HON. AYAWASO CENTRAL MP WAS THIS THE BARGAIN?

'Hearing tells you the music is playing; listening tells you exactly what the song is saying'.

It is some six months ago when Henry Quartey became a honourable member of the Ghanaian Parliament on and behalf of the voters of the Ayawaso Central Constituency after queuing for several hours under annihilating and debilitating sun to vote and fiercely protecting the ballot at the collation center and  a funfair coronation that took place at the Parliament House in Osu, amidst brass bands of varying accelerando, vehicles honking, crowd cheering while Henry (Hon), party men and women  parades themselves in traditional costume symbolizing merry.

Indeed, it was and still remains a day to remember, but conceivably for good or bad is a conclusion that entails deep thinking and replication.

Agbenaa Sheikh I.C Quaye, former Member of Parliament, may be talked about someday to come in his twelve years of his rule as MP,  proved to Ayawaso Central People that he really value their thumbs.

Anybody would have thought that Henry’s administration, having promised everything to everybody regardless of political colouration during campaign and electioneering would do well to keep his promises made by always considering people’s view before embarking on any decision or how on earth will any member of parliament decides to import drivers into his constituency to drive him or her at the instance of his constituents?

In a constituency with several segments and a time when the entire country seek to radically reduce the rate of idleness, The Gentle Giant promised to deliver and liberate the constituency from the shackles of bleakness and joblessness, but until today, some quarter’s into his honourableship, after signing and unloading his boxes of  luxurious cars  and plush accommodation loan services, several months and days into his rule, even the usual thank you tour after any elections whether family or associational elections is nowhere to be found. It is indeed a smack of boorishness and an affront to the people that voted him.

Is this the change we queued to bargain on December 7?  We had truly left our pot unwatched and our food now burns.

Our markets and roads have continued to deteriorate as basic facilities are not available. Our lights remain erratic while the unobtainability of gas and water continue to be a daily ritual. We only heard about donations at funeral gatherings on the lips of fanatics and on face book but yet the case with our roads, markets, unemployment remains immobile.

Grassroots party administration in the constituency has become paralyzed. It so worse that foot soldiers do no longer want to do anything for the party talk less of attending meetings  just because he (Henry) won’t release what is due to them as allocation  from the national party as a token for working as ‘exalted observers’ in the beleaguered presidential and parliamentary elections.

In fairness to Hon. Henry, there is no doubt that he was made a coordinator of a yet to come nationwide demonstration aimed at drumming home the exigency of hardship in the country, and awake the government from its slumber prior to the supreme courts declaration.

Well, as parliament set out   for yet another section it is my fervent wish and advice that attention be devoted to providing worthwhile and impactful dividends of democracy to Ayawaso Central People because they indeed deserves a better life and representation other than self-aggrandizement.

MP- means Member of Parliament, however a critical reflection and examination of this title would leave you pondering if indeed Member of Parliament is actually a Member of Parliament. Without predisposition to the designation of Member of Parliament, I concur that this definition is enough to placate an average electorate. But as a critic and a purveyor who has imaginative license and has gotten dynamism, humbly postulate that what makes a member of parliament extends beyond being an adult human being with enough body, abdomen and height plus sound mind. It travels beyond how gentle and giant one is. It indeed goes farther than having a broad chest, muscular arms, broad and deep voice, and talking on the most recent sophisticated gadgets. 

In fact Member of Parliament extends to standing up to condemn the condemnable, raising one’s voice if silent will lead to evil being perpetrated against any man. It goes to the extent of meandering and lobbying to bring the best to your constituents notwithstanding which party is in in-charge.

Painting these pictures on your minds, I suggest to you that you are not a member of parliament if you subscribe to worry and blame everyone instead of showing leadership. You are not a member of parliament if you chose to remain oblivious just because you can’t ask and contribute on the floor of parliament. You have failed as a member of parliament if you prefer crying before your electorates instead of confronting the source of the sorrow headlong.

A true member of parliament never shifts blames on people, never segregates, talk less of building walls around himself, rather he or she admits his faults when he falls short and make the lesson learnt a stepping stone. If cowardice is the only alternative to violence in a fight for a better life, a true member of parliament should be seen on the battle field.

OPPOSITION PARTIES IN GHANA MUST WAIVE THEIR SO CALLED IDEOLOGIES AND AMALGAMATE.

Over the last few years, the functionality of competitive party politics in democratization process has become a subject of renewed deliberations after some unbridled military dictatorship ended in Ghana, when political parties became the key pillars of rule of law and the protection of human rights in a democracy where good governance is imperative.

