Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
FALL -OUTS FROM NDC PARLIAMENTARY PRIMARIES- A WARNING SIGNAL TO THE ‘GREEDY BASTARDS’
The past weekend has been an interesting one for all political watchers in Ghana and elsewhere. For some of us in the NDC, it was more than just interesting- it was vindicating and demystifying. For sure the Ahwoi name was the BUZZ WORD. An Ahwoi fell, and it had such a boomerang effect.
No one- at least no NDC member – is left with any doubt that the power of the people still reign over money lure and sheer intimidation. The weekend’s fall- outs also leave one clear message on our minds as NDC members and Ghanaians in general- there are still some people in Ghanaian politics whose conscience just simply cannot be compromised with money- and these people remain the real king makers.
It started with the northern sector primaries, which saw several district chief executives loosing the contest to ordinary party faithful. From Ashnati, tonorthern region right through the upper regions, many known appointees or government sponsored candidates lost miserably or narrowly after spending so much money in campaigning and luring delegates.
When the Sunyani congress took place, we heard apologists of President Mills conclude very conveniently that that verdict was a positive judgment of his government- a 96.9% overwhelming vote of confidence by the NDC delegates. And that it was a signal to a victory awaiting Mills and the NDC in 2012. Some of us argued that the national delegates submitted to money lure and intimidation in a manipulative environment. At the end, some of us concluded that the outcome was an apology of a democratic congress because we believed absolutely that the delegates did not decide based on the general will of the mass voters in the grass roots of the NDC but based on their own personal motivations and parochial interests. Those who rubbished our arguments then will now have to write new notes. Nevertheless, results were accepted and a new chapter began.
If indeed the president was re-endorsed based on his policies and popularity, then there must be a good explanation for the rejection of the president’s own appointee for food and agriculture- the backbone of our economy. This, despite the fact that the same government machinery that was deployed in Sunyani was replicated in Agona east constituency just to ensure the victory of Kwasi Ahwoi. And I have been reliably informed that Ato Ahwoi the de-facto prime minister of Ghana had to be aided before he could depart from the venue of the vote count resulting from the shock of his brother’s loss.
But I’m shocked to hear that Ato Ahwoi was shocked at his brother’s loss. What was he shocked about? After all, this is the first time any Ahwoi has ever run for an election in Ghana- and it was a false start. Yet, these are the people leading the campaign for the alienation and exclusion of the NDC founder Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings from the party- a man who hasn’t only won elections as president of this country twice, but has also been the key instrument in the political fortunes and careers of all these manipulating elements now championing a malicious agenda against the founder. And to think that these people- unelectable as they are, even at the lowest level- want to convince the rest of us that they can win the next general election for the NDC without the founder. Only those who want to loose power will follow an unelectable bunch like the Ahwois- and Mills is following them.
Considering that five (5) out of ten (10) DCE’s who went into the contest in Ashanti region alone lost to ordinary party members after fierce contest is such a damning outcome for president Mills and his government that appointed these people into office plus, former ministers of state and even serving ministers in government blatantly rejected by the grassroots in loud protest and contrary to claims that the entire grassroots are united behind Mills and his appointees without J. J Rawlings.
And if a people reject a man as parliamentary candidate- a man maintained by the president as a minister of state or DCE- does it not suggest that such a man is an imposition on the people? What moral mandate do these rejected appointees have to continue to occupy such offices?
Or do some one wish to convince me that a man who is unfit to represent the people of his constituency in parliament have any justification in a democratic congress to represent the entire people of Ghana as a minister for Agriculture in a country where Agric is the backbone of the economy.
If the NDC were still a political party with men of integrity in public office, Kwasi Ahwoi, minister for Agriculture would resign for lack of credibility and to save his honour. Unfortunately, we’re not likely to see that voluntary action from him- and that’s why president Mills must rise to the occasion – for once- and sack Kwasi Ahwoi – unless that decision lies in the hands of Ato Ahwoi in which case the Agric minister will remain in office despite his loosing credibility- and that will speak so much of a so-called democratic congress.
For what is worth it, the disapprovals from the grassroots of the NDC of ministers and DCE’s are a clear indication of the gulf that exists between the popular vote- the people’s power- and the manipulative power of the so-called national delegate. In Sunyani, the delegates succumbed to manipulation whereas in the current situation the branches and ward levels are resisting imposition from the powers that be. This is where some of us have argued that unless and until the ordinary party members of the NDC emerge from the current state of apathy and disillusionment- a situation that can only be brought about by the party founder- there are no real chances for this party retaining power in the next general election legitimately.
We the grassroots supporters of the NDC don’t want any more promises from the leadership neither do we want assurances. The last time President Mills the leader of the NDC made a promise to us, it was in Sunyani immediately after he won 96.9 % of the delegate vote to remain flag bearer for the next general elections. I stood right in front of him in that coronation park and heard him loud and clear admit that without UNITY of purpose in the NDC, and without the active contribution of everyone one- big or small- the ultimate goal of retaining power will elude the party. He then promised to ensure a building of bridges and to converge the divergent opinions of the various groups and schools of thought that have emerged to propose different approaches to sustaining power for the NDC.
Not surprisingly, that promise has remained empty words, and the cracks within the party may have even deepened further. Undoubtedly, president Mills must take ultimate responsibility, and this is something that the mass and disillusioned supporters are very much aware of, and have begun to seize the opportunity to register their disdain for this deliberate attempt to take the NDC back into opposition after holding power for only one-term. This is just the beginning of the grassroots protests, and it may just be a warning signal to the ‘greedy bastards’ who may not have much time to take the right decisions to avert an eminent defeat in the next general elections.
Make no mistake, what ever decision president Mills and his team may take regarding the way forward for this party, the outcome of such a decision is solely the responsibility of the president and his team of current leaders of the NDC and the youth of this party will not forgive them for wrong decisions and undesirable outcomes.
