Beyond The Pale

The past fortnight was fraught with rising adrenalin levels in the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Tempers rise once in a while in human groupings – political parties inclusive – over disagreements and when they do, efforts must be taken to resolve them.

As the exchanges continued, many outside the party asked whether elders were not available to call for a necessary truce.

It was relieving therefore when Nana Akufo-Addo stepped in to plead for calm. Being one of the leading political parties in the country sharing the electorate almost equally with the ruling party, disquiet in the NPP is bound to create national security challenges, especially as the case in point was triggered by the gruesome murder of a leading party personality – a matter still under investigations. The fears and even speculations about the possible motive and even the brains behind the crime provided a ready fodder for the raging media trading of tirades.

For those who found in the vitriolic exchanges, especially on the airwaves, a thriving industry, their joy is not only unfortunate, it is short-sighted because of the devaluing effect of the unfortunate development on democracy.

We add our voice therefore to the call for calm and for composure by all players both in the NPP and the ruling party, the latter having found the conflict inuring to their short-term interests.

The maturity of a political party is measured among others by how disagreements, when they flare up within them, are resolved.

It is unacceptable therefore when even after a call for calm some fifth columnists continue in their old ways of throwing spanners into the works because of the personal dividends they tend to derive from such mischief.

The efficacy of the party leader's call was discernible from the tranquillity which replaced the cacophony hitherto prevailing on the political terrain.

The serenity is, however, being threatened by the unnecessary and largely unguarded remarks by persons who claim to have the party's interest and democracy at heart – claims proven so far doubtful by their actions.

Any attempt at creating strife in any of the political parties by whosoever is to undermine the country's democratic journey so far.

We stand to gain better as a country when our political parties are peaceful. Only then can they serve the electorate or better still, the people of Ghana.

With the prevalence of peace, political parties can deal with the challenges of the country, whichever part of the divide they find themselves. In opposition they can keep the government on its toes while at the helm they can tackle the challenges of managing the economy and fulfilling the contents of their manifestoes.

Stoking fire in a political grouping already torched by internal squabbles by those who think they stand to gain by such mischief is beyond the pale and should be avoided in the overall interest of the growth of democracy in the country. After all, we are practising a multi-party democracy and not a one-party state.