Party Interest Vs National Interest; The Insensitivity Nana Addo Led Government

Author: Abdul Rashid Gbambu

Recent developments surrounding voters’ register compilation, the conduct of the electoral commission and its related issues, return of students to school amidst the rise in COVID-19 cases, the registration of SHS students by the Electoral Commission(EC), among other things, have exposed the level of insensitivity of the Nana Addo-led government.

The safety and security of citizens are the responsibility of every elected government chosen by the people. Any viable and tenable national security policies and other executable measures are the only surest way of providing guarantees to these safety nets. While these are undeniable facts, intelligence gathering and processing are also known to facilitate the effectiveness of provision of security.

In every civilized society like Ghana, national decisions, especially on security centered issues, is the prerogative of policymakers and/or political heads (known in the security milieu as “consumers of intelligence”). Their decisions are supposed to be the bases for rational choice(s) towards national interest, after proper evaluation of events, risk assessments/management and mitigation measures. In every democratic society, the intelligence community is mandated, constitutionally, to provide these consumers of intelligence with relevant security centered information and adequate recommendation(s).

However, it appears the NPP government has woefully failed Ghanaians in the provision of security, either through refusing to accept intelligence gathered or not having adequate information provided by the intelligence community.

The seemly lack of coordination on the.part of national security to formulate a policy to provide security operatives with enough guidelines and support, to ensure human security, can be cited as a typical example. This has led to creating confusion within and/or among security agencies and their agents into believing that they were executing their constitutional mandate in the provision of security. This appears also to have affected the operations of the intelligence community in Ghana in providing adequate and accurate intelligence to the government, for swift and decisive action(s) presumed hazards, and emerging threats like COVID 19. Even though regarded as security actors, the intelligence, policy-makers and opinion leaders appeared to be either naive and innocent looking or they woefully underrated emerging threats, and/or failed to act upon both overt and covert intelligence provided. For example, the COVID-19 outbreak in China took a global dimension since November 2019. As early as February 2020, the warning signals of its pandemic nature were obvious. Ghana could have been spared the ravishing effects of the COVID if government had been proactive enough and acted upon this overt intelligence.

After government had left her entry points loose and gotten our country highly endangered, decision making and mode of communication about the virus, at the top level of the government, was invariably poor. Government’s communication on the virus, were laden with fear and panic, constituting a threat of its own. For instance, the president's first and second nation addresses on the virus depicted a fearful and panic situation among Ghanaians. This propelled the media and commentators to express varied opinions and guidelines, further worsening the fear and panic situation.

THE EMERGING SECURITY THREATS

Another evidence of government’s insensitivity to security matter is seen in the decision to keep students in schools, amid the rise in COVID-19 cases across the country. This has exposed the lives of students at high risk and its complications are not far fetched.

The EC’s move to register senior high school students, despite the dangers involved, further creates an impression of ulterior motives on the part of H.E. Nana Addo’s government and to demonstrate how the President has chosen Party over national interest

Moreover, the EC's relentless move in furtherance of this agenda, is also obvious to all Ghanaians that the Commission was truly no longer neutral as stipulated in our Constitution. This was further evident in by the NPP with an open display of party paraphilenia during the nomination of its Chairperson, as well as coming other related issues, and how NPP as a political party, came out in on the ongoing compilation of their irrevocable support for compilation of a new voters’ registration exercise, pushing aside the NCCE which is mandated by the constitution to do so but for lack of government funding. Constitutionally, the EC is expected to play a neutral and mediating role in Ghanaian politics yet from all indications, it is questionable as to whether this role can be maintained In conflict resolution, when a mediator loses the trust of either or both of the parties involved in a stalemate in a deadlock conflict.

Furthermore, the Electoral Commission’s modus operandi, in the conduct of the ongoing voter’s registration exercise, raises other serious security concerns. Even though to some extent, the EC might have justifiable reason for the compilation of a new voters’ registrar, the issues surrounding the usage of “Passport” and “Ghana or Ecowas Card”, as prerequisite to registration, has left many Ghanaians frustrated. While acquisition of a passport is cumbersome in Ghana, (especially during this “new normal” times), the “Ghana or Ecowas Card” registration, was a pilot project exercise, which did not give every Ghanaian the equal opportunity to acquire one. The alternative of vouching for someone in the on-going registration process is yet another recipe for chaos.

Indeed, the voter card compilation exercise, is also currently being conducted on pilot bases from the look of the mandate given them thus raising more serious security concerns, raising many questions whether the December polls shall be conducted in similar haphazard manner? This process could be compromised by potential belligerents and other intelligence agencies to break through our electoral system o may even provide room for double registrations. Despite the many concerns expressed by majority of Ghanaians and despite the overwhelming signs of failure, the EC appears unwilling to acknowledge it failed strategies. Perhaps, it is for this reason that many think the EC is not apolitical.

Observations across the country, indicate that the way the EC is conducting the registration exercise, will not only affect one group of people but Ghanaians in general. The consequences will be devastating if at this latent or preventive level, something is not done to avert it. These indicators are recipe for political violence, ahead of December 7, 2020 polls. This is because, ordinary Ghanaians will be more frustrated on elections day, since there are indications of probably having insufficient logistics for conducting smooth elections at every polling station, concurrently across the country. The major causal factor for political violence, is when groups or individuals, are deprived of their constitutional rights, especially when it is caused by interruption to their progress, towards expected goal(s), it will lead to frustration and aggression, will exhibit the outcome later.

While it is now obvious, that the EC is working for Nana Addo and his NPP, it becomes equally imperative to note that, neutrality cannot be possible in her conducts. It is also a clear indication, that, H.E. Nana Addo, had chosen the interest of his government and political party over “National Interest.”

In-state affairs, “the primary consumers of intelligence are the ‘‘doers’’—political leaders.” Intelligence seeks to improve knowledge of these political leaders to enable them take decisions to reduce uncertainties. But if a government decides to ignore these indicators, then it tells of the level of its security insensitivity.

Ghanaians, must take notice and call on government to reduce or avert the consequences of security threats arising out of this situation. Therefore, Security actors, such as the Intelligence Community, National Peace Council, Religious and Traditional Leaders, and entire Ghanaians, must take notice of these developments and counsel government, especially at this latent level, before it escalates into an uncontrollable stage.

The intelligence community, must take into considerations some of these indicators as open-source intelligence and warn the consumers of intelligence, accordingly. The ruling government, must not consider every concern expressed by the NDC and other opposition political parties as mere rhetoric but should be seen as an open intelligence, analyze and process it, with the zeal of nationalism.

By: Abdul Rashid, Gbambu

(Media and Security Analyst)

[email protected]

(+233)(0)266593893