SaCut Amenga-Etego
NDC youth activist
No one- at least no NDC member – is left with any doubt that the power of the people still reign over money lure and sheer intimidation. The weekend’s fall- outs also leave one clear message on our minds as NDC members and Ghanaians in general- there are still some people in Ghanaian politics whose conscience just simply cannot be compromised with money- and these people remain the real king makers.
It started with the northern sector primaries, which saw several district chief executives loosing the contest to ordinary party faithful. From Ashnati, tonorthern region right through the upper regions, many known appointees or government sponsored candidates lost miserably or narrowly after spending so much money in campaigning and luring delegates.
When the Sunyani congress took place, we heard apologists of President Mills conclude very conveniently that that verdict was a positive judgment of his government- a 96.9% overwhelming vote of confidence by the NDC delegates. And that it was a signal to a victory awaiting Mills and the NDC in 2012. Some of us argued that the national delegates submitted to money lure and intimidation in a manipulative environment. At the end, some of us concluded that the outcome was an apology of a democratic congress because we believed absolutely that the delegates did not decide based on the general will of the mass voters in the grass roots of the NDC but based on their own personal motivations and parochial interests. Those who rubbished our arguments then will now have to write new notes. Nevertheless, results were accepted and a new chapter began.
If indeed the president was re-endorsed based on his policies and popularity, then there must be a good explanation for the rejection of the president’s own appointee for food and agriculture- the backbone of our economy. This, despite the fact that the same government machinery that was deployed in Sunyani was replicated in Agona east constituency just to ensure the victory of Kwasi Ahwoi. And I have been reliably informed that Ato Ahwoi the de-facto prime minister of Ghana had to be aided before he could depart from the venue of the vote count resulting from the shock of his brother’s loss.
But I’m shocked to hear that Ato Ahwoi was shocked at his brother’s loss. What was he shocked about? After all, this is the first time any Ahwoi has ever run for an election in Ghana- and it was a false start. Yet, these are the people leading the campaign for the alienation and exclusion of the NDC founder Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings from the party- a man who hasn’t only won elections as president of this country twice, but has also been the key instrument in the political fortunes and careers of all these manipulating elements now championing a malicious agenda against the founder. And to think that these people- unelectable as they are, even at the lowest level- want to convince the rest of us that they can win the next general election for the NDC without the founder. Only those who want to loose power will follow an unelectable bunch like the Ahwois- and Mills is following them.
Considering that five (5) out of ten (10) DCE’s who went into the contest in Ashanti region alone lost to ordinary party members after fierce contest is such a damning outcome for president Mills and his government that appointed these people into office plus, former ministers of state and even serving ministers in government blatantly rejected by the grassroots in loud protest and contrary to claims that the entire grassroots are united behind Mills and his appointees without J. J Rawlings.
And if a people reject a man as parliamentary candidate- a man maintained by the president as a minister of state or DCE- does it not suggest that such a man is an imposition on the people? What moral mandate do these rejected appointees have to continue to occupy such offices?
Or do some one wish to convince me that a man who is unfit to represent the people of his constituency in parliament have any justification in a democratic congress to represent the entire people of Ghana as a minister for Agriculture in a country where Agric is the backbone of the economy.
If the NDC were still a political party with men of integrity in public office, Kwasi Ahwoi, minister for Agriculture would resign for lack of credibility and to save his honour. Unfortunately, we’re not likely to see that voluntary action from him- and that’s why president Mills must rise to the occasion – for once- and sack Kwasi Ahwoi – unless that decision lies in the hands of Ato Ahwoi in which case the Agric minister will remain in office despite his loosing credibility- and that will speak so much of a so-called democratic congress.
For what is worth it, the disapprovals from the grassroots of the NDC of ministers and DCE’s are a clear indication of the gulf that exists between the popular vote- the people’s power- and the manipulative power of the so-called national delegate. In Sunyani, the delegates succumbed to manipulation whereas in the current situation the branches and ward levels are resisting imposition from the powers that be. This is where some of us have argued that unless and until the ordinary party members of the NDC emerge from the current state of apathy and disillusionment- a situation that can only be brought about by the party founder- there are no real chances for this party retaining power in the next general election legitimately.
We the grassroots supporters of the NDC don’t want any more promises from the leadership neither do we want assurances. The last time President Mills the leader of the NDC made a promise to us, it was in Sunyani immediately after he won 96.9 % of the delegate vote to remain flag bearer for the next general elections. I stood right in front of him in that coronation park and heard him loud and clear admit that without UNITY of purpose in the NDC, and without the active contribution of everyone one- big or small- the ultimate goal of retaining power will elude the party. He then promised to ensure a building of bridges and to converge the divergent opinions of the various groups and schools of thought that have emerged to propose different approaches to sustaining power for the NDC.
Not surprisingly, that promise has remained empty words, and the cracks within the party may have even deepened further. Undoubtedly, president Mills must take ultimate responsibility, and this is something that the mass and disillusioned supporters are very much aware of, and have begun to seize the opportunity to register their disdain for this deliberate attempt to take the NDC back into opposition after holding power for only one-term. This is just the beginning of the grassroots protests, and it may just be a warning signal to the ‘greedy bastards’ who may not have much time to take the right decisions to avert an eminent defeat in the next general elections.
Make no mistake, what ever decision president Mills and his team may take regarding the way forward for this party, the outcome of such a decision is solely the responsibility of the president and his team of current leaders of the NDC and the youth of this party will not forgive them for wrong decisions and undesirable outcomes.
SaCut Amenga-Etego
NDC youth activist
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
ECOWAS PROTOCOLS!
ECOWAS PROTOCOLS. What is that? perhaps if you've never attempted traveling across the West African economic community region, you would assume that nationals/citizens from member states enjoy freedom of movement and economic activities across the boarders without restrictions provided you have a valid passport.
At least, that is the ordinary 'mis -understanding' of a man in Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Senegal, etc. etc whose traveling experience is limited to local geography. And perhaps, it was with this 'misunderstanding' that an old friend of mine who was traveling from Ghana to Nigeria -hoping to enjoy some ECOWAS PROTOCOLS- got disappointed.
