NPP repeating the mistake that took them to opposition in 2008

Since independence in 1957, Ghanaians experienced rule of Law, Good governance, respect for human rights, freedom of speech and real economic development from 2001 to 2008 when the destiny of country was in the hands of the New Patriotic Party under the leadership of Ex-Former President, His Excellency John Agyekum Kuffour.

During this period Ghanaians saw a massive infrastructural Development, reduction in unemployment rate, favorable atmosphere for the private businesses which led to the springing of so many foreign banks and other notable private companies.

It was at this period Ghanaians saw so many social intervention programs which improved their living standards among them are the NHIS, School Feeding program, Capitation and many more.

Prior to 2008 general elections most of us were of the view that looking at these record achievements by the New Patriotic Party, The Flag bearer of the Party Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo was going to win the election hands down but Ghanaians voted otherwise.

This was because the party failed to listen to the youth of the party at the grass roots, because of this, the party was strong at the top and weak at the grassroots. It is however worthy to note that Elections in Ghana are won at the polling stations. The opposition NDC with their hidden agenda continued with their propaganda as usual thereby weakening the grassroots of the party further and these led to the NPP going into opposition in 2008.

After Eight years in opposition, well meaningful Ghanaians realized the country was better managed by the NPP as compared to the NDC and therefore rooted for the NPP to win the 2016 general elections. During these period under Mills/Mahama administration, Ghanaians experienced massive government corruption, Bad governance and substandard economic policies leading to the near collapse of almost all state institutions and social intervention programs. Most of these existing social intervention programs were poorly managed and became an avenue for “create, loot and share”. A typical example is SADA, GYEEDA to mention just a few. This bad Governance by the NDC led to the Shrinking of the economic growth rate from 8.4% of GDP in 2008 without oil revenue to 3.6% in 2016 with oil revenue. This resulted in high unemployment rate thereby inflicting severe hardship to the citizenry of the country. Many were not surprised when the NDC under leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama was humiliated in the just ended 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

Most of us believed now that the party is back in power with all indications, Ghanaians are going to experience good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights again. But before Nana Addo was sworn in as the president of the country, majority of Ghanaians were of the view that the mistake that took the party into opposition in 2008 will not be repeated. But looking at development within the party we are repeating the same mistakes which are gradually killing the die-hard spirits of the grassroots members of the party and the Ghanaian youth in general.
One thing that beats my imagination is how the leadership of NPP will allow the NDC appointees to continue holding key positions in the ruling government Seven Months after taking power when these are the very people who are also going to campaign across the length and breadth of the country to wrestle power from the NPP in 2020. The believe that making life better for these NDC appointees by allowing them to continue holding key positions, leaving the corrupt NDC officials off the hook, choosing NDC contractors ahead of NPP sympathizers will make things easy for the NPP in 2020 is a very big mistake were being making. These are the very people who threw dust in the eyes of Ghanaians by attacking the personality of Nana Addo, they used all sort of unprintable words to describe him just to discredit him in the eyes of the Ghanaian electorate and now we believe they are the ones who are going to help Nana Addo achieve his vision for the country. This is actually laughable and ridiculous. We are giving multimillion dollar contracts to the NDC contractors with the mistaking believe that they will fulfill their promised to finance the campaign of the NPP in 2020, at a time the very people who believed in the vision of Nana Addo and sacrificed their time and resources to ensure Nana Addo’s victory are struggling to receive a single contract from the party the brought to power. Do you trust that NDC contractor more than the NPP Contractor who has been with the party all these years? There is a saying that “the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know” we live to see if these so called NDC guys are going to be in the fore front of the campaign in 2020. They are only promising you because of their selfish interest and you will have to be rest assured that all these guys are comfortable in the country when NDC is in power not NPP and no matter what, they are going to work against the NPP to ensure their party comes back to power.

I must be frank, millions of NPP foot soldiers are growing impatient for being used during campaign season and dumped when we are in power. This is because of the actions and inactions of the leadership of the party by allowing the NDC appointees to hold on to key positions when they are the ones who went to remote areas to campaign to bring the party back to power. This is too dangerous for the wellbeing of the party and is about time the party leadership sits up. People are losing confidence in the leadership of the party because they feel the leadership has allowed the NDC foot soldiers to be the direct beneficiaries of the effort they put in to bring the party to power. What is not clear is whether this will transform into voting in 2020, a development which led to the party losing power in 2008. We must not repeat this mistake because anytime NPP is in power, there is hope for Ghanaians.

As for me, is my prayer that God will not grant Ghana a looter president like John Mahama and never again must Ghanaians allow the NDC come to power with the intention of milking the country. I will therefore urge the leadership of the party to be up and doing and to support the numerous grass roots supporters of the party as well as the youth of the country who sacrificed their time and resources in diverse ways to bring the party to power.