Be BOLD; vote skirt and blouse!

Dr. Abu Sakara has been stepping up his efforts to tell Ghanaians that his Convention Peoples Party has the set of ideas needed to develop the country into a prosperous one and indeed a cursory glance at the line-up of candidates in the Accra area alone reveals some sterling parliamentary candidates for the party.

And apart from the presidential race, Ghanaians deserve a parliament filled with men and women who are qualified enough to take on the debate for the development of Ghana in this century with all the seriousness and urgency the matters require.

The current situation of youth unemployment, pollution and environmental degradation, housing shortages, and lack of infrastructure as well as the low general competence of the nation makes it very urgent and critical that we put in place members of parliament with the freshest of ideas, character and vigorous enthusiasm to tackle the problems head-on.

Whiles Dr. Abu Sakara and his team of parliamentary candidates present a repository of vibrant new ideas which this country critically needs right now, it is unsure if Ghanaians understand the dynamics that bring about good governance and thereby vote for them first into parliament.

The president lacks experienced and qualified men to assist him although he offers a safe continuity of the Mills administration.

Dr. Nduom is hard working, but his previous connection to the Kuffour administration and the EO group oil saga as the signing minister (that left a paltry 10% of the oil share) on behalf of the Ghanaian people makes it difficult to bank our hopes on him.

And if the nearly 70 year-old Nana Addo should make it to the castle, it will be imperative to provide alongside a parliament which will seek to balance and cross-check decisions that are made under him. Nana Addo has been around for a long time; served in the two Kuffour administrations and is part of the maladministration of the past in the first place.

The corruption we experience today can be limited or put in check if we vote wisely and vote skirt and blouse. Previous regimes in the past have had the privilege of also winning parliament which then becomes the rubber stamp for the ruling government. We the people can change that for good and through our voting we can change the way politics is done in Ghana to benefit us.

Consider NPP with 35%, CPP with 15%, NDC with 36%, PPP with 10% and others 4%.

Ghana stands to gain and parliament will produce results for the people through a give and take negotiations and proper debates devoid of insults. Money will be used judiciously as all pros and cons will be weighed in before any decision about using money is made.

We will get the chance to access the smaller parties like the CPP, PNC, and PPP from the way they debate in parliament and for future presidential bids.

So be bold and when you go to vote for your presidential candidate, ponder a little and put partisanship aside so you can choose the most qualified parliamentary candidate on the list irrespective of party affiliation. Do this for Ghana's sake please!

Every nation is built on laws and knowledge and we arrest our own development if we do not vote more women and more qualified men into parliament who will form the brain of this country to make the laws and to counter excesses.

Many unqualified people have infiltrated our law making house because of money and it is time to root them out now. Failure to do so with a reason based on partisanship and tribal sentiments will sink us further into more underdevelopment. It is time to do your part to outwit politicians who get voted into parliament but do not even attend sessions. Let's make politics work for us beloved countrymen. So vote for your presidential candidate and then choose wisely a fitting candidate for parliament.

Long live Ghana!
Festus k. Lartey-Adjei