As he walked in a queue at a Nigeria-Cameroon boarder, my friend saw from a distance that the Nigerian custom officer received a bribe from each traveler before approving passage. The Togolese nationals in the queue paid the bribes without qualms. Likewise, the Cameroonians. Apparently, these West African nationals did not pay attention to the essence of the ECOWAS PROTOCOLS or simply didn't take interest in it's benefits. Perhaps, they know better. It was not the same with my Ghananian friend. Haven studied political science at the university of Ghana, and who also prides himself as a Pan-Africanist, my compatriot had a good 'misunderstanding' on the politics of regional integration.
Not surprisingly, my friend did not budget for the bribe to the Nigerian boarder patrol officer.He knew that ECOWAS PROTOCOLS have eliminated that. He was wrong. As he walked closer to the officer, he took out his Ghanaian passport without the bribe. The officer asked him to 'repackage' his document before handing it over to him. He had a stern face indicating his seriousness in his demands. My friend remained adamant. He was double sure that as a citizen of ECOWAS, he was not entitled to pay bribe.
It turns out that both my Ghanaian friend and the Nigerian boarder patrol officer had separate and totally different understanding of the ECOWAS PROTOCOLS. The Nigerian officer was getting inpatient with my friend's delay and/or impudence. My Ghanaian friend finally decided to school the Nigerian custom officer on what the PROTOCOL requires of him at the boarder. He said, 'My brother, am from Ghana, a member of ECOWAS. I should be allowed to pass freely without paying bribe under the ECOWAS PROTOCOLS'. He was hoping to convince this corrupted custom officer, to go without paying a bribe with a lecture on Protocols.
The Nigerian custom officer was the least amused by the long talk of ECOWAS PROTOCOLS. He demanded for the last time to have his bribe adding 'Oga, abi Obasanjo and Rawlings wey them do Ecowas protocol...me and you no get any Ecowas protocols. Na bribe you go pay'. My Ghanaian friend gave up immediately noticing that ECOWAS PROTOCOLS was a simple rhetoric that has yet to be practical- at least at the Nigeria-Cameroon boarder.According to the Nigerian custom officer, the protocols are limited to the leaders- not the peoples of West Africa.
Travel and see.
At least, that is the ordinary 'mis -understanding' of a man in Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Senegal, etc. etc whose traveling experience is limited to local geography. And perhaps, it was with this 'misunderstanding' that an old friend of mine who was traveling from Ghana to Nigeria -hoping to enjoy some ECOWAS PROTOCOLS- got disappointed.
As he walked in a queue at a Nigeria-Cameroon boarder, my friend saw from a distance that the Nigerian custom officer received a bribe from each traveler before approving passage. The Togolese nationals in the queue paid the bribes without qualms. Likewise, the Cameroonians. Apparently, these West African nationals did not pay attention to the essence of the ECOWAS PROTOCOLS or simply didn't take interest in it's benefits. Perhaps, they know better. It was not the same with my Ghananian friend. Haven studied political science at the university of Ghana, and who also prides himself as a Pan-Africanist, my compatriot had a good 'misunderstanding' on the politics of regional integration.
Not surprisingly, my friend did not budget for the bribe to the Nigerian boarder patrol officer.He knew that ECOWAS PROTOCOLS have eliminated that. He was wrong. As he walked closer to the officer, he took out his Ghanaian passport without the bribe. The officer asked him to 'repackage' his document before handing it over to him. He had a stern face indicating his seriousness in his demands. My friend remained adamant. He was double sure that as a citizen of ECOWAS, he was not entitled to pay bribe.
It turns out that both my Ghanaian friend and the Nigerian boarder patrol officer had separate and totally different understanding of the ECOWAS PROTOCOLS. The Nigerian officer was getting inpatient with my friend's delay and/or impudence. My Ghanaian friend finally decided to school the Nigerian custom officer on what the PROTOCOL requires of him at the boarder. He said, 'My brother, am from Ghana, a member of ECOWAS. I should be allowed to pass freely without paying bribe under the ECOWAS PROTOCOLS'. He was hoping to convince this corrupted custom officer, to go without paying a bribe with a lecture on Protocols.
The Nigerian custom officer was the least amused by the long talk of ECOWAS PROTOCOLS. He demanded for the last time to have his bribe adding 'Oga, abi Obasanjo and Rawlings wey them do Ecowas protocol...me and you no get any Ecowas protocols. Na bribe you go pay'. My Ghanaian friend gave up immediately noticing that ECOWAS PROTOCOLS was a simple rhetoric that has yet to be practical- at least at the Nigeria-Cameroon boarder.According to the Nigerian custom officer, the protocols are limited to the leaders- not the peoples of West Africa.
Travel and see.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Ghost who relocated after the floods
Just the other day, I heard a story that emanated from the recent Accra floods. This one is really funny, so I thought to share it. It Involved some two not exactly brave police constables. They had been deployed in some flooded area to prevent people from taking advantage and looting other people's property.
These two police men were bent on making sure no one escaped with stolen goods. Soon, they saw a man who carried a brand new coffin on his head. Aparently, this man had taken advantage of an unburried copse regaled with ornamentals and gold objects- a copse whose burial had been disorganized by the devastating floods. This man was carrying the coffin to a safer location so that he could, with ease, loot it's content.
One of the police men spotted the man carrying the coffin. He was curious. He drew the attention of the other, and they both attempted to approach the man. But whiles attempting to approach him, one of the police men shouted out to the man carrying the coffin thus ' where are you going carrying a coffin on your heard'?
The man carrying the coffin responded ' Oh well, actually, I'm relocating myself because of the floods'.
Upon hearing this reponse, the two AK47 Gun-wielding police men took to their heels knowing that they had met a ghost relocating after the floods.
So: Can we say these two police men are animists, and this has affected their work?
