Big Noise, Small Brain

Ghana is in Election campaign with upcoming voting sometimes later this year (which European country does not know at least 1 year before the exact date of an Election?) with much Noise by the various Political Parties running up and down the country and nerves of the Electorates. Promises are made, Allegations against the Opponent are placed. All Politicians in Ghana know off the poor education level of the citizen and their high emotions to vote for certain parties while understanding the true mechanism of Politics in general and Politics in a Democratic setting especially under African conditions is very limited and ready to be exploited to the benefit of their own Parties.

After World War II in many countries of Europe Constitutions and Election Regulations were put into place under new conditions starting a new phase of Democratic Settings in these countries like Germany, France, Italy and others. It has never been reported that these young Democracies had any problems with Elections, neither with Voters Registers nor with the Day of Voting and counting of votes at the Polling Stations. The idea of cheating and defrauding at Polling Stations is not in the Spirit of any Political Party in Europe or in the minds of the Voters.

Education makes a big difference in judging Societies and their performance. Year in and year out Voters in Ghana know promises made in an Election Year will not be kept after the new Government and Parliament is in place. They know from past experiences that the Assembly Man or new elected MP will be seen in their Constituency only on most rare occasions to look after the wellbeing of their Electorates.

Still, they vote for them next time round instead of staying at home as a visible signal about their disagreement over the political situation in Ghana and not only to ask in one-on-one encounters with a White Man the good old times of former Prez. J.J. Rawlings back in which GOOD was encouraged and BAD was punished. Ghana was clean and corruption was low in those good old times they lament into the White Man’s face. It was a mistake made by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah having taken out the White Man from the political System unlike done wisely in South Africa by Nelson Mandela.

Educated Voters in a Democracy can clearly see behind the promises of Politicians wanting to change the World overnight. To bring effective Power behind a new idea, money is needed being the currency of Change. In Germany the biggest single State Budget Segment is for the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, around 40%, to subsidies with Tax Payers money Pensions, give handouts to the Unemployed (Hartz IV) and alike, the second largest expenditure goes to the Minister of Defense. Two Ministers get over 60% of the State Budget to run the Affairs of their given Mandate. Both Ministries handle long time projects that are beyond one Parliament but for 6-8 or more years in the future.

Depending on the Country examined, 80-90% of the State Budget cannot be changed by a new Administration unless the new Government wants to destroy or abandon Projects – visible in many places of Ghana – to encounter a heavy loss for the National Economy on the expense of future Generations and indebting the Nation further. Eurobonds and other Loans taken are not repaid in the term of one President but a burden for 10 or more years as it always gets refinanced instead of finally completely repaid once and for all. The remaining 10-20% of the State Budget can be used to fulfill Political Promises in an open and dynamic Environment with limited problems at hand.

In a Society like Ghana the Fundamentals of the Society and its Political Systems are not matching with the demands and needs of the People and the Time the country finds itself in. A Bucket with a Hole at the Bottom (Black Mentality) can never be filled completely and overflow with IMF, World Bank, Donor and Tax Payer’s money to transform Ghana from a poor country into a rich country as it should be by now it the country’s history.

In no country of the White Man someone gets jailed for contempt of court even financial punishment is hardly observed as Freedom of Speech and respect for Human rights are higher than in African Societies like Ghana; Institutions and their Representatives are strong enough in themselves to sustain any verbal attack on them.

When People are not able to see behind the Complexity of today’s globalized world and draw their right conclusions they need to be taken by the hand of a strong man that has a good vision for the country of Ghana seflishless to educate his people over time to become matured Citizen to make a better informed Decision about their future Leaders in a Democratic Setting. People under suffering under these conditions do not need to feel ashamed of themselves but come to understand that a wise man has no problems to ask for help to become even wiser.

While Nigeria is in recession, India on August 31, 2016 announced anyone investing USD 1, 5 Mio. over 18 months and employing 20 Indian workers each year gets a Residence Permit for 10 years, renewable. In Africa Foreigners, regardless of their investment amount, need to pay high amount of Residence Fee and Bribe for Immigration Officers.

Internet and its Search Engine results have started the tendency that Societies and Economies have the same results to become similar to each other over time to come. When Africa wants to be in the Lead of Humanity, it must by good results and news find its place at the Top of such Search Engines to carry the Good News in all aspects of Life around the Globe.

NB: No White Man in Africa would ever mention openly what he thinks about Africans being a Guest on the Continent but gossiping behind closed doors among themselves they share their true thoughts among each other. Only an honest friend does not shy away from telling Africans the truth into their faces for much needed and overdue change!

Author: Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde, Sakumono Estate, Block D10, Aprt. 9, Tema West, Ghana, phone +233(0)265078287, [email protected] , 01.09.2016