OPEN LETTER TO POLITICIANS

I am prompted to write this anger packed letter due to recent happenings in Ghana's political life. Some will commend me, some will insult me but I know for sure this piece will at least get attention from any deep-minded person.

The role of the Ghanaian youth can never be underestimated and it needs to be trumpeted upon: from pre-independence struggle, the re-emergence of democracy (emphatically the fourth republic) and the countless anti-govenment(s) demonstrations. Some of them in their quest of paying allegiance to their political leaders died in the process. The names of such persons who met their sudden death in the name of a 'good course' has never been mention yet they (politicians) make unnecessary noise about whether as a nation we should celebrate founder's day. This is totally unnecessary. The United States of America, in their wisdom marks Memorial Day annually to remember all those (including the youth) who died in the struggle of independence from the British. Such should be the situation in Ghana.

Now, let me address a more serious issue. In 2007, Prof. Atta Mills (then candidate) beat war drums which incited his foot soldiers to stand against vote rigging. Most of us Ghanaians, including Nana Akuffo Addo (the then flagbearer of the incumbent government) critised and condemned Prof. Mills for that unwelcomed comments. Now, Nana Addo is doing same, an attitude he condemned earlier.

My message to them is simple, we the youth of today will not continue to be stooges for violence. Politicians should start to debate constructively about how they can provide jobs for the youth, increase tertiary students' halls of residence and revise our 'colonial educational system'.

I know some will refuse to be informed by this letter but the ghost of those youth who died because of politics will continue to haunt me to tell their story.

The writer is a BSc (Honours) holder from the University of Cape Coast. He is a freelance writer and a social commentator. You can contact him through: [email protected]

SOURCE: Kingsley Ofosu Ntiri