These two police men were bent on making sure no one escaped with stolen goods. Soon, they saw a man who carried a brand new coffin on his head. Aparently, this man had taken advantage of an unburried copse regaled with ornamentals and gold objects- a copse whose burial had been disorganized by the devastating floods. This man was carrying the coffin to a safer location so that he could, with ease, loot it's content.
One of the police men spotted the man carrying the coffin. He was curious. He drew the attention of the other, and they both attempted to approach the man. But whiles attempting to approach him, one of the police men shouted out to the man carrying the coffin thus ' where are you going carrying a coffin on your heard'?
The man carrying the coffin responded ' Oh well, actually, I'm relocating myself because of the floods'.
Upon hearing this reponse, the two AK47 Gun-wielding police men took to their heels knowing that they had met a ghost relocating after the floods.
So: Can we say these two police men are animists, and this has affected their work?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
GANG-WAR IN THE NDC AGAINST THE FOUNDER- IS PRESIDENT MILLS A COWARD?
Gang-War in the NDC against the founder- Is President Mills a coward?
''It is a mark of wisdom not to kick away the very step from which we have risen higher...the removal of one step from a staircase brings down the whole of it''.- Mahatma Gandhi
There is no more doubt that there is a GANG-WAR been waged and led by president Mills against the NDC founder and former President of Ghana Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and his family. But before we go into the nitty-gritty of this WAR, we ought to ask why it must be waged by a GANG. Does it say something about the nature of president Mills? Normally, GANGS are made up of a bunch of weak individuals incapable of defending themselves against their perceived or real very powerful enemies or opponents. It therefore goes without saying that NDC founder and former President Jerry Rawlings is a very powerful man not only within the NDC but in Ghanaian politics. This power, emanating from a people’s massive love for him as a leader, resulting in his larger than life popularity in Ghana and Africa definitely demands a gang – fight from whoever that wants to constitute themselves into his opponents /or enemies.
And what is the Premise of this GANG-WAR against the NDC founder? That his time is past, and he’s not allowing president Mills to rule according to his own set of values and style. Insistence on the application of the party’s values and principles has earned him absolute disdain from president Mills and his surrogates. Unable to engage in a WAR OF VALUES with the NDC founder, president Mills has turned to people who have publicly vowed to bring down Mr. Rawlings to form a GANG against him and his family.
President Mills befriended Gussie Tanoh as the first of the ‘enemies’ of President Rawlings. This is a man who left the NDC to form the Reform Party (RP) in open protest to an open endorsement of prof. Mills by President Rawlings in the famous ‘Swedru declaration’ in 2000. His reasons for that decision still stand today, albeit he tries to rationalize his return with talk of a ‘deepened internal democracy currently prevailing within the party’. We know that his true reason for returning to the NDC is to form part of the GANG-WAR against the NDC founder and to get his booty.
Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, former party chairman, longest serving attorney-General of Ghana under President RAWLINGS left the NDC to form the Democratic freedom party (DFP) because he did not see, feel or experience democratic freedom in the NDC, but also because he said that Prof. Mills as leader of the NDC amounted to putting up an incompetent leader for the NDC. He vowed to oppose the NDC as long as president Mills remain party leader. This was in the face of unflinching and resolute support for Prof. Mills by party founder Jerry Rawlings and his wife NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS. Prof. Mills is still leader of the NDC today. Mills is not more or less competent than he was couple years ago when Obed Asamoah made all these arguments for his decision to form a new political party. If he now has returned to the NDC with the same Prof. Mills as leader, it cannot be for any other reason but to form a part of the GANG of Rawlings enemies being put together by president Mills for this on-going GANG-WAR against the NDC founder.
Lately, the GANG has been re-enforced by the admittance- illegal or otherwise- of Osahene Boakye Djan, former head of government business and spokes person for the erstwhile AFRC regime that led the June4 uprising in 1979. Capt. Rtd. Boakye Djan was one of the first of Rawlings’ colleagues who run away to the West after the AFRC handed over power to Liman. He did not wait to make sure of the stability of Ghana. He later elected himself a pure critic of the PNDC which was formed by elements within the AFRC led by the NDC founder. Boakye Djan then became a fierce critic of the PNDC/NDC and the entire Rawlings tradition from his base abroad where he sought greener pastures. Even in 2008, he contested as an independent in Jaman constituency in the Brong-Ahafo region because of his disdain for the NDC and its founder. Today however, Boakye Gyan says ‘I know President Mills to be an Nkrumahist and I am an Nkrumahist true and true. I cannot sit down for the so called founder Jerry Rawlings and his wife who are determined to destroy Mills and his government to succeed” he said adding that his candidature will help shape up the NDC towards victory in 2012’. Everybody can read between the lines here.
He has repeatedly said that the PNDC was born out of a betrayal of the principles of June4 for which reason he will never be part of the NDC party. He even wrote a book to prove his point. We all know that nothing has changed in terms of all these bogus arguments raised by Boakye Djan in the past for his non-affiliation with the NDC. The only thing that is new is that there is a new ‘perfidious friend’ in town- President Mills. He’s made the party founder his enemy. He’s surrounding himself with others who also the NDC founder their enemy to accelerate his GANG-WAR against the former president. Boakye Djan being a former close confidante of Mr. Rawlings will serve as a great sniper for President Mills- or so they think. There couldn’t be any other explanation to why this man who is totally disqualified to run as a PC for the NDC because he cannot fulfill the party’s requirement for at least a two year membership of the party before contesting on its ticket, will now be the sole candidate for the NDC in Jama, plus, he was publicly flanked by the party’s general secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and other leading party members- a clear demonstration of the manipulation that is taking place just to bring Boakye Djan to the NDC and make it legitimate- somebody whose utterances against the party in the past makes him a clear and present danger to the NDC- unless the NDC general secretary want to tell us that Maj. Rtd. Boakye Djan was already a member of the NDC two years ago when he run as an independent in that same constituency in the Brong-Ahafo region. If that is the case, Boakye Djan would still be disqualified on the basis that all party members who went independent in the 2008 elections are considered sacked from the party- according this same NDC general secretary who is now chief supporter of Boakye Djan.
