I encourage the writer to spend a little time reading the following quotes on politicians and his queries would be answered. If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage o ... read full comment
I encourage the writer to spend a little time reading the following quotes on politicians and his queries would be answered. If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand.
Milton Friedman
Politicians and diapers should be changed frequently and all for the same reason. ~José Maria de Eça de Queiroz, translated from Portuguese
Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river. ~Nikita Khrushchev
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy. ~Ernest Benn
Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks. ~Doug Larson
I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians. ~Charles de Gaulle
Paul Amuna 10 years ago
Thanks "DODOWA". By the way, you quoted Charles de Gaulle too. Are you aware that he ochestrated one of the worst foreign policy agenda that has contributed in no small measure to the gross inequalities and class system in Fr ... read full comment
Thanks "DODOWA". By the way, you quoted Charles de Gaulle too. Are you aware that he ochestrated one of the worst foreign policy agenda that has contributed in no small measure to the gross inequalities and class system in Francophone Africa? Surely we must not take everything other people write as useful though some might be 'food for thought'?
ONUA 10 years ago
Why blame politicians? is the other one [MANKIND/EVERYONE ELLS] better? In all his endeavors MAN seeks his self interest first and politicians like any other will find any means to reach that goal. If you doubt it question yo ... read full comment
Why blame politicians? is the other one [MANKIND/EVERYONE ELLS] better? In all his endeavors MAN seeks his self interest first and politicians like any other will find any means to reach that goal. If you doubt it question yourself why Global Warming is not the number one topic on every politician/government's agenda?
Paul Amuna 10 years ago
ONUA, you are right, but the focus of this piece happens to be on 'politicians' rather than others (although I mention briefly public servants and also made reference to managers at Fukushima's nuclear plant in Japan). By the ... read full comment
ONUA, you are right, but the focus of this piece happens to be on 'politicians' rather than others (although I mention briefly public servants and also made reference to managers at Fukushima's nuclear plant in Japan). By the way I read your comments two days ago, thanks.
ONUA 10 years ago
You are welcome, Paul. I agree with you focusing on them b'cos their lies affects all of us. BTW the intent of my comment was 'keep them on their toes' otherwise they will never voluntarily do what's in the n ... read full comment
You are welcome, Paul. I agree with you focusing on them b'cos their lies affects all of us. BTW the intent of my comment was 'keep them on their toes' otherwise they will never voluntarily do what's in the nation's interest or the common good. e.g. vote on principles not tribe.
DODOWA 10 years ago
The author's retort to my harmless contribution seems to suggest his extreme sensitivity to divergent views. Quoting Charles DeGulle was not an attempt to exculpate the despot; rather, it was a banter to ossify the innate hyp ... read full comment
The author's retort to my harmless contribution seems to suggest his extreme sensitivity to divergent views. Quoting Charles DeGulle was not an attempt to exculpate the despot; rather, it was a banter to ossify the innate hypocrisy that transcends the political psyche of those who govern us. It was not an intended abrazo at the political postures of the architects of our mendicant societies. I have never found an answer to the rationale behind people choosing careers that turn them into obnoxious liars. More perplexing to me is why society at large still allows the pelf oriented bastards to get away with their crap.
Paul Amuna 10 years ago
You have got it completely wrong. If that is what you seek, then a real pity. I wasn't being "sensitive" to your comment, otherwise why would I say thanks in the first place? I don't pretend man. I was merely pointing out the ... read full comment
You have got it completely wrong. If that is what you seek, then a real pity. I wasn't being "sensitive" to your comment, otherwise why would I say thanks in the first place? I don't pretend man. I was merely pointing out the irony of statements 'famous writers or personalities make about politics.
