Why Should Foreigners Be Interested in Ghana’s Election?

Believe it or not this practice has been going on for decades. Foreigners vote in Ghana’s elections every four years. It’s a fact. It is not a fairytale.

Political analysts have argued, that the practice is not healthy and thus challenges the growth of the nation's fledgling democracy.

"We should not under any circumstances allow foreigners to elect our political officers and duty bearers for us," says Professor Patrick Agbesinyale.

He said what is happening in the Volta Region and elsewhere across the country doesn't bode well for the county's democratic foward march.

"Unless it's not a business cartel, " Prof. Agbesinyale theorised.

And I tend to agree with the seasoned political scientist. Truth is, we cannot behave like the proverbial ostrich, sink our heads in the sand and pretend all is well. This is an undeniable fact and it's about time we decapitated it. Unfortunately, attempts by governments over the years to help stop the trend have been met with sharp criticisms amid wacky assertions or this labelling-- 'Akans hate Ewes and vice versa'. Yes, instead of solving the problem some selfish individuals have been trying to stoke the fire.

But perhaps this sentiment has never manifested itself more strickingly than it's been doing, this election year-- 2020. Somehow, every four years, this warped idea not only finds a way to resurrect but it also gets traction in the socio- political miliue.

So, what's fueling this and who are behind it?
It is driven primarily by power. And those behind it have been whipping up emotions and ethnic sentiments.Indeed, they're doing so to deliberately cause disaffection between these two ethnic groups---Akans and Ewes as well as encourage them to feel that way, whether it exists or not.

After all, the likes of Adolf Hitler had to perpetuate lies in order to succeed his asine war. Fear the fringe!

Also keep in mind, anarchy and hatred can be sewn. And those who wear the armor of hatred have no sense of shame let alone remorse.

Stringent measures
Lately, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) staff have stepped up their game at the country's four inland borders.to ensure that a semblance of sanity prevails.

Interestingly, the officials aren't checking a caravan of traders or prilgrims that are seeking safety.

Rather, they're purportedly checking bus loads of people who are trooping into the country from neighbouring countries, especially tiny Togo to register so that they can vote in the 2020 December elections.

Early this week, GIS officers were seen in a video checking ID's and traveling documents of a bus load of passengers triggering heated debate on a number of social media platforms.

Sure, the issue has been weighing on my mind.
And it appears it bothers many Ghanaians too.
"I'm extremely worried about people and personalities that seek to divide us on the basis of ethnicity," remarked Prof George Owusu, University of Ghana.

In reference to the video, a social media user asked the following question: "Do we have immigration officers at VIP and OA transport terminals in Kumasi doing same?"

An official of GIS, Bob Doe (not his real name) discounted the assertion that the incident happened at VIP or OA transport terminals in Kumasi.

"The incident happened at one of our inland borders and not VIP terminal in kumasi. We have four (4 ) inland borders in Ghana, which officers do checking.

If you pass through unapproved border you can be arrested," he explained.

Another user also posed the question below:
"Where are these videos from? And what are the issues? There’re too many many things that unite us as a people. I’m extremely worried about people and personalities that seek to divide us on the basis of ethnicity just for the politics on both sides (NPP/NDC). Please, let’s be extremely careful."

As the debate warmed up another user criticised the earlier questioner:: " Yaw Mensah (not his real name) seems to think it’s ok for any foreigner to register and vote any attempt to stop it is deemed as an attack on the people of VR."

However, a contributor who conveyed himself as neutral shared this view: "I agree with both of you.

At the same time, such actions are necessary to prevent foreigners from voting and for that matter helping choose our political leaders in our democratic process. However, it must be done with caution."

And the fireworks resumed!
"You have no problem with guys from UK with dual citizenship voting in Ghana but not those in Togo, Benin and Nigeria wuth sane status voting in Ghana," remarks an NDC sympathiser.

His critic, immediately turned the heat back on him with this: "If one has proof of dual citizenship then one should be allowed to vote. I do not have a problem with that but we can not let people from Togo, Benin and Nigeria without proof of Ghana citizenship to vote.

With this dual citizens from Togo, Benin and Nigeria were they Ghana citizens who have taken citizenship from those countries or they are citizens of those countries and have applied for Ghana citizenship.

They have to proof citizenship of Ghana before they can vote in Ghana."

"Can you go to Togo and vote?? as long as you are on this side of the border you can call it artificial border. You are Ghanaian you can’t vote in Togo and those on the other side of the border are Togolese they CANNOT vote in Ghana."

"You can" jabbed the NDCsympathiser. "Weren't our relatives in Nigeria to be precise Agege not coming to register and vote in Ghana?"

His blow was parried off instantly by the NPP sympathiser: "Ghanaians in Togo are allowed to come back to Ghana they do not need a special flight to airlift them to Ghana."

