GHANA NEEDS POLITICAL REPENTANCE.

Electioneering year is here and the political cacophony is seemingly alarming and I believe it will be worst in the few months to come. I believe that our minds and ears will soon be full after listening to the mouth watering promises of people who aspire to capture political power, particularly, the various political parties who are very desperate to capture political power.

I have my personal qualms about the way we do our politics. We cannot move a step in this country if we don't change our attitude.

Power should not be hunted like an antelope in a deep forest without recourse to our fundamentally democratic and cultural values which include; respect, tolerance, honesty, peace loving among others. Indeed, I feel sad when politicians use this season to cause panic and fear among the ordinary citizenry who have no other place to go should there be any mayhem.

At this juncture in a political season, I expect that, manifestoes of the various political parties should have been out. It is rather unfortunate that political parties usual present their policy outlines so late in the year such that discerning Ghanaians cannot dissect and digest them before making an informed choice.

Is it the case that political parties want to smuggle their policies through, though unexamined? I believe they want us to know that what they present are simply the usual rhetorics and empty political words?

It is unfathomable how a developing democratic state like Ghana is being oblivious of pertinent democratic elements.

All the political parties do is, ask their representatives to blow the airwaves with vulgar and abusive language that has the propensity to spark off political genocide in this country. They shamelessly insult one another with impunity.

I keep asking myself this question " whether our laws do not work during election years".

The political discourse is adulterated with insanity and that speaks ugly of our cherished democracy.

I have said without number that " democracy is competition of ideas and not competition of insults" but the same cannot be spoken of our unfortunate situation.

We must understand that, peace is a collective responsibility and not that of government or the security agencies. It is our responsibility to contribute solidly to consolidate our democratic gains by ensuring peace and encouraging responsible leadership.

What is the essence of democracy if it does not guarantee peace and unity, tolerance and consensus building?

Interestingly, power has become our national goal yet we claim to be a star of democracy in Africa. I think we are selling the pride of our country for power and not for the interest of its citizenry. People shamelessly discredit our nation internationally for reasons best known to them yet they claim to be the panacea to our numerous development challenges. Very laughable indeed. Is this not parochialism and self centeredness? Frankly speaking, our style of partisanship is as bad as faeces. Are we leaving under curse or we want to experiment a civil war in this country? If you have ever seen war and its dire consequences, you will never pray, your enemy fall a prey.

More importantly, elections should never be considered a do or die affairs because it is rather about the choice of the people. The mandate can never be bought and neither can it be conquered in a war. Political parties must concentrate on selling their policies and not selling their ignorance and needless penchants to capture political power by hook and sinker. Policy credibility and feasibility are what discerning Ghanaians should be interested in and not the usual wanton deception. I have keenly observed how some politicians turn to have solutions to all problems during election years. Perhaps the political leadership spirit comes once in every four years hahaha......

I urge all and sundry particularly the youth to avoid been used by unscrupulous individuals to cause any crime or violence in this country. The future belongs to us and we must jealously protect it. Let's be positive minded and engage in politics of development and not politics of violence. I have very close friends who believe in different political ideologies yet our relationship remains solid.

Say no to violence.
The writer is a youth activist and student of the University of Education, Winneba, Kumasi.

Denis Andaban.
[email protected].
0549734023.