The Political Tsunami that sent the NPP Back to the Bush

The rise and fall of Presidents, Kings, and Governments became a regular feature in History classes when I was in High School.

I never understood why wise men in the various nations couldn’t advise their leaders on pragmatic governance and leadership issues but just sat back and watched till they failed in their endeavors.

Could it be that the wise men hit road blocks because the leaders had switched to “Yɛn tie obiara” mode resulting from ARROGANCE?

The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia and NPP government is credited with a long list of development projects (completed and ongoing).

The long list of projects notwithstanding, one blow knocked out the Elephant Party in a humiliating and unprecedented manner on December 7, 2024.

And that blow was the ECONOMY (the high cost of living and

“ADIDIGYA”).
*Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP government embarked on

massive development projects but was still overthrown on 24 February 1966.

Dr. Nkrumah was reported to have said that,”if he had known that Ghanaians preferred milk and sugar to development projects, he would have connected pipes flowing with milk into every home”.

*When Colonel Kutu Acheampong overthrew Dr. KA Busia in 1972, he announced that “the few privileges we were enjoying under Dr. Nkrumah had been taken away by the Busia Government”.

*Flight Lieutenant JJ Rawlings overthrew the Acheampong/Akuffo (FWK) and Limann governments in 1979 and 1982 respectively.

He cited the mismanagement of the ECONOMY, spiraling foreign debt, and hyperinflation as the reasons for the military intervention.

*President Kufuor’s government is still held in high esteem today because there were massive development projects, unforgettable social interventions, and the ECONOMY was good (with Banks chasing business owners to apply for loans).

*President Mahama and the NDC lost the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections of 2016 because the unmanageable and almighty “Dumsor” destroyed the local ECONOMY. Corruption was also alleged to be rife among the ruling class.

*Development projects are needed and much appreciated.

But should they be at the expense of a collapsed or collapsing ECONOMY ?

Shouldn’t there be a balance?
How much longer will it take us to understand that,”It’s the economy, stupid” is the way to go?

James Carville (Presidential Advisor to Bill Clinton in 1992) posted the sign

“It’s the economy, stupid” on his Little Rock, Arkansas, USA campaign headquarters building.

The phrase was a constant reminder that the main focus of the campaign was the ECONOMY.

(Source: BookBrowse.com; Well Known Expressions).

It was not an insult as was bandied about when President John Dramani Mahama made a reference to it during the 2024 Parliamentary and Presidential Elections in Ghana.

Politicians of today and tomorrow should continually remind themselves of the phrase, “It’s The Economy, Stupid”, keep a balance between development projects and bread and butter issues, and develop a strategy to deal with “adidigya”.

That is when anyone could be assured of electoral victory.

*Kwadwo Tufuor is a Communications Consultant, a Political Practitioner, and the Author of “Campaign and Win, One Touch”.