potential consequences of its action, supporters of the government such as the NPP UK & Ireland branch completely miss the point and go as far as attacking his professionalism, in order to score points with their masters, who were in London at the time. How very unfortunate.

We still have no explanation or investigation, into the use of ?Action troopers" to destabilise our electoral process and yet civil society is not asking serious questions.

We have no formal investigation into the alleged monies available at the castle, in the potential form of ?kickbacks? and yet, the Presidential spokesman deems it appropriate, to get involved in how moderators on radio stations in London, should conduct themselves. Unfortunately for President Kuffuor and the NPP Government, the serious questions are being asked and pursued without fear or favour in the UK.

This is the same Presidential spokesman who sought to justify the 1966 coup in Ghana which saw the removal of a democratically elected Government and the architect of our Independence, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. If one coup is good, why not others, we ask?

Let us concern ourselves with how in one year approximately 2 billion is deposited in a Minister of State?s account, instead of attacking wise Professors. Now Minister?s of State can deposit large amounts, in brand new bank accounts, (although they have existing accounts) and fail to disclose that they are Ministers, but state that they are farmers. The spin doctors have already gone to work.

All we ask of President Kuffuor and the NPP government are the following:-

1. Recognise that the honeymoon period is over and this is a performance orientated profession. 2. Deal with the numerous issues that are plaguing the government and undermining the leadership. 3. Grasp the deeper meaning of ?zero tolerance for corruption? and implement it. 4. Concentrate on the running and development of our beloved country Ghana and stop focusing on the destruction of the NDC and its Founder President Rawlings.

By dealing with the above, we as a country can get back on the positive track. It will mean that the NDC when it comes into government in 2008 will have the semblance of a foundation to build on; in the same way the NPP did in 2000. There is no ?envy? in pointing out the shortcomings of Government; only ?PATRIOTISM?.

Long Live the NDC, Long live Ghana.

ALEX SEGBEFIA CHAIRMAN NDC UK & IRELAND. 26th April 2006.