The two didn't appear to back down anytime soon.

"What is making the Akans hate the Ewes so much?" replies the Zuza man.

"Oh please give us a break who said Akans hate Ewes I do not know any Akan person who hate Ewes. If one say Togolese should not vote in Ghana election do that make the person Ewe hater. Go to Kumasi there are Ewe towns there have there ever been an issue between the Akans there and the Ewes."

"Haven't you read and watch videos of Ursula, Gabby and K. T. Hammond among others dishing out hate speeches about Ewes?"

And it came down to showing affinity.
"As an Akan who was married to an Ewe I feel offended and disappointed with your statement. “What is making the Akans hate the Ewes so much?”

'Come again Bro'.
"My wife is half Ga and half Ewe so I distaste the obvious discrimination against the Ewes least my kids would be denied their status as children of a Royal from Akyem Asuom in the near future when I am no more," replied the NDC man.

Citizenship
An official of GIS has offered some education:
"You can't just say you are dual citizen. You need to pass through a process before. All the Ghanaian you see them are dual citizens. The white people especially the Lebanese you see also pass through the process. If you're aTogolese you need to pass through it. Some have also passed through naturalization or registration."

In his submission, Prof. Owusu posited that the issue of citizenship wasn't too much a problem: "I think as a country the issues regarding citizenship with our neighboring countries aren’t too different from other countries. From Adjei’s submission dual citizenship isn’t acquired automatically just because one can cross to and from one country to the other every now and then. Also, internally there’s nothing between any of our ethnic groups. Just visit any compound house in Accra and observe the different groups present. Also, I’m yet to see in our big communities, churches, mosques, schools, markets, etc the presence of just one ethnic group. Yet, we get bothered every four years with matters of ethnicity."

So do Akans hate Ewes..?
Again, Prof. Agbesinyale: " I think this 'Akans hate Ewes, Ewes hate Akan talk should cease.

A few are planting this seed into our children.
It's not healthy. Prof. George Owusu once made a point on this platform, that if you saw the depth of inter-marriages in Ghana supported by our 2010 Population census data what we are proferring here is far from the reality on the ground. Ghana very much integrated and very interdependent. If Akans hated Ewes as we tend to argue, i am not sure we shall be having the "Awunatowns" "Ayigbetowns" "Amuzukorpe" "Akakpokorpe" "Zotorviekorpe" and many other "korpes" you find in Akan heartlands (NB: 'Korpe' means village). '

He continued: "Anloga' in Kumasi is arguably the largest Ewe community in Ghana, bigger than any town or settlement in the Volta Region.

I wonder how 'Anloga' could thrive in the heart of Kumasi if Ashantis hated Ewes. If one talk of tribalism here and there, yes but HATRED paaa? I am not sure. This is just one of the handiworks of the politicians."

A retired magistrate, Mr. Bessi Quayson shared his thoughts: "Let us not succumb to the warped machinations of some politicians bereft of ideas and in their desperation to gain power play on our greatest weakness as rational beings ie our emotions and in this instance ethnocentrism. For the first time since I joined this platform I am sensing some form of divisiveness let not our emotions cloud our judgment."

A police chief, Francis Kwame Tsidi also had this to say:"l have written some long lines earlier on this subject. This impression is dangerous and must not be encouraged. We must not encourage this sickness which unfortunately has sat deep into the head of SOME of our compatriots. People who make dangerous tribal hate statement must be punished. Unfortunately that seems not done. I and my siblings get lost when this impression is re echoed.

"In fact along the beaches all through to New town near Half Assini. Some of the Ewe settlements have gone beyond 150 years. They have lived in peace with their hosts. It is only some few politicians who are notoriously misbehaving around. I wonder how much they profit from this nonsense. So Paa do not join them by making this statement. It is dangerous."

"I have lived all my adult life in Akan land starting from BOASS. I have never seen any Akan person expressed hatred towards me or my family. In fact when i went to study in Germany I got all the support I needed from the Akan dominated Ghanaian community. That was where I took my Twi lessons very seriously because one could hardly function very well without their support ' according to Prof.Agbesinyale.

Another wrote this: "We can do better. The few politicians must just be scape-goated and shamed each they drag us along this unfortunate lines."

Again, Prof. Agbesinyale: "Kwame Ewe fisher settlements straddle the entire West African coastline from Cameroun to The Gambia. They have lived with their host in peace for decades."

"The whole problem can be put at the doorstep of politicians. They just want to get votes .If they don't do that how can NDC get votes in volta region and NPP in the Ashanti region," said the Immigration official.

Is divide and rule," echoed the immigration official.

True or untrue, perceived or unperceived, we can do better than this. And to quote Prof. Owusu:

'Let's celebrate our unity as a country.'

By Gordon Offin-Amaniampong