Is This Propaganda

It doesn't end! This game of political ping-pong.If it's not about PDS, then it's about Free SHS. If it's not about Referendum then it's about printing of New Currency Notes or something that has political teeth or fang.

Regardless, the actors know how to spin the narrative to suit their whims and idiosyncrasies. They've to up their game to survive the political turbulence.

Now I can smell boycott in the air.

Boycott flaunting his buxom weight.

'Yaanom', are beating their chests and stomping the ground-- they're crushing mother Earth.

The Minority in Parliament say they're poised to stage a boycott. What are they boycotting or what's this one about?

This one is about the CJ position.

The main opposition NDC group in Parliament are readying to stage a boycott. They've served notice that they'll boycott the vetting of the President's nominee for Chief Justice---Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah.

The nominee is expected to succeed outgoing Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo who retires on Friday 20. December 2019 if approved by Parliament.

Joe Osei Owusu who doubles as the Chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament and First Deputy Speaker of the august House has already proposed that the nominee be vetted before Friday the 20th of December.

Is this propaganda & who's playing it?

I can't put my finger on it, but I am sure time will tell. Time has a way to deal with people and issues. That said: One has to peer back to the yester years: How did NDC Minority react to CJ nominees appointed by NPP presidents?

Question: Would the Minority carry out the boycott? I suspect they will. I think they mean every sense of the word. Don't forget, Election 2020 is fast approaching. And political parties, either those in opposition or in power make mistakes. It's a tactical game, and it tends to benefit the group that's shrewd, seen as productive, competent and have a listening ear.

Problem is, this planned boycott will run out of steam on its way to the house. I can see the big cows swallowing the puny ones. In other words the Majority side will bulldoze their way through.

But that won't stop the Minority group to bring pressure to bear on their colleagues.

President Nelson Mandela said: " Boycott is not principle, it is a tactic depending upon circumstances. A factor which allows people as distinct from their elected but craven governments to apply a certain pressure on those who wield power in what they boycott considered to be unjust or immoral way."

What triggered this?

The NDC MPs on the Committee have accused the NPP Majority of rushing the vetting process to approve the nominee.

“Our position is that we don’t have to rush over the vetting of a Chief Justice because he’s going to be the head of the Judiciary. Yes, they said the current Chief Justice her tenure expires on 20th and we said they knew when she was going to retire three years ago when the President appointed her so the Presidency should have done what is necessary. Because we need to prepare, we need to read his judgments, we need to ask people about him. All these we believe is not in the interest of the Head of the Judiciary himself and Parliament to rush the process."

Are the opposition NDC just being opposition?

It's difficult sometimes to say,, because our politicians often tend to be partisans. They're used to toeing party lines rather than looking at an issue(s) based on its merit or bipartisanship. Even when the colour is blue they'll say it's green.

So, did the President fail to do what's necessary?

Couldn't he have done the nomination say one year ago to allow for scrutiny if you like?

Did the Minority have issues concerning time frame in the previous vetting of CJ's?

And is the time frame proposed by chairman of the appointment committee reasonable?

I think those are valid questions that one has to reconsider.

“Those of us in the Minority are saying that we are not going to be part of the vetting. It will mean that it will be a one-sided vetting.” Minority Chief Whip Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak told Joy News.

But the Chairman of the Appointment Committee Joe Osei Owusu in response expressed surprise at the decision of the Minority to stay away from the vetting.

Alleged Consensus

Mr. Osei Owusu said, there was a consensus reached on the date to vet the nominee. And wasn't enthused about the suggestion by the minority that process wad being rushed. He described it 'extremely unfair' to the committee.

“We had a meeting on Thursday evening we discussed when we can do the public hearing having regards to the time period for this meeting that is outstanding. We discussed various scenarios I proposed that we do it on Thursday so that on Saturday when Parliament has already programmed to adjourn we would have finished and presented a report for the plenary to consider it."

"After a number of discussions, it is the Minority Leader who proposed that at least we should cover the whole one week of notice and do the public hearing on Saturday which is the 21st and extend sitting to the Monday after which will be the 23rd. It was at that point that we agreed and we all gave instructions to the Clerk to issue the notices.

For the Chief Whip to suggest that we wish to rush the process is to suggest that we are breaching a rule. for anyone to suggest the process is being rushed is extremely unfair to the committee.”