EDITORIAL: Polarisation Destroys Ghana

All over the world, it has been the aim of governments to ensure the well-being of the people. This they do by building on the successes of past administrations.

A different scenario is what pertains in our part of the world. Today, in Ghana, we are fighting over the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange-Mallam Highway project which is a component of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact for Ghana.

The debate is not about improving or providing facilities to benefit physically challenged persons who will use the project but rather who spearheaded negotiations for it, started it or completed it. This is a sad development which must be checked.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are fighting over the Tetteh Quarshie-Mallam project and even some supporters of the PPP demonstrated yesterday to demand that the project be named after their leader, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom.

Indeed, this project will not only enhance the beauty of Accra but also serve as a catalyst for development. This is because the long traffic hold ups at Mallam, the congestion at Abeka Lapaz and other portions of the road will now be a thing of the past.

The Daily Graphic pleads that the extreme polarisation of issues in the country will do nobody any good and as we fight over such trivialities, we should also think about the needs of the poor and other vulnerable groups in society.

What should be engaging us now should include how we, as a nation, can put our house in order so that we can benefit from the second compact in order to secure the necessary support from the MCC to improve on the power situation in the country.

Sadly, power generation and distribution in the country is not the best, resulting in the high cost of doing business, coupled with the high cost of living.

There is the need for us to step back a bit from our past and chart a course that will bring us together as a people determined to improve upon whatever legacy has been bequeathed to us by our forebears.

At the time Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, who was overthrown in 1966, Ghana could boast many industries dotted around the country. At least, there was a serviceable triangular railway system linking Accra-Kumasi-Takoradi.

But, today, a number of these industries and services have either collapsed or are serving as warehouses for products from other countries. But instead of us coming together to fix the problem, we are happily supporting the economies of other countries, to the detriment of ours.

We are carrying partisanship too far and if we are not careful, this will be the nemesis of our dear country which has been the toast of the rest of the world because of its peace and stability, which is a good dividend of multiparty democracy.

The Daily Graphic urges leaders in society, especially religious and traditional leaders, to intervene in this matter to bring to an end the extreme polarisation in the country.

We are delighted by the acknowledgement by President J.E.A. Mills that the Tetteh Quarshie-Mallam project was initiated by the Kufuor administration and had duly been completed by his administration for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

By that gesture, the President has demonstrated that he is prepared to stay above partisan politics.

We also applaud the statesmanship exhibited by former President Kufuor by gracing the occasion. This is a clear manifestation that as far as our political leaders are concerned, all is well.

But the same cannot be said of their followers who, through their actions and utterances, foment trouble.

Our statesmen must rein in their supporters, so that we can remain focused on the task of nation-building.