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Opinions of Tuesday, 23 July 2013

Columnist: Yahaya, Tanko Ali

Is the NDC a political party or a propaganda machinery?

Prior to the 2008 elections, demagogues and populists such as Okudjeto Ablakwa, Kwadwo Twum Boafo, James Agyenim Boateng, Koku Anyidoho, Kwesi Prat Junior,etc, bombarded the NPP with the accusation of corruption. Infact, these propagandists used synonymous phrases like 'ostenstatious life style' ,'profligacy' ,'extravagance' ,'dissolute' and 'wasteful' expenditure to butress their claim.

In the words of Okudjeto Ablakwa,'the NPP government was spending as if there was no Tomorrow' .Excited by the propaganda of his proteges, the then candidate Mills promised Ghanaians of 'frugality' and 'austeer' measures in his government if voted into power.

No sooner had the NDC got the mandate, than the transitional team begun to blow away millions cedis on 'tea' drinking alone.

The contradictions of the Mills/Mahama promise of 'austeer'measures and 'frugality' came into light, when their appointees turned themselves into judgement debt 'contractors' in order to 'create' ,'loot' ,and 'share' .I concede that when it comes to wining elections by hook or crook, the NDC must never be underestimated. As the only political party with the office for propaganda, the NDC is skilled in using falsification and distortions to whip up public sentiment for sympathy.

The NDC, as a propaganda machinery, has come to grips with the reality that issue based political discourse is inimical to it's divisive cause.

In my primary area of interest, the Zongo community, the NDC propaganda strategy has always been to incite the people of Zongo against the native Asantes and mischievously tag the NPP as an AKan party.. In the Asawasi constituency for instance, the MP, Muntaka Mubarak, with the aid of some sycophantic and hypocritical opinion leaders and Islamic scholars ,Invoke Islamic mantras, and shibboleths to hoodwink many of our unimformed people to vote for the NDC, of which they fallaciously claim is Zongo and Islam Inclined.

As an independent minded Zongorian, No symbolic tiger nor any ceremonial lion can sway me to embrace derision and mediocrity in the name of religious brotherhood and ethnicity. What has muslim brotherhood got to do with the incompetence and the corrupt practices of muntaka mubarak? In any case, what happened to muslim brotherhood when Bawumiah became the running mate to Nana Addo? or is it the case that only muslims in the N.D.C deserve the muslim brotherhood. Muntaka sensing the risk of losing the parlimetary seat, trotted from mosque to mosque, imploring and cajolling the people to retain him and to reject the NPP's parliamentary candidate, Nana Okyere Tawiah, because he Nana Antwi, is not a Zongorian and more over, non moslem.

I would rather vote for non moslem who would uplift and empower my people than vote for a 'Notherner' and a so called 'Moslem brother' who would squander our money on khebab and also, sponsor his girl friend to travel abroad.

Isn't it ironic that a government that promised Ghanaians frugality and 'austeer' measure ,Today has 85 ministers plus 5 wise men? Ignorance is darker than the darkness of the night indeed.

Tanko Ali Yahaya, INDEPENDENT MINDED ZONGORIANS. Skiliwonda@gmail.com