Economic Forum Remains A Swerve; The Path To Progress Already Identified

At times it baffles when assessing the starting point identified by some economic and political kingpins of this Ghanaian society in the quest to make headways for Ghana. All things being equal insiders are suppose to get the picture clearer than the outside layman, but the contrary at times stand to be the situation for our society. Not because elites, economists, opinion leaders and politicians are less insightful, but are simply not out of unity to take the bull by the horn. So even though a student may see a problem avertable or feasible, it marvels to watch how a lecturer or a kingpin goes round the problem. And as pressure gradually builds up, these connoisseurs pose as if something more hopeful is on the desk for consideration, and cunningly the causes of national problems are snubbed for window-dressing and lifeline activities in times of crisis.

All is set for another economic forum tomorrow. And to score points from observers it has been described the first of it kind for its non-partisan nature. Meanwhile, this forum remains a monotonous assembling of experts suggesting here and there, a stage which must be shelved for the next stage, the stage of walking the talk by putting into practice. It is not first time experts have gathered non-partisanly to trade ideas for the way forward. Because with the exception of discussing a party's manifesto, all civil society organizational fora like that of IEA, IDEG, experts' lectures and symposia have served, and continue to serve as gatherings for tabling of feasible ideas devoid of partisan politics.

But the disconnection between feasible proposals and forcible implementations remains too wide that bringing Malaysia, South Africa or Brazil to Ghana seems almost impossible no matter how long one projects. What do we see here? Yet another proposal-packed forum is about to be served on the table of political leaders who are at will to even read the suggestions, not to talk of implementing. This has been the banal feature of all organized fora within Ghana, no binding mechanism to ensure the implementation of feasible suggestions. And until a constitutional binding of politicians to implement, this forum and subsequent ones in a common sense remain a stillbirth; the birth of an already snubbed ideas. In the Asante-dictum it reads “3y3 paa nso y3nfa”.

Neither NPP nor NDC is at fault here, they are like foreign engineers who have been called upon to serve a society whose council of elders are yet to define clearly what their inhabitants need, where their priorities are, where they want to go as society, undefined societal benchmarks and of course improperly manned entry and exit points for this same society. Has these not been the state of Ghana since time immemorial and more in particular since the fourth Republic? So then I personally think these servants called NPP and NDC from the look of things, even deserve cheers rather than jeers. Serving a society who has virtually undefined targets, they discretionary served us with NHIS, GETfund, Capitation Grant, SSNIT Flats, Affordable Housing Projects, Rural Electrification among other projects and policies. What would have been the reaction of opinion leaders, chiefs and elderly councils assuming the political parties woefully presided without achieving anything like these lifeline projects? Absolutely no reaction whatsoever, because you do not demand from a servant if you have not definitely tasked. So whatever achievable is worthy of the four years term.

Where lies the power of politicians if opinion leaders, national and regional house of chiefs, elites, senior citizens, religious leaders and dignitaries out of oneness are to bend them before a constitutionally defined plans and policies for the nation? We realize how submissive politicians are whenever presidents or flag-bearers visit Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Naa Dakpema Alhassan Dawuni, Awulae Annor Adjaye III, Bawah Abudu Doshie, Nii Tackie Tawiah III, Togbe Afede XIV , the late Naba Martin Adongo Abilba III or Chief Imam among others. For instance I was not surprise to see dignitaries of all sorts, including politicians and the president himself rushing home to be marked present for the climaxing of just ended Otumfuo's 15th Adae Kese. The most compelling one was when Otumfuo Osei Tutu II with some few Chiefs and some civil society organizations dragged politicians to sign The KNUST Peace Accord in 2012. Convincingly divine authority resides with these elders by way of the masses which unquestionably subject to the perpetuation of their thrones. And so it is obvious that some category of citizens out of oneness can compel politicians to swallow the bitter pill for inhabitants' wellbeing, or exit the scene.

All said and done, these supposed societal servants called NPP and NDC are pulling Ghana simultaneously in the opposite directions in quests for development, simply because our authorities have not constitutionally defined for them the targeted direction. And until we do that, any direction with some least sort of comforts will seem okay to politicians. All experts, theories and studied cases have suggested the need for a consensus drawing of National Development Agenda, powered by effective constitutional checks and balances remain the major bail-out we need as country so that we avoid the crisis bail-out of IMF for example.

But without the intervention of the above categorized members of the society, nobody has power enough to draw the starting line for this landmark step. Ordinary citizens like I for instance who is an absolute subject to Otumfuo one as The Chancellor of my degree awarding school KNUST, and second as The Divine Leader of my tribe Asante has a voice very inaudible to the current crop of politicians. As a nation we need systematic development agenda subject to review and upgrades, all masses are calling for development, but all voices remain deafening-noise to the current and upcoming politicians. I do not think something is preventing the commanders and captains of identifiable groups from putting in their highly powered audible voices. I therefore entreat leaders and movers of this country to task and demand from the politicians; nationwide experts' consensus for systematic development, amalgamation of parties' manifestoes, and clearly defined targets with specified course of actions. And all packaged in the form of Constituted National Development Agenda. This will ensure that campaigns of political parties are no more loaded with project inventions, but rather loaded with funding and sourcing means for an already invented set of projects.

Anything short of this, we will continue to witness the abandoning of projects day-in and day-out, just as SSNIT Flats Expansionary Project paved way for Affordable Housing Project, and the abandoning of Affordable Housing Project halfway for an STX Housing Project, and on and on and on. Also NYEP will continuously be branded and redirected so that the current GYEEDA, which the targeted youth remains the best judges for its effectiveness, will not even be the last.

Chieftaincy as known from the onset continues to help in shaping Ghana in diverse ways, no two ways about that, but one of the most landmark actions to come from our traditional rulers remain spearheading the call for a blueprint systematic development. Imagining the very day when all clustered chiefs and kings including those mentioned in this piece, civil society organizations, queens, elites and opinion leaders all sitting in a hall; to enforce the signing of a painstakingly drawn National Development Agenda, just like how they committed to the KNUST Peace Accord. How would it feel if this is to happen too early that by 2016; an NPP, NDC or PPP government ascending the throne on 7th January 2017 has a glaring blueprint staring at their faces for implementation? Optimistically this is far from impossible if the aforementioned category of persons, out of oneness lead as proponents for a National Development Plan strictly tied to the constitution and with improved checks and balances.

I deeply sighed for some sort of hopes when Nana in the Adae Kese speech had one of his catchy statements as “We can make it if we try”. Truly we can put politicians to work more and talk less.

So Leaders and Movers of Ghanaian Society kindly intervene for a starting line.

“Na Ghanaian Youths y'abr3 politics!!!!!!”.
Abel Okyere
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