PAUL AFFUL 10 years ago
“Politicians have disabled law enforcement agencies because of the power they have arrogated to themselves and it is up to the judiciary to clamp down on political bigotry. If we don’t, we will be letting the state down ... read full comment
“Politicians have disabled law enforcement agencies because of the power they have arrogated to themselves and it is up to the judiciary to clamp down on political bigotry. If we don’t, we will be letting the state down”. THIS STATEMENT BY ATUBUGA REALLY MADE ME FEEL PROUD TO BE A GHANAIAN BCOS AT LONG LAST I FOUND THAT WE HAVE SUCH NOBLE HONEST MEN OF INTEGRITY READY TO STOP OUR GREEDY AND SELFISH POLITICIANS FROM DESTROYING GHANA.....LOOK AT HOW ATTA MILLS THE SO CALLED ASOMDWEHENE ALLOWED BETTYMOULD AND BARTON ODRO TO DUPE GHANA THRO FAKE JDEBTS, AND EVEN SACKED MARTIN AMIDU FOR FIGHTING CORRUPTION......AND NPP BIG NAMES SAT IDLY BY AS THE NDC LAWYERS MISUSED THE LAW TO COMMIT DAYLIGHT ARMED ROBBERY ON GHANAIAN COFFERS...AT LONG LAST THE SUPREME COURT HAS PROVED THRO ATUGUBA THAT WE HAVE MEN OF GOD AND PATRIOTISM IN GHANA TO DEFEND US AGAINST GREEDY SELFISH POLITICIANS
Ghanatta Ayaric 10 years ago
Paul, we will wait "till thy kingdom come " for politicians to tell the truth at all times. That goes against their selfish interests. I believe the populace is partly to blame for allowing politics and politicians to hoodwin ... read full comment
Paul, we will wait "till thy kingdom come " for politicians to tell the truth at all times. That goes against their selfish interests. I believe the populace is partly to blame for allowing politics and politicians to hoodwink and divide them, set them against one another and exploit them to the bone. Ghana can be saved when Ghanaian civil society gains the level of awareness needed for people to come together, irrespective of political affiliation, and embark on mass peaceful demonstrations against corruption, poverty and their exploitation by those they elect to promote their welfare. Until that happens nothing will change, and things will even go from bad to worse!
Paul Amuna 10 years ago
Ayaric, You have hit the nail on the head "civil society to come together irrespective of political affiliation". If only people will see things that way and realise that we have only one country and we all work together to m ... read full comment
Ayaric, You have hit the nail on the head "civil society to come together irrespective of political affiliation". If only people will see things that way and realise that we have only one country and we all work together to make it better for us.
You know when people compare Ghana with Malaysia and South Korea in terms of our national journeys vis-a-vis our economic fortunes over the last 60 years or so, what they forget to mention in the equation is that those Asian nations have beaten us to it economically because for a large part, they were stable and run with a ONE-NATION and patriotic focus.
I agree we cannot wait for the politicians because of their own personal, parochial interests. However we can, and our civil society must do something about it with ONE COMMON NATIONAL VOICE "irrespective of party".
LONTO-BOY 10 years ago
Paul, politicians generally aren't trustworthy. Personally, I certainly don't trust most politicians. Politicians are in politics for: power, money and influence. It's hardly a coincidence that from American politics to that ... read full comment
Paul, politicians generally aren't trustworthy. Personally, I certainly don't trust most politicians. Politicians are in politics for: power, money and influence. It's hardly a coincidence that from American politics to that of Zimbabwe, most politicians have shown themselves as liars, corrupt, and dishonest. All over the world, many glittering political careers have collapsed or damaged beyond repairs over acts of deception, corruption and fatal dishonesty.
How much is the difference between Western Democratic politics and that of our Ghanaian/African politics? In the American and British politics, their democratic institutions, the media and public opinion[voters] hold the politicians accountable and responsible irrespective of their political leanings. In the advanced democracies, when a politician screws up, especially in the UK, the combination of relentless media pressure and public outcry will either force that politician to resign or be sacked. Sadly, the opposite is the case in Ghana. It's the poor voters and some media houses who passionately support them to become political career criminals. And where are our democratic institutions? They've either been politicised or are non-existent. There's bribery, fraud and dishonest conduct by politicians in advanced democratic Western societies. But they're punished by the law, whereas they're socially accepted, tolerated and celebrated in Ghana. Could a Monica Lewinsky impeachment happen in Ghana? Do Ghanaians see sexual scandal of politicians in the same measure as in UK/US? Take the case of Chris Huhne. Here is a former British Cabinet Minister sent to jail over speeding offence and perverting the course of justice. The opposite is the case of Ghana's Kobby Acheampog. Incredibly, not only did he get away with his speeding offence but effectively asked the IGP to 'punish' those policemen for daring to stop and caution him. What a world we live! It's no wonder Ghana's politics attracts rogues.
Yes, by all accounts, Ghana's politics cannot be broadly modelled on American/British democratic politics because of huge difference in education/intelligence level of voters, independence of democratic institutions, ethnicity and culture, political values and media responsibility. If in Ghana we see liars as smart people, then we end up accepting and voting liars to govern us.
Paul Amuna 10 years ago
You are absolutely right, that's why we need a more united, strong civil society and a 'credible' media to hold all to account. Party leaders also need to recognise that this long tradition you have just described does not co ... read full comment
You are absolutely right, that's why we need a more united, strong civil society and a 'credible' media to hold all to account. Party leaders also need to recognise that this long tradition you have just described does not continue and go unpunished. Surely we need to keep hammering home the need for, and demand change.
