Ghana's democracy, useless enterprise

Abraham Lincoln's definition of democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Can anybody in Ghana feel anything close to Abraham Lincoln's definition?

We've been hoodwinked to practice a system of government which only benefits the political elites. The political class is mostly populated by deceptive characters, who are only interested in themselves and only themselves and always deceive the electorates with promises they have no intention to keep.

Ghanaians were highly optimistic when they were ushered into the fourth republic with the hope it would deliver the best ingredients of good governance to the people positively. Unfortunately it has turned out to be the most disastrous republic and the political actors are very dishonest and cruel to the citizenry.

There is no doubt the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana Dr. Kwame Nkrumah set the stage for Ghana's economic and infrastructural development to the chagrin of the colonial masters which eventually culminated in his overthrow.

It appears the demise of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has dimmed the aura around our motherland. Is it not strange after the overthrow of the first republic, Ghana began to retrogress and all of the successive governments had no clue how to manage the affairs of state?

The ruling elites that came after the visionary leader Dr Kwame Nkrumah have done the state a lot of disservice by failing to build on the foundation laid by him. Sadly they handed over our sovereignty to their foreign collaborators and deliberately destroyed the solid foundation laid by the deposed first president.

The political elites embraced greed and jettisoned patriotism, by running down almost all of the state organizations Dr Kwame Nkrumah successfully bequeath when that dastardly act which curtailed his reigns.

The successive government prioritize their comfort over the needs of the citizens. Some of them adapted an ostentatious lifestyle and wastage of the little resources on frivolous activities.

After wasting the scarce resources available on unproductive ventures, and thinking the only remedy to replenish the kitty is by imposing draconian taxes, increases in utility tariffs, increases in all payments for government businesses and suffocating everyone apart from themselves who is in government.

It's sad governments that came after the first republic are unable to deliver on promises made to the people and always shift the blame on preceding administrations whenever they failed to achieve their promises. Ghana is regressing due to the quality of people we elect, and most of the appointments made are usually dependent on sycophancy and loyalty to the president.

The appointing authority is not interested in their performance, hence keeping square pegs in strategic positions despite calls to sack those inefficient appointees. This unpatriotic conduct culminated into the level of indiscipline in government and has been the bane of our underdeveloped.

The performance of our political elites gave fodder to the Bretton Wood institutions to disrespect us, because we have proven we are incapable of managing our affairs hence the treatment and conditionalities we are subjected to anytime we go for support.

This disgraceful conduct of the ruling elites has made it possible for the descendants of the colonial masters to treat us as second-class human beings, in our own country.

The Almighty God has endowed Ghana with everything that should make us self-sufficient, but sadly we have proved to be inefficient of managing all that divine providence has bestowed on us and generations yet unborn. Unfortunately, our generations have mortgaged almost all for a pittance.

Are we not ashamed as proud people that we claim we are, and always go begging for what we have in abundance? The time has come to reject and shame the unscrupulous political elites by casting our votes against them irrespective of our political inclination.

BY Mike Kalley
Sociopolitical Analyst