Ghana's New Political Climate: How Many Politicians Will Survive?

For Ghana to achieve total economic self-sufficiency,healthy growth and complete freedom will require a new level of approach topolitics and commitment of each and everyone especially those who manage theaffairs of the country.

What I mean here is from the grass-root to the highest levelof government. Right through from Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings era throughex-President John Kuffour’s administration to President John Evans Attah Mills reign,one can easily see that Politics in Ghana has gone through a systematictransformation.

People can see through Right and Wrong and can voice outtheir feelings on air and through the various media. This is a sign ofpractical development and uncensored Democracy. But there is more to be done toachieve absolute democracy and freedom as enshrined in our National Anthem.

It is now time for Ghanaians to turn away from the cheap oldpolitics practised in the past and embrace this new facet of politics which empowersmajority of the people at the moment. By cheap politics I mean the system whereonly cronies, party stalwarts and family members are the only ones allowed tocontrol key and strategic positions in running of the affairs of the countryeven though it is clear that such people are brainless and unfit to even managetheir own ‘small’ homes.

Democracy is a word all politicians use but very few seem tounderstand it. In Ghana today there seem to be surplus of everything on themarket including people who think they know how to run the government.

In the past incoming governments have always condemned,criticised, alienated and even abrogated every positive thing done by theirpredecessors. It was therefore healthy and encouraging for once to see thatPresident Mills commended the previous government. This is a sign of thepolitical maturity we are beginning to see now in Ghanaian politics.

However, for President Mills’ government to succeed andleave a good legacy for a futuresuccessor to be able to continue his good works, he needs to discourage withinhis government the kind of vicious politics practised in the past and also weedout all the rubbish, tainted and selfish elements in his government. He shouldalways remember that just as in Business there is big steel and little steel,Politics has them too only the spelling is different.

If he is able to do this he will not only gain the fullsupport of all Ghanaians but also his political opponents. It is not a denyingfact that there are a lot of capable Ghanaians with the know-how both in Ghanaand Abroad who have the nation at heart and willing to contribute and sacrificetheir time and lives for the betterment of Ghana. It is also a fact that thereare some political lightweights in his government therefore it is not too lateto replace them with politically matured and competent people who can actuallyperform well to bring about the needed success that we all want.

Ghanaians are fed up with voting Politicians into power onlyto later sit in a Jury to try them. If there is a last Law to be passed inGhana, then it is the one which will impeach or sue Politicians whopersistently break their promises. Ghanaian Politicians should start acting nowand prove they were voted into power to manage and not to always recycle theirspeeches and promises.

It is my hope that President Mills will work hard to sustainthis encouraging economic climate which is now attracting more investors intothe country. What is required now is less government in the emerging businessescoming into the country and more business in government.

Cheap political point-scoring should give way toconstructive criticism, ideas sharing and cooperation. For if there is anyoneout there who thinks cooperation is not essential to nation building then theyshould watch what happens to a wagon if one wheel comes off, and ask themselveswithout cooperation where would the AU, EU and the UN be now? Long live Ghana.

Douglas Chartey. (UK)