David Atugiya 10 years ago
Paul, this a brilliant piece, but as you would agree with me, the current state of civil society organisations(CSOs) in Ghana cannot be up to the task. Majority of these CSOs are established to support a particular partisan c ... read full comment
Paul, this a brilliant piece, but as you would agree with me, the current state of civil society organisations(CSOs) in Ghana cannot be up to the task. Majority of these CSOs are established to support a particular partisan course and therefore we should not place much reliance on these CSOs. We need to go back to the roots and organise the village/town committees to demand and hold our leaders be to account
Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 10 years ago
My brother, you made almost all the points for me. In other words, the problem Paul discussed is not unique to Ghana but a global one. Again, as you rightly pointed out, the difference is what happens in the developed world b ... read full comment
My brother, you made almost all the points for me. In other words, the problem Paul discussed is not unique to Ghana but a global one. Again, as you rightly pointed out, the difference is what happens in the developed world by way of institutions and agencies operating to ensure checks and balances as well as what action is taken when the politicians or those in positions of trust and authority are found to have abused their positions and powers.
I also agree with Paul that self admittance of wrong doing or guilt and resignations or dismissals could inure to the benefit of both the individual and group s/he represents as in the examples he gave. I am very positive that, had NDC compelled Dr Kwabena Adjei to resign from his "there are many ways of killing a cat" or even condemned him and equally had NPP condemned or asked Sir John to resign from his attack on the SC, both parties would have reaped some benefits by some independent voters joining them or committing their future votes to them. On the other hand, had the two party officials resigned on their own volition, they could have resurfaced as stronger and better leaders in the near future.
Manny 10 years ago
There are some well thought out comments on this article.
It's without question the myriad of issues on ethnicity, culture, political values,voter intelligence, media responsibility and the independence of democratic instit ... read full comment
There are some well thought out comments on this article.
It's without question the myriad of issues on ethnicity, culture, political values,voter intelligence, media responsibility and the independence of democratic institutions(Lonto- Boy),that needs to be surmounted.Our's however is a fledgling democracy that can only improve as people are empowered through education and exposure to the more matured democracies. The learning curve may be painstakingly slow, but sooner or later, the Ghanaian voter will muster the courage to weed out the charlatans.
C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago
Interesting that Paul should be writing about politicians telling the truth and not lying to the public when telling the truth had just brought so much insults and condemnations on Ms Hammah!
Clearly, from her many critics, ... read full comment
Interesting that Paul should be writing about politicians telling the truth and not lying to the public when telling the truth had just brought so much insults and condemnations on Ms Hammah!
Clearly, from her many critics, she was not expected to say the truth about why she couldn't go on to read that script 'cos she had apparently broken some convention about civil servants' anonymity. Thus, it is systemic that politicians lie! Right?
Under this hubris, politicians are expected to lie and not tell the truth for many reasons: protect national secrets and security; not expose confidantes, advisers, aides, informers to danger, ridicule, hatred, lawsuits, etc. Just to list some. That's why some affairs of state are classified and such materials are released only after several years, up to 200 years, when the actors and then close relations had passed away.
I think we must distinguish this type of lying, lying in the service of the State as required by the law, conventions, etc, from the pure, personal type of lies to cover personal criminal activities intended to deceive the public, which your piece seems to have dwelt upon. If you as a politician over sped and was caught by the camera and then lied that it was your wife driving the car, that's not lying in the service of the State! If you lied to the voters that you'd build a stadium in their small town if elected, that's a personal lie not in the service of the State.
So this brings us to to 2 types of lies, one acceptable and comes with the job and one unacceptable. Unfortunately, in our neck of the wood, with the mass illiteracy and powerlessness, the few politicians have taken advantage to hide even things which should even be revealed to the public as done in civilised countries. No Freedom of Information Act.
Hardly a year after the NPP came to power in 2001, I met a white expat in Ghana on a visit to London while doing my then day job. Hhe told me a story which left me cold. According to him, all of them gave their support to the NPP to win 'cos of they claim to be the real capitalists. He was one of 12 bidders who put in a bid for an IT project. They were pruned down to 3, he among the 3. At the end of the day, not even any of the 3 got the job and THEY wouldn't tell them which company or who got it even! Apparently, they didn't investigate about the transparency of the NPP stalwarts in their private business lives!
Well, written more than intended, so cutting the cackle here.