Those who saw it as a joke, Mills’ plan to alienate and make NDC founder and former President Rawlings ‘powerless’ to prepare the way for a ‘take over’ of the party are now laughing at the wrong side of their mouths. The evidence is very compelling. From events leading up to Sunyani, Wiki-leaks revelations through Hannah tetteh, to recent happenings in Cape Coast against Nana Konadu Agyeman- Rawlings, it is obvious that we’re heading for a final showdown within the NDC. It looks like we’re exhausting our options towards avoiding defeat in the 2012 general elections. And whatever calculations that Mills and his friends in the castle are going by, it is clear judging from their recent actions towards NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS that for them 3.1% of the NDC mass following who support her current stands in the party- assuming without admitting that percentage to be real, (because I believe NANA KONADU is more popular than Mills in reality) constitute less than the 40.000 votes that Mills obtained in 2008 from the TAIN constituency to win power. And if this is indeed their thinking, Mills and his cohorts must be the most romantic dreamers in the world today. They will wake up only when they’re on a freefall from power.
Otherwise, how can we explain the actions of Mills and his instruments of this shameful action in Cape Coast in the full glare of the police whose duty it is to enforce public order? What has president Mills turned the NDC into? When a government can openly undermine even the security agencies such as the police and engage in lawlessnessness- using some zombies with ‘indiscipline muscles’ called ‘macho men’ to lock up a public place secured by a high profile founding member of the ruling NDC for the purpose of addressing her supporters- and this, no doubt planned from the highest office of the land and carried out without remorse- even justifying it. The constituency chairman for Cape coast childishly proclaimed that they know what ever the former first lady was going to say in Cape Coast will not inure to the benefit of the government. For that matter, plus, they (constituency executives) were not pre-informed about the meeting was enough justification to disrupt it- unlawfully using hooligans. What a naïve constituency chairman the party has in Cape coast!
Another bogus reason these ignoramuses used in justifying their untenable action is that FONKAR members say they have nothing to do with the NDC and therefore, they can’t allow FONKAR to use NDC colors in decorating the hall for the meeting. This is very interesting. These same people at the castle went about poisoning the mass followers of our dear party that the ‘thank you tour’ is a cover for campaigning to run as independent. Seeing that the use of the party paraphernalia convinces all sensible NDC people beyond doubt that NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS will stand up to fight until the rot in the party is corrected, they now want to turn round and use FONKAR as a cover to prevent her from using the NDC party colors- colors that this woman partly, if not fully choose for the party. Some of these people now talking anyhow do not even know the origin and history, let alone meaning of these party colors yet, they have the effrontery to ask NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS not to use them.
In any case, FONKAR has never stated anywhere- officially or unofficially- that it wants nothing to do with the NDC. That is a palpable lie. Indeed, it is those at the castle who do not want FONKAR associated with the NDC. Besides, there is nothing wrong if FONKAR disassociate itself from the ‘new values’ of the ‘new NDC’. We only know one NDC.
First of all, Cape coast is not the first region to be visited by NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS on her nation-wide ‘thank you’ tour. She has already visited Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Western, and Volta regions. The same channels and methods of organization were used. All such regions also have party executives who may not have supported the former first lady in her flag bearer ship bid but they did not go out of their way to encroach on her freedom to association and gathering permitted by law. Why did it happen in Cape Coast? Did we not see it coming when the perpetrators infiltrated the 31DWM and got some women to issue threats a week earlier to her Excellency not to visit the region? What they forgot is that they are dealing with a BOLD woman.
The orchestrators of this useless scheme used Cape Coast because it is there they can find people willing to do anything imaginable to show ‘primitive loyalty’ to President Mills just to earn crumbs and praise. At the end of the day, the supporters of NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS still gathered to listen to her speak. Uncalculating as those behind all this are, they didn’t realize the uselessness of their action until when it was time to explain it. Some of them have been hiding from the media- declining comments. They are wondering how this could have back-fired so much and even increased the former flag bearer contender’s popularity whiles further exposing Mills’ needless gang- war against the Rawlings’ and sending his own ‘popularity’ into the ditches.
All sensible people whose appreciation of our democracy have not been overwhelmed by avarice have condemned- root, stem and branch- the locking-up of the Cape coast town hall by agents of president Mills to prevent a meeting between NANA KONADU and her supporters. The hypocrites have remained silent- and this includes some ‘fair weather friends’ of NKAR whose refusal to openly denounce the Cape coast incident for whatever reasons best known to them is not only amazing to some of us, it is also worth taking note of.
One thing is clear- and president Mills must know this. Whether or not the GANG-WAR against the NDC founder and his family succeeds or fails- the characters forming the GANG around Mills are still his worse enemies- not J.J. RAWLINGS.
But who so ever requires such a large gang to marshal forces against him to fight must be standing solidly by something fundamentally good- the truth.
''When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men turn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice''- Rev. Martin Luther King.
Amenga-Etego SaCut
NDC youth activist
''It is a mark of wisdom not to kick away the very step from which we have risen higher...the removal of one step from a staircase brings down the whole of it''.- Mahatma Gandhi
There is no more doubt that there is a GANG-WAR been waged and led by president Mills against the NDC founder and former President of Ghana Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings and his family. But before we go into the nitty-gritty of this WAR, we ought to ask why it must be waged by a GANG. Does it say something about the nature of president Mills? Normally, GANGS are made up of a bunch of weak individuals incapable of defending themselves against their perceived or real very powerful enemies or opponents. It therefore goes without saying that NDC founder and former President Jerry Rawlings is a very powerful man not only within the NDC but in Ghanaian politics. This power, emanating from a people’s massive love for him as a leader, resulting in his larger than life popularity in Ghana and Africa definitely demands a gang – fight from whoever that wants to constitute themselves into his opponents /or enemies.
