RE-In Ghana 1+1=3

GNP offers a challenge to all to act.

Fellow Ghanaians,

I have reproduced below the full 10 points summary article, which appeared on Ghana web on July 18, 2007; the author, one Kojo Opoku, a resident in America. Over 258 people read and commented on the article. Going by the comments, It is a clear indication that Ghanaians are aware of the extent of greed in our political hierarchy.

That article and the responses demonstrates that, at least a large segment of the educated community know Ghana's problems. There is an indication that we know some of the basic reasons for our backwardness and economic deterioration. I cannot predict the political inclination of the writer of the article in reference, but I wholeheartedly think his points must be a National concern. If we are concerned about the way politics has been done in Ghana for the last 50 years since independence, then we must be bold to act decisively for the good of our country.

Reading and Discussion alone is not enough. I therefore think Kojo Opoku was only critical of a dysfunctional political system, and can not define him as pro NDC or NPP, or any other Political Party. The system of politics in Africa, and our non-responsive culture, for that matter Ghana, favors the politicians because they consider themselves the overlords in the society and in most cases, above laws of their various countries. Politicians have succeeded enslaving the people, by making them economically very poor under a culture where the rich and the big man can not be questioned.

After years of expossure to the western civilization, if we sit here in the comfort of our European, North American or other homes and keep on writing articles and expect the system to change, we are dreaming and deceiving ourselves. When a system favors a group of people, how does one expect that the same people that enjoy the system will change it? There are those who think nobody can change Ghana because of the corrupt system of the P/NDC’s 19 years rule, and almost seven years of continuing the same corrupt system under the NPP Government. That is WRONG!

HOW DO WE CHANGE A CORRUPT SYSTEM?

Those of us who have persistently been writing about the wrongs in our country believe that joining the old greedy, corrupt and selfish establishment will eventually get one influenced and trapped into the bond of the old corrupt system.

We are therefore determined to introduce a new political system under a newly registered Political Party (GHANA NATIONAL PARTY) sponsored by a group of Ghanaians scattered around the world. We believe we can trust ourselves to the challenges facing our country, in selflessness, commitment and dedication. Our National Executives are working seriously toward the 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections and all are welcome.

We do not believe in political vindictiveness, but in order to attempt to set a tone against bribery and corruption and all the social injustices in our country, as a precedent, we need to investigate all Government officials from the P/NDC era till today, and let them be accountable to the Laws of the country. When this is done, the Law will take its cause and the culprits will be brought to book. If we decide to do it as a people, yes, it can be done, and we will save every penny that belongs to the country and eventually disentangle our country from reckless borrowing for our economic subsistence.

I challenge all those in favor of the above, to visit our web site www.natlparty.com, read about our vision and our intentions, register and join us for change. There is every evidence that for forty years now, Ghanaian Politic has been all deception, greed and selfishness. We just celebrated Ghana@50, We will celebrate 100 years and still may not find salvation if some selfless individuals do not act NOW!

Below is the full 10 points Kojo Opoku featured on the Ghana web of 18th July, for all to ponder on again.

1. A Ghanaian minister earns $600-a-month, buys three houses for $200,000 each and three cars for $20,000 each, sends his kid to a $10,000-per-year university in the US, pays $20,000 to be allowed to contest for the presidential nomination of his party and his bank balance is still in the black. With such an ‘economic genius’, I wonder why we are still begging for food aid?

2. We drive 2007 model automobiles on 1930s roads to our 2007 mansions with 1960s power supply feeding our 2007 Televisions sets broadcasting 1930s ideas from our politician elected in 2004.

3. Load Sharing seems to have very little effect on the economy. According to our government, the economy is even growing faster than ever before. Light your candles and let’s get rid of Akosombo Dam!

4. According to our Minister for Information and National Orientation - Oboshie Sai-Coffie: “31 days have September, April, June & November, all the rest do no matter, except February alone which cannot yet make up her mind on how many days it shall have”

5. Ghana’s “quick & dirty” solution to solving economic woes: Slash 4 zeros from your currency, name the process re-denomination and “Viola” your economy is as “strong” as the United States’. Eat your heart out Adam Smith. Is Mugabe reading?

6. Our president and his predecessor cannot unite, yet we have the guts to chair and expect success from an African Union summit to unite 51 African countries. Unity begins at home!

7. The current load sharing is due to the low level of water in the Volta Lake, caused by less rainfall. We are in the process of starting another $600m hydro-electric project. I hope our policymakers have a promise from God that in 5 years time, there will be rain, rain & more rain ALWAYS.

8. For “obtaining” the African Union's rotating presidency, President Kufuor was mobbed when he returned home. Since “Rotating” is now an achievement in Ghana, I’ll suggest we celebrate the earth’s rotation … big party every 24 hours.

9. According to the bible/Koran, Fornication, Adultery and Homosexuality are all sins. According to the Ghanaian holy book, only the latter is a sin.

10. We the people of Ghana are being told that, the president’s son who could not raise $1,000 in 2000 for his father's campaign was able to raise $8million three years later, to buy a hotel? No wonder 1+1 is equal to 3 in Ghana.