Andy-K
Paul Amuna 10 years ago
Although the focus of the piece was on those 'avoidable lies' i.e. both personal and party lies to gain an unfair advantage, you are right that there are aspects of government business that need to be protected in the interes ... read full comment
Although the focus of the piece was on those 'avoidable lies' i.e. both personal and party lies to gain an unfair advantage, you are right that there are aspects of government business that need to be protected in the interest of national security.
You are also right that the lies of politicians is a universal ailment and even foreign governments and operatives in the business community will support one side against the other for selfish reasons.
Indeed Victoria Hammah was vilified for telling the truth which brings to question whether people prefer the "lies" in politics to a more truthful and upright approach to doing politics and government business.
C.Y. ANDY-K 10 years ago
Paul, from the Ms Hammah episode, it is crystal clear the generality of Ghanaians, especially the so-called educated ones, prefer to be lied to. They are no where near the transparency in govt some like the founder of Wikilea ... read full comment
Paul, from the Ms Hammah episode, it is crystal clear the generality of Ghanaians, especially the so-called educated ones, prefer to be lied to. They are no where near the transparency in govt some like the founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange and others in the West advocate and clamour for. They are decades away from that kind of world view.
I encourage the writer to spend a little time reading the following quotes on politicians and his queries would be answered. If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage o ...
read full comment
Thanks "DODOWA". By the way, you quoted Charles de Gaulle too. Are you aware that he ochestrated one of the worst foreign policy agenda that has contributed in no small measure to the gross inequalities and class system in Fr ...
read full comment
Why blame politicians? is the other one [MANKIND/EVERYONE ELLS] better? In all his endeavors MAN seeks his self interest first and politicians like any other will find any means to reach that goal. If you doubt it question yo ...
read full comment
ONUA, you are right, but the focus of this piece happens to be on 'politicians' rather than others (although I mention briefly public servants and also made reference to managers at Fukushima's nuclear plant in Japan). By the ...
read full comment
You are welcome, Paul. I agree with you focusing on them b'cos their lies affects all of us. BTW the intent of my comment was 'keep them on their toes' otherwise they will never voluntarily do what's in the n ...
read full comment
The author's retort to my harmless contribution seems to suggest his extreme sensitivity to divergent views. Quoting Charles DeGulle was not an attempt to exculpate the despot; rather, it was a banter to ossify the innate hyp ...
read full comment
You have got it completely wrong. If that is what you seek, then a real pity. I wasn't being "sensitive" to your comment, otherwise why would I say thanks in the first place? I don't pretend man. I was merely pointing out the ...
read full comment
“Politicians have disabled law enforcement agencies because of the power they have arrogated to themselves and it is up to the judiciary to clamp down on political bigotry. If we don’t, we will be letting the state down ...
read full comment
Paul, we will wait "till thy kingdom come " for politicians to tell the truth at all times. That goes against their selfish interests. I believe the populace is partly to blame for allowing politics and politicians to hoodwin ...
read full comment
Ayaric, You have hit the nail on the head "civil society to come together irrespective of political affiliation". If only people will see things that way and realise that we have only one country and we all work together to m ...
read full comment
Paul, politicians generally aren't trustworthy. Personally, I certainly don't trust most politicians. Politicians are in politics for: power, money and influence. It's hardly a coincidence that from American politics to that ...
read full comment
You are absolutely right, that's why we need a more united, strong civil society and a 'credible' media to hold all to account. Party leaders also need to recognise that this long tradition you have just described does not co ...
read full comment
Paul, this a brilliant piece, but as you would agree with me, the current state of civil society organisations(CSOs) in Ghana cannot be up to the task. Majority of these CSOs are established to support a particular partisan c ...
read full comment
My brother, you made almost all the points for me. In other words, the problem Paul discussed is not unique to Ghana but a global one. Again, as you rightly pointed out, the difference is what happens in the developed world b ...
read full comment
There are some well thought out comments on this article.
It's without question the myriad of issues on ethnicity, culture, political values,voter intelligence, media responsibility and the independence of democratic instit ...
read full comment
Interesting that Paul should be writing about politicians telling the truth and not lying to the public when telling the truth had just brought so much insults and condemnations on Ms Hammah!
Clearly, from her many critics, ...
read full comment
Although the focus of the piece was on those 'avoidable lies' i.e. both personal and party lies to gain an unfair advantage, you are right that there are aspects of government business that need to be protected in the interes ...
read full comment
Paul, from the Ms Hammah episode, it is crystal clear the generality of Ghanaians, especially the so-called educated ones, prefer to be lied to. They are no where near the transparency in govt some like the founder of Wikilea ...
read full comment