And what is the Premise of this GANG-WAR against the NDC founder? That his time is past, and he’s not allowing president Mills to rule according to his own set of values and style. Insistence on the application of the party’s values and principles has earned him absolute disdain from president Mills and his surrogates. Unable to engage in a WAR OF VALUES with the NDC founder, president Mills has turned to people who have publicly vowed to bring down Mr. Rawlings to form a GANG against him and his family.
President Mills befriended Gussie Tanoh as the first of the ‘enemies’ of President Rawlings. This is a man who left the NDC to form the Reform Party (RP) in open protest to an open endorsement of prof. Mills by President Rawlings in the famous ‘Swedru declaration’ in 2000. His reasons for that decision still stand today, albeit he tries to rationalize his return with talk of a ‘deepened internal democracy currently prevailing within the party’. We know that his true reason for returning to the NDC is to form part of the GANG-WAR against the NDC founder and to get his booty.
Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, former party chairman, longest serving attorney-General of Ghana under President RAWLINGS left the NDC to form the Democratic freedom party (DFP) because he did not see, feel or experience democratic freedom in the NDC, but also because he said that Prof. Mills as leader of the NDC amounted to putting up an incompetent leader for the NDC. He vowed to oppose the NDC as long as president Mills remain party leader. This was in the face of unflinching and resolute support for Prof. Mills by party founder Jerry Rawlings and his wife NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS. Prof. Mills is still leader of the NDC today. Mills is not more or less competent than he was couple years ago when Obed Asamoah made all these arguments for his decision to form a new political party. If he now has returned to the NDC with the same Prof. Mills as leader, it cannot be for any other reason but to form a part of the GANG of Rawlings enemies being put together by president Mills for this on-going GANG-WAR against the NDC founder.
Lately, the GANG has been re-enforced by the admittance- illegal or otherwise- of Osahene Boakye Djan, former head of government business and spokes person for the erstwhile AFRC regime that led the June4 uprising in 1979. Capt. Rtd. Boakye Djan was one of the first of Rawlings’ colleagues who run away to the West after the AFRC handed over power to Liman. He did not wait to make sure of the stability of Ghana. He later elected himself a pure critic of the PNDC which was formed by elements within the AFRC led by the NDC founder. Boakye Djan then became a fierce critic of the PNDC/NDC and the entire Rawlings tradition from his base abroad where he sought greener pastures. Even in 2008, he contested as an independent in Jaman constituency in the Brong-Ahafo region because of his disdain for the NDC and its founder. Today however, Boakye Gyan says ‘I know President Mills to be an Nkrumahist and I am an Nkrumahist true and true. I cannot sit down for the so called founder Jerry Rawlings and his wife who are determined to destroy Mills and his government to succeed” he said adding that his candidature will help shape up the NDC towards victory in 2012’. Everybody can read between the lines here.
He has repeatedly said that the PNDC was born out of a betrayal of the principles of June4 for which reason he will never be part of the NDC party. He even wrote a book to prove his point. We all know that nothing has changed in terms of all these bogus arguments raised by Boakye Djan in the past for his non-affiliation with the NDC. The only thing that is new is that there is a new ‘perfidious friend’ in town- President Mills. He’s made the party founder his enemy. He’s surrounding himself with others who also the NDC founder their enemy to accelerate his GANG-WAR against the former president. Boakye Djan being a former close confidante of Mr. Rawlings will serve as a great sniper for President Mills- or so they think. There couldn’t be any other explanation to why this man who is totally disqualified to run as a PC for the NDC because he cannot fulfill the party’s requirement for at least a two year membership of the party before contesting on its ticket, will now be the sole candidate for the NDC in Jama, plus, he was publicly flanked by the party’s general secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and other leading party members- a clear demonstration of the manipulation that is taking place just to bring Boakye Djan to the NDC and make it legitimate- somebody whose utterances against the party in the past makes him a clear and present danger to the NDC- unless the NDC general secretary want to tell us that Maj. Rtd. Boakye Djan was already a member of the NDC two years ago when he run as an independent in that same constituency in the Brong-Ahafo region. If that is the case, Boakye Djan would still be disqualified on the basis that all party members who went independent in the 2008 elections are considered sacked from the party- according this same NDC general secretary who is now chief supporter of Boakye Djan.
Those who saw it as a joke, Mills’ plan to alienate and make NDC founder and former President Rawlings ‘powerless’ to prepare the way for a ‘take over’ of the party are now laughing at the wrong side of their mouths. The evidence is very compelling. From events leading up to Sunyani, Wiki-leaks revelations through Hannah tetteh, to recent happenings in Cape Coast against Nana Konadu Agyeman- Rawlings, it is obvious that we’re heading for a final showdown within the NDC. It looks like we’re exhausting our options towards avoiding defeat in the 2012 general elections. And whatever calculations that Mills and his friends in the castle are going by, it is clear judging from their recent actions towards NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS that for them 3.1% of the NDC mass following who support her current stands in the party- assuming without admitting that percentage to be real, (because I believe NANA KONADU is more popular than Mills in reality) constitute less than the 40.000 votes that Mills obtained in 2008 from the TAIN constituency to win power. And if this is indeed their thinking, Mills and his cohorts must be the most romantic dreamers in the world today. They will wake up only when they’re on a freefall from power.
Otherwise, how can we explain the actions of Mills and his instruments of this shameful action in Cape Coast in the full glare of the police whose duty it is to enforce public order? What has president Mills turned the NDC into? When a government can openly undermine even the security agencies such as the police and engage in lawlessnessness- using some zombies with ‘indiscipline muscles’ called ‘macho men’ to lock up a public place secured by a high profile founding member of the ruling NDC for the purpose of addressing her supporters- and this, no doubt planned from the highest office of the land and carried out without remorse- even justifying it. The constituency chairman for Cape coast childishly proclaimed that they know what ever the former first lady was going to say in Cape Coast will not inure to the benefit of the government. For that matter, plus, they (constituency executives) were not pre-informed about the meeting was enough justification to disrupt it- unlawfully using hooligans. What a naïve constituency chairman the party has in Cape coast!
