Opinions of Thursday, 29 August 2013
Columnist: Norvor, Justice Dansu
By: Justice DansuNorvor
Email: [email protected]
Secretary- Young Democrats
Socrates might have known the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Kwabena Adjei when he said “Don’t you think that actions are more reliable evidence than words?”
We in the Young Democrats are deeply stunned and dumbfounded with calls by the national Chairman of the NDC, Dr. Kwabena Adjei and the Minister of State in charge of Financial and Allied Institutions, Fifi Kwetey for the country to do away with the winner- take- all syndrome and to revert to the unity government once proposed by Kutu Acheampong. They both expressed the view that mother Ghana would be better governed if the country practices unity government in our political system. We support this idea of a united front as politics has divided our country as far as tribal fragmentations, and the need for a political and ideological synergy to take Ghana to the Promised Land is a necessary call.
But having carefully reflected on happenings within our own party (the NDC) in the past and in the present, we the Young Democrats have considered both Dr. Adjei and Comrade Fifi Kwetey as only being hypocritical with those calls for unity government. How deceitful is it to call for unity government on the national spectrum when within our own NDC, party stalwarts such as Dr Kwame Ampofu, MrOfosu-Ampofo, Alhaji Idrissu Mahama, Dr. Spio Garbrah, Mike Hammah, Victor Smith, Kofi Adams, Joshua Alabi, Martin Amidu, and even Zita Okaikoi, etc are marginalized and remain only peripheral members for one reason or the other.
It is so surprising to note that Dr. Kwabena Adjei who supervised over our dear party to discriminate and marginalize those who expressed discerning views will now call for unity government in the national politics. If as a Chairman of the biggest political groupings in Ghana, the NDC, Dr Kwabena Adjei could not exert his authority to bring sanity when the NDC gets fragmented with each passing day, then how is he going to tolerate the NPP’s Sir John, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey,Kennedy Agyapong, Sammy Awuku, and co. who are more uncompromising and fanatical in a coalition government?
Or are Kwabena Adjei and Fifi Kwetey now realizing that the NDC had made mistakes by marginalizing those party stalwarts who in the interest of country opposed the self-centered policies and practices of those at the helms.
Was Dr. Adjei not the National Chairman when after the 2006 NDC congress leading to the 2008 elections, a presidential aspirant of the party in person of Dr. Spio- Garbrah who came second to the late Prof. Atta Mills at the congress was vilified, maligned, discriminated against and ignored by the NDC leadership.Were the members of the “Friends of Spio-Garbrah” not vilified and condemned by some party members?
Was Dr Adjei not the party Chairman when after the Sunyani congress, presidential aspirant of the party, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the mother of the NDC, former first lady of Ghana for 21years, and a national vice- Chairperson of the NDC was brought so low and denigrated by the Mills’ boys to the extent that, her husband Jerry Rawlings had to join the fray in defense of his beloved wife? And Nana Konadu had to leave the party founded by her husband to join the NDP?
Was Dr. Adjei sleeping in the NDC when Prof. Atta Mills sacked his Attorney- General & Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu for going against evil doers and exposing the rot and gargantuan corruption in government? Did he say anything to defend Martin Amidu??
Where was Dr. KwabenaAdjei, when Dr. OfosuAmpofo was “criminally ignored” for government appointments for expressing discernment at ineptitudes in government? Has he (Dr. Adjei) not conspired and aided in the NDC denying Ghanaians the chance to be served by true democrats who believed in integrity, probity, accountability and social democracy.
Couldn’t the NDC provide a better government had the expertise of Mr Ofosu Ampofu, Idrissu Mahama, Dr. Spio Garbrah, Dr Kwame Ampofu, Mike Hammah , Victor Smith, Kofi Adams, Joshua Alabi, Martin Amidu, Benjamin Kumbour and more others being utilized to the fullest? Couldn’t President Mahama’s cabinet with these competent and well-respected party big-wigs be stronger and more capable to achieve our Better Ghana Agenda? Why were they marginalize and ignored? How will the party be trusted to uphold unity government when all these people are seen as oppositions in their own party they continuously fight for? Are we serious as a party?
If all these injustices to the social justice and equality of our citizens happened under his watch as National Chairman, why then is he now calling on Ghanaians to embrace unity government. As someone who has acquired PhD in Psychology coupled with years of experience in politics, we expect Dr. Adjei to have known better that political liberalism is born out of philosophical/ethical theories- liberty, social justice, equality and human rights. You cannot discriminate against the best human resource in your own NDC then expect to succeed in a unity government that will have to entertain differing views and characters. What a big joke! Or is it that the NDC leadership, NDC NEC, send Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Fifi Kwetey to lobby for unity government? Are we sensing defeat? If not, and if this is a unilateral decision taken by the National Chairman and delivered in the most unsuitable of venues-- at an NPP programme at their headquarters--, then we in the Young Democrats humbly ask him to RESIGN his position as he has sold our pride and human dignity. He has sold and compromised what we voted and fought for. Dr. Kwabena Adjei cannot sell the pride and human dignity of over 50.7% of the Ghanaian illegible voters who sacrificed and voted for John Dramani Mahama and go scout free. He has crossed the line of judgment and must resign his position as National Chairman honourably so us to avert the discontentment of the Young Democrats and the grassrooters of the party who are distressed by his pronouncement. Dr. Adjei together with Asiedu Nketia have served the NDC for 8 years and have won two elections, we are so grateful to them. It is time they gracefully resign their positions for new blood to run the affairs of the party. There is a culture of undue chastisement and vilification for those who run against incumbents within the NDC, therefore capable and competent party stalwarts who are keen to take the NDC to the highest heights have become so wary and guarded in declaring their intentions. It will therefore do the party a great deal, if Dr. Kwabena Adjei and Asiedu Nketia step down now to allow qualified party members to register their interest in these positions.
We do not see the possibility of a successful unity government on the national scale when the most competent and renowned individuals in our own party remain in the peripherals of government. Ghanaians should never ever condone this hypocrisy and deceitfulness of the NDC Chairman. We in the NDC are only honestly joking. The leadership of the NDC has failed to endure constructive criticism in its own rank and file therefore will only create unnecessary tension and disunity in a coalition government that will not serve Ghana well at the end.
Many of the members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NDC that we spoke to even expressed their shock at Dr. Adjei’s unilateral position as they claimed the party National Executive have taken no decision, nor have they mandated Dr Adjei to make such statements on their behalf. The NDC, they noted, has not done well in itself to tolerate divergent opinions let alone tolerating the NPP in a unity government.
When the die is cast on August 29, we in the NDC must accept the verdict whatever way it may go and allow the rule of law to govern our dear country. Let us protect what we stand for as a party and to re- structure the NDC on the basis of the core principles that founded the party.“Intra factional” integration and tolerance is what is needed to make the NDC more vibrant and indomitable.
Long live the NDC,
Long live John Dramani Mahama
God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.
By: Justice Dansu Norvor
Email: [email protected]
Secretary- Young Democrats