When Politicians mouth run afoul

Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, a former NDC Member of Parliament for Gomoa East is reported to have made the following comments at a day's forum organized by the CJA in Tema on Thursday June 23, 2005 as a prelude to a "Wahala" March to be held in Tema. That those Ghanaians outside, even though citizens of this country cannot impose leaders on Ghanaians because they cannot tell who could be the right choice for the country. Really? She said there are so many unanswered questions like the right to contest elections even if allowed to vote and as to whether they honor their tax obligation because "there is no representation that says you have a right but have no obligation." She considered the move as an attempt by the New Patriotic Party Government's to maneuver to rig the elections in 2008. "They want to entrench themselves and find whatever ways to get people to vote for them to win the next elections", she said.

The NDC never ceases to fascinate me. How on earth did they come to the conclusion that extending the vote to Ghanaians abroad will entrench the NPP in power? Is it the assumption of the NDC that Ghanaians abroad are all for the NPP? Is there any surprise this same NDC refused to give Ghanaians abroad the dual citizenship even after persistent plodding from those of us outside? Now the cat is out of the bag. It must be clear to everybody the reason NDC only paid lip-service to dual citizenship was the unmistaken assumption that Ghanaians abroad will more likely vote for NPP and not NDC and I wonder why? Their failure to give us dual citizenship was linked to this hidden agenda of the vote. They are only now coming out on the issue.

She has the gull to say those of us outside cannot help to choose a leader or MP for our country whereas our remittances home has become next to cocoa, timber and gold earnings in terms of foreign exchange for the country. Who the hell does she think she is? Who gave Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe to think for us, given some of the pronouncements that come from her mouth? This loose mouth is a disgrace to all women who have their breadwinners overseas. This is the same NDC that is going around telling gullible villagers that the recent cancellation of Ghana's debt by the G8 is not due to good governance of the NPP; and our joining the HIPC initiative; and reaching the completion point in record time. The NDC explanation as Prof. Attah Mills is quoted to have said at a speech at Ho Polytechnic was as a result of the people's prayers.

If anything the people's prayers were loudest, as evidenced by the thousands of churches and Christian gospel songs and lyrics that sprung up at every conceivable corner across the country during the despotic JJ Rawlings P/NDC rule. Nothing of such unprecedented monumental debt cancellation ever took place. Yes God listened to our prayers and he answered us by sweeping away the NDC and brought in the NPP. How else can we explain all the blessings that have fallen on the country since the NPP took charge. The NPP is not perfect, there is much to be desired from their stewardship, but boy they are a breath of fresh air. Freedom is ringing from all rooftops in Ghana.

We would be waiting for these NDC goons the next time they come around with hat in hand appealing for funds at abroad. Now their overseas chapters should know what the NDC thinks of them: cash cows and nothing else.

Now tell me which country in the world requires proof of income tax payment as a precondition for citizens to exercise their voting rights? Does Mrs. Benyiwa-Doe think Ghanaians home care more about Ghana than Ghanaians abroad? We all care about Ghana, home and abroad Ghanaians, let me tell you Ama Benyiwa-Doe. And if that is the criteria how many Ghanaians actually pay income tax besides those who cannot escape it because they are on the government pay roll? So to say 99% of the thugs who follow them around in that fraudulently induced Wahala DEMONstrations would not qualify to vote. The NDC “scent no agye babiara”. Desperate measures are what the NDC is doing and adapting to shore up their sagging fortunes.

Every Form One student would know what is called opportunity cost in economics. The opportunity cost of not paying Ghana's $4.8 Billion dollars foreign debt plus the billions of dollars that would have gone to service them as interest payments, is the $4.8 billion dollars funds that would be now available to the NPP to invest in the Ghanaian population to reduce to the barest minimum the untenable poverty prevalent across the country and push our people towards accelerated development. Any prudent use of our funds from this God sent breather from debilitating foreign debts would bring tell tale signs of development for all Ghanaians to see. To this the people would come to associate the NPP with good tidings and development, curry favor and return them to power election after election. This scenario is what is causing nightmares for the NDC hence their resort to their old trickery of demonstrations, meaningless purposeless demonstrations as a prelude to whip up imaginary sentiments and disturbances to derail the NPP administration and they do not care if they throw away the baby and the dirty bath water together. “Think of it. The NDC is the DEMON in demonstration” a friend pointed that out to me.

Poor loosers. They have no spine I tell you. Is it not the case Ama Benyiwa-Doe lost her seat to a returnee who was based abroad for many years, hence her out worldly gaffes? War thorn Iraq and our own neighbor Burkina Faso recently conducted elections that allowed their foreign-based nationals to vote at their respective country's embassies. If she doesn't know she should go and ask how it is done before she runs her mouth amok and loose next time. These are people, the NDC that would want to carry itself as for the people. This is the bent of their whole socialist inferior tactics. They have no wherewithal how a country's wealth is created. How can anybody in her right sense afford to win elections by such postures that would offend a source with deep pockets to oil their opponents' election campaigns? Alas whom am I talking about. They confuse everything. They confuse the Ghanaian quintessential posture to be hospitable, friendly and sociable to be socialist at birth, our good neighborliness and communal spirit with predisposition to communism.

We should haul all of them to University of Ghana, Legon, to undertake a course in the Social Structure of Ghana if it is still available at the Sociology department. Confused brats.

Presented By, Eric Kwasi Bottah, alias Oyokoba. Philadelphia, PA, United States