Another bogus reason these ignoramuses used in justifying their untenable action is that FONKAR members say they have nothing to do with the NDC and therefore, they can’t allow FONKAR to use NDC colors in decorating the hall for the meeting. This is very interesting. These same people at the castle went about poisoning the mass followers of our dear party that the ‘thank you tour’ is a cover for campaigning to run as independent. Seeing that the use of the party paraphernalia convinces all sensible NDC people beyond doubt that NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS will stand up to fight until the rot in the party is corrected, they now want to turn round and use FONKAR as a cover to prevent her from using the NDC party colors- colors that this woman partly, if not fully choose for the party. Some of these people now talking anyhow do not even know the origin and history, let alone meaning of these party colors yet, they have the effrontery to ask NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS not to use them.
In any case, FONKAR has never stated anywhere- officially or unofficially- that it wants nothing to do with the NDC. That is a palpable lie. Indeed, it is those at the castle who do not want FONKAR associated with the NDC. Besides, there is nothing wrong if FONKAR disassociate itself from the ‘new values’ of the ‘new NDC’. We only know one NDC.
First of all, Cape coast is not the first region to be visited by NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS on her nation-wide ‘thank you’ tour. She has already visited Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Western, and Volta regions. The same channels and methods of organization were used. All such regions also have party executives who may not have supported the former first lady in her flag bearer ship bid but they did not go out of their way to encroach on her freedom to association and gathering permitted by law. Why did it happen in Cape Coast? Did we not see it coming when the perpetrators infiltrated the 31DWM and got some women to issue threats a week earlier to her Excellency not to visit the region? What they forgot is that they are dealing with a BOLD woman.
The orchestrators of this useless scheme used Cape Coast because it is there they can find people willing to do anything imaginable to show ‘primitive loyalty’ to President Mills just to earn crumbs and praise. At the end of the day, the supporters of NANA KONADU AGYEMAN- RAWLINGS still gathered to listen to her speak. Uncalculating as those behind all this are, they didn’t realize the uselessness of their action until when it was time to explain it. Some of them have been hiding from the media- declining comments. They are wondering how this could have back-fired so much and even increased the former flag bearer contender’s popularity whiles further exposing Mills’ needless gang- war against the Rawlings’ and sending his own ‘popularity’ into the ditches.
All sensible people whose appreciation of our democracy have not been overwhelmed by avarice have condemned- root, stem and branch- the locking-up of the Cape coast town hall by agents of president Mills to prevent a meeting between NANA KONADU and her supporters. The hypocrites have remained silent- and this includes some ‘fair weather friends’ of NKAR whose refusal to openly denounce the Cape coast incident for whatever reasons best known to them is not only amazing to some of us, it is also worth taking note of.
One thing is clear- and president Mills must know this. Whether or not the GANG-WAR against the NDC founder and his family succeeds or fails- the characters forming the GANG around Mills are still his worse enemies- not J.J. RAWLINGS.
But who so ever requires such a large gang to marshal forces against him to fight must be standing solidly by something fundamentally good- the truth.
''When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men turn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice''- Rev. Martin Luther King.
Amenga-Etego SaCut
NDC youth activist
Monday, September 19, 2011
NDC AND ATTA MILLS ARE SEEKING A BORROWED IDENTITY IN NKRUMAISM
It has become even clearer that President Mills and the new NDC are bent on reviving utopianism (Nkrumaism) as a political ideology for the ruling party- instead of- as it should be- pragmatism (Rawlingsism) been the guiding model of governance as a political movement.
Latest Wikileaks report has confirmed what some of us have argued for a long time that there is a scheme, planned and projected by the leadership of the NDC to replace the NDC party tradition with an Nkrumah tradition.
Hannah Tetteh, minister for trade and industry speaking as director of communications for the transitional team of the new NDC government in 2009 told a US official that the new NDC’s long-term plan was to make NDC founder Jerryjavascript:void(0) Rawlings ‘powerless’ in order to be able to bring the CPP and PNC to join the bigger and winnable NDC to consolidate power.
We have all been witnesses to all the efforts within the NDC to see the founder in that so-called state of powerlessness.
Interestingly, as the President and his men and women at the castle continue to reject their true heritage, founding and living ideals and rather intensifying their pursuit of Nkrumaism, the living sons and daughters of Kwame Nkrumah are flatly rejecting the NDC.
Samia Nkrumah, first woman to be elected chairman of the CPP and the only Member of Parliament for Jomoro is a daughter of our first president. She has remained independent in parliament mainly because she believes in neither the majority NDC nor the minority NPP.
The CPP see her as the new face of their Revival. Sekou Nkrumah, former Boss of the National youth council (NYC) under the Mills administration also just quit the NDC recently mainly because he does not believe in the current NDC leadership. He adds that he wants not to stand in the way of the sister’s quest to rebuild the CPP by being part of the NDC whose continues growth will spell doom for the CPP.
On his new Friday morning radio show on Xfm95.1, a local radio station based in Accra dubbed ‘ let’s talk politics’, Sekou Nkrumah pointed out that he does not see how Nkrumaism or socialism so to speak will work in the new world order of globalization and the dominance of a free market economy.
Sekou also cannot see how a ‘dead’ CPP can be resurrected except when the NDC which he believes has usurped the CPP constituency disintegrates- something he doesn’t see happening soon.
The nagging question here to ask is, how come President Mills and friends are the only ones who cannot see that even Nkrumah’s sons and daughters disapprove of the agenda of the new NDC.
Whiles Sekou Nkrumah is displeased with the current NDC leadership despite Mills’ quest to make Kwame Nkrumah the focus of his traditional roots, Samia Nkrumah is working hard to revive the CPP and give it a better chance of reviving Nkrumaism.
