PRESS RELEASE: ANLO YOUTH COUNCIL READIES ITSELF FOR THE 2012 GENERAL ELECTIONS

Anloga – July 10, 2011 – Anlo Youth Council wishes to inform the general public that it is in the process of engendering a political platform for both interparty and intraparty dialogue among all candidates intending to contest Parliamentary seat in Anlo, which includes Ketu South, Ketu North, Ave Avenor, South Tongu, North Tongu, Keta and Anlo Seats for the 2012 general elections.

This decision is necessitated by the experiences of the last two decades, whereby national leaders and executives of some political parties such as the National Democratic Congress (NDC), aware of their massive support in these constituencies, picks and foists candidates on the constituencies without due regard for the preference of the people. These candidates are not always the choice of the people. The contest between the late Squadron Leader ClendSowu and the current President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Victor Gbeho clearly supports the assertion. While Sowu was chosen and foisted on the people by the executives of the party, the latter went independent and contested the former and won the seat in 2000. All over Ghana, these patterns have been repeated elsewhere. It is not an uncommon refrain therefore to hear people say “in these constituencies, anything you clothe in party colors would win even if it were a goat,” when they refer to party strongholds.

Another worrying development in recent years has also been the activities of some stinking money bags who seat in the comfort of their offices in Accra and bankroll candidates of their choice in a contest that is supposed to be competitive in all spheres of human qualities, producing the best parliamentarian for the Anlo constituencies. In the 2008 general election, these money bags and their cronies organized brass bands to play in some towns and villages across the Anlo constituencies in support of particular candidates. These activities culminated in all manner of enticements, taking advantage of the unfortunate situation of our kith and kin at the lowest levels of social and economic stratum, including food bazaars at which whole towns and villages were feted to food and drink; introducing Jacob robbing Essau style of leadership into the democratic culture for a pittance.

Considering the high levels of poverty in the towns and villages in the constituencies, this obviously influenced the electoral process negatively, and in most cases square pegs were driven into round holes, to the neglect of the gigantic developmental issues and the systemic failures that confront the various towns and villages in the constituencies. The implication is that the few people who benefited or continue to benefit from the financial and other forms of inducementsmortgage the lives of their constituencies for the four-year parliamentary period for a mediocre leadership.

As our democracy evolves, it is becoming important that we shift away from the “personality cults” and the narrowed self-serving political processes that we have witnessed in the last two decades of our democracy to a more competitive process, where election of a member of parliament and even a president is determined by the viable, sustainable, and verifiable programs outlined by the contestants both in the race for parliament and the presidency. The so-called big men, as importan and t as they may be, should stop interfering with these processes or should be prepared to face the wrath of the youth in the constituencies.

Anlo Youth Council is, therefore, urging all interested candidates, including the seating parliamentarians, for the constituencies in Anlo to most humbly submit themselves to an open contest at which they would throw light on what programs they have for the constituencies or where they would like to lead the constituencies and compete these ideas on a fair platform where the people must without let or hindrance be the best judges.

Those who are interested in this contest can, therefore, contact Anlo Youth Council with their names and particulars as we prepare to set theAgenda 2012, now that our experiences have abundantly pointed to the fact that the votes of delegates at primaries or congress may not necessarily represent the will of the people who delegated them. These contests will be open, transparent, scientific, and very broadly engaging across the towns and villages in the constituencies.

We believe with your help, we are capable of this organization and it is only through these forms of contests that we can provide the opportunity for talent, intelligence, ability, qualification and demand strict proof of these qualities, for the right leadership for our people other than the 'blind leading the blind' and the sham the political parties are currently shoving down our throat

Anlo would do it differently;Anlo would demonstrate what it takes to provide leadership;Anlo would lead the way in our quest to provide a leadership that would earn our loyalty.

Thanks for your attention.
Anlo Youth Council
President: Mayor Agbleze (0244-584835) Secretary: P.Y.Tsikata (0249-045397).

Cc:
All Media Houses
Center for Democratic Development
Accra, Ghana
The Canadian High Commission
Accra, Ghana
The Danish Embassy
Accra, Ghana
Friedrich Ebert Foundation
Accra, Ghana