Opinions of Thursday, 7 March 2013

Columnist: Amponsah, Stonash

The ECOWAS Commission Goofed, Big-time!

By: Amponsah Stonash

In the communique on ECOWAS 42nd summit (paragraph 40) – which took place just some few days ago – the commission charged President Manuel Serifo Nhamajo of Guinea Bissau to “conduct of free, fair, and transparent general elections before the end of 2013.”

Also, as part of the communique that was released by the ECOWAS commission on 11th November, 2012, in Abuja, the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Mali crisis and Guinea Bissau, the commission charged the transitional team in Mali to ensure “free, fair and transparent election in the transition”.

In the wake of the unguarded outburst of the chair of the commission (see: Ghana elections were free and fair – ECOWAS. www.ghanaweb.com, March 1, 2013), we could only ask ourselves what the commission considers as “free, fair and transparent elections”.

Relative to Ghana's discredited and disputed elections, it is apparently clear that the commission is ill-informed in making such a wrong premised statements. Do they want to tell the world that they do not know that the leaders of the opposition have filed petition to challenge the outcome of the results? This is utterly repugnant, to say the least.

In the face of the EC’s numbers not adding up, and a situation where it has not been able to furnish the petitioners with “better particulars” as directed by the court, we expect the ECOWAS commission to know better.

For their information, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Djan, he who down-played the petition filed at the Supreme Court is now wallowing in despair and desperation. It’s obvious that by now, he wish he could turn back the hands of time.

Too bad!

Just some few days ago, we witnessed the apprehension of EC officials who were running helter-skelter to get some “pink sheets” signed. One may ask: “for what reason?” The answer is clear! Kwadwo Afari-Djan has set out his goons to make up for his “sins” in the 2012 elections.

A simple calculation on the list of voters registered abroad showed that the total number submitted by the EC was 2,883, whereas the commission in response to the petition quoted that over 241,000 people were registered abroad.

Is this what the ECOWAS commission calls free, fair, and transparent elections?

My goodness!

It is obvious they chose to be in the comfort of their hotels, than going into the trenches of our nation to monitor the election and have a fair idea of what the real situation was. Yet, they called themselves election observers. Observers indeed!

The ECOWAS commission should rather be sending caution to John Mahama and the NDC to desist from stealing the tax payers’ monies, while the ordinary Ghanaians wallow in abject poverty, if indeed, they mean good for the nation. The high rise in fuel prices, the energy crises, unavailability of water, gas shortage etc. in the face of highfalutin borrowing and government expenditure is the abhorring situation in Ghana now, if they commission cares to know.

John Mahama and the NDC are perplexed by the bunch of evidence that we have placed before the Supreme Court of the land. They know that their days are numbered, and that there’s going to be a political earthquake that will swallow them up.

We will therefore entreat the ECOWAS commission to do its finding well on a nation, especially when there is political tension hanging in the atmosphere. For such an unguarded and reckless statement of this nature could be a catalyst for political unrest.

There is more for the ECOWAS commission to be dealing with than to meddle in the politics of the day in Ghana, especially when they do not have the facts at hand. Mali, Guinea Bissau, and others threatened by political upheaval need their attention to straighten things up.

The likes of Hon. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – Ghana’s answer to Mahatma Gandi, the man who so loved peace – has clearly shown some sense of love and patriotism to his country. He has clearly demonstrated that – indeed – he loves his country, and will do nothing to jeopardize its beauty.

Therefore, there is no need for ECOWAS to worry their heads over Ghana. They should cut-short their calculated chase.

Without any equivocation, we will want to tell the ECOWAS commission that, the available gargantuan evidence clearly indicates that the 2012 elections were RIGGED big-time by John Mahama in connivance with the EC chairman, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Djan.

To us, the battle is still the Lord’s.

We believe that the Supreme Court will set things straight, make things right, and, that, he (Nana Akufo-Addo) who the cup truly fit – as per the will of most Ghanaians – will definitely wear it.

Amponsah Stonash NPP Communications Team New York