What then is the essence of what we’re doing in the NDC? Busily trying to deny our true identity and rather seeking a ‘borrowed identity’ of Nkrumaism even in the face of stiff opposition from his sons and daughters? J. J Rawlings and Kwame Nkrumah may have some similarities but they are distinct in their own political thinking and tradition.
The two most nationalistic political movements in Ghana, the CPP and NDC can be traceable to these two statesmen. We will therefore have to continue to ask of the question of identity. Without Kwame Nkrumah, it would seem to some of us that CPP will be without identity.
Likewise with the NDC which will be a totally confused group of people devoid of any identity without Rawlings or Kwame Nkrumah factor.
What all this means is that Kwame Nkrumah and Jerry John Rawlings are men of their own thought and identity. So that if the NDC is running away from the living Rawlings identity- which is what they are clearly trying to do without the necessary success- shouldn’t they now be searching for an identity of their own instead of running after a borrowed identity?
And isn’t it obvious that without leaning against either Nkrumah or Rawlings, the NDC becomes a group of unidentifiable people without one common set of values and principles to fall on a political movement?
There is no other identity for the NDC if it does not identify with Rawlings. And if Atta Mills and the new NDC continue with this needless effort to have a borrowed identity of Nkrumaism, then the party must be prepared to have a borrowed status in Ghanaian politics.
Just as a Ghanaian calling himself JOHN MILLS is not necessarily an English man, so will a group of politicians whose politics have been inspired by Jerry John Rawlings can never succeed at any point in time in turning such a living inspiration into an Nkrumaist inspiration.
Let the President Mills and the NDC stop acting confused and giving the impression that the party is suffering from identity crisis before it is too late since it is obvious that Ghanaians will not vote for a confused group of politicians incapable of identifying themselves to rule this nation.
Signed:
Amenga-Etego SaCut
NDC youth activist
Latest Wikileaks report has confirmed what some of us have argued for a long time that there is a scheme, planned and projected by the leadership of the NDC to replace the NDC party tradition with an Nkrumah tradition.
Hannah Tetteh, minister for trade and industry speaking as director of communications for the transitional team of the new NDC government in 2009 told a US official that the new NDC’s long-term plan was to make NDC founder Jerryjavascript:void(0) Rawlings ‘powerless’ in order to be able to bring the CPP and PNC to join the bigger and winnable NDC to consolidate power.
We have all been witnesses to all the efforts within the NDC to see the founder in that so-called state of powerlessness.
Interestingly, as the President and his men and women at the castle continue to reject their true heritage, founding and living ideals and rather intensifying their pursuit of Nkrumaism, the living sons and daughters of Kwame Nkrumah are flatly rejecting the NDC.
Samia Nkrumah, first woman to be elected chairman of the CPP and the only Member of Parliament for Jomoro is a daughter of our first president. She has remained independent in parliament mainly because she believes in neither the majority NDC nor the minority NPP.
The CPP see her as the new face of their Revival. Sekou Nkrumah, former Boss of the National youth council (NYC) under the Mills administration also just quit the NDC recently mainly because he does not believe in the current NDC leadership. He adds that he wants not to stand in the way of the sister’s quest to rebuild the CPP by being part of the NDC whose continues growth will spell doom for the CPP.
On his new Friday morning radio show on Xfm95.1, a local radio station based in Accra dubbed ‘ let’s talk politics’, Sekou Nkrumah pointed out that he does not see how Nkrumaism or socialism so to speak will work in the new world order of globalization and the dominance of a free market economy.
Sekou also cannot see how a ‘dead’ CPP can be resurrected except when the NDC which he believes has usurped the CPP constituency disintegrates- something he doesn’t see happening soon.
The nagging question here to ask is, how come President Mills and friends are the only ones who cannot see that even Nkrumah’s sons and daughters disapprove of the agenda of the new NDC.
Whiles Sekou Nkrumah is displeased with the current NDC leadership despite Mills’ quest to make Kwame Nkrumah the focus of his traditional roots, Samia Nkrumah is working hard to revive the CPP and give it a better chance of reviving Nkrumaism.
What then is the essence of what we’re doing in the NDC? Busily trying to deny our true identity and rather seeking a ‘borrowed identity’ of Nkrumaism even in the face of stiff opposition from his sons and daughters? J. J Rawlings and Kwame Nkrumah may have some similarities but they are distinct in their own political thinking and tradition.
The two most nationalistic political movements in Ghana, the CPP and NDC can be traceable to these two statesmen. We will therefore have to continue to ask of the question of identity. Without Kwame Nkrumah, it would seem to some of us that CPP will be without identity.
Likewise with the NDC which will be a totally confused group of people devoid of any identity without Rawlings or Kwame Nkrumah factor.
What all this means is that Kwame Nkrumah and Jerry John Rawlings are men of their own thought and identity. So that if the NDC is running away from the living Rawlings identity- which is what they are clearly trying to do without the necessary success- shouldn’t they now be searching for an identity of their own instead of running after a borrowed identity?
And isn’t it obvious that without leaning against either Nkrumah or Rawlings, the NDC becomes a group of unidentifiable people without one common set of values and principles to fall on a political movement?
There is no other identity for the NDC if it does not identify with Rawlings. And if Atta Mills and the new NDC continue with this needless effort to have a borrowed identity of Nkrumaism, then the party must be prepared to have a borrowed status in Ghanaian politics.
Just as a Ghanaian calling himself JOHN MILLS is not necessarily an English man, so will a group of politicians whose politics have been inspired by Jerry John Rawlings can never succeed at any point in time in turning such a living inspiration into an Nkrumaist inspiration.
Let the President Mills and the NDC stop acting confused and giving the impression that the party is suffering from identity crisis before it is too late since it is obvious that Ghanaians will not vote for a confused group of politicians incapable of identifying themselves to rule this nation.
Signed:
Amenga-Etego SaCut
NDC youth activist
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