My objective is to underline one important point, that democracy is not God-given and that it is historically generated. Democracy is a history of collective struggles over the expansion and provision of political atmosphere. It is a contestations over the transfiguration of the human wrongs of marginalized groups and the vulnerable into human rights, this I think is not debatable.

What is debatable therefore, is the inability of the opposition parties to sacrifice their parochial party interest and unite to advance for human rights and good governance at the time when nothing seem to be going well.

There seems to be broad agreement that democracy is a system of governance where rulers are held accountable for their actions and inaction in the public realm by citizens. But for Robert Dahl, it is the responsiveness of government to take preferences of its citizens who in theory are supposed to be equal to their rulers. An assertion that is never true on the face of the pink sheets as per the better and further particulars. I require that Ghanaians have the opportunities to formulate their preferences, articulate them and have them considered in the conduct of government business.

These credentials are in turn, dependent on the following institutional guarantees that are cardinal to our democracy, thus to form and join any group, freedom of expression, the right to vote and to be voted for into public office and the right to proceed to the Superior Court when you feel piqued.

I contend the erroneous impression that Ghana has three arms of government. To me, we have as many as five arms of government, and not the three forced down our throats in basic schools, the fourth being the press and the fifth opposition political parties even though our Parliamentary seating arrangement knows not parties like the late Osagyefo’s Convention Peoples Party (CPP), late Dr. Hilla Liman’s Peoples National. Convention (PNC) and being managed by the youngest presidential candidate of the century-Ayariga.  Paa Kwesi’s Progressive People Party, and a host of them not discounting the relevance of independent candidates. Interestingly, there is either ‘national’ or ‘people’ running through the names of the political parties. 

Even though opposition parties play important role in the shaping of state policy, conducting civic education, and fighting corruption, sometimes alone and other times in collaboration with the media,  they continue to suffer challenges that constrain the democratization agenda.

Ruling parties continue to dig deep into the treasury and use official resources to out-compete opposition parties. Opposition parties continue to be victims of legal and political restrictions designed by incumbent regimes.

I think opposition parties are weakened because of the absence of an ideology different from that of the ruling party, factional struggles over succession, and/or the personality cult of the so called founding fathers.

To sketch in full the contours of my pleadings, I wish to tender the analytical stage for the unpacking my affidavits.

Opposition Parties are supposed to provide alternative and solutions to carter for the chronic youth unemployment that have bedeviled our cities and countryside. The lack of economic opportunities which is responsible for the high levels intolerance and crime in the country.

There is ostensibly nihilism and hopelessness in the country. But what I have seen is an irresponsible opposition that has performed miserably to live up to their responsibilities.

Right from when I first casted my biometrically verified valid vote to this moment Ghana have seen the worst. To me Ghana and for that matter Ghanaians have not had a respite from the bumbling incompetence and dismal performance of political regimes so much so that the quality of life of the ordinary Ghanaian has continually and geometrically deteriorated to the level that the life span of an average Ghanaian has fallen to 35 years from 65 years in 200. This is more than enough evident that the country is at the nadir.

It is curious and surprising that abject poverty has completely enveloped the country despite the fact that the country has earned more coins from the sale of our natural resources including guinea fowls.

In the face of massive erosion of national values and irresponsible governance by the changing regimes in the past, it became essential that patriotic and progressive citizens come together to form abroad based, national political force to be in the forefront in the fight to enthrone responsible and responsive government in order to arrest the prevailing national drift.

If it became a national duty for nationalists minded and leaders of civil societies to come together, setting aside their tribal, personal and political differences to form a part to rescue the country from the miseries, why can’t the numerous opposition parties with little or no offices as required by law to team up with those seem to be big and resourced enough to absorbed the minor ones?.

I maintained that Opposition Parties are unpaid but dedicated resource fellows for ruling governments. It is uncommon to see ruling  regimes plagiarized the  manifestos of opposition parties and adopt their slogans, policies and programmes without credit; thereafter, turn to accused them of been bereft of ideas and having no vision for the people they wished to serve.

Which is the more reason why I speak to you at the time when Ghana is experiencing great difficulties. When companies are raking into their bank accounts what is due our hard working youth, when tribal conflicts have torn the people apart breeding violence, destruction, pain anguish and sorrow. When some regions have virtually become ungovernable. At the time when some of our Youth stop at nothing to travel outside in a bid to seek better life. Unfortunately the Sahara desert has become a burial ground for some of those who want to escape the harsh conditions in the country. Our country has today become the hub of the world’s refugees and Chinese illegal miners.

What is most disturbing and worrisome is that many of these problems have their root course in the mismanagement and swindle in the political process to provide better conditions for the citizenry.

In a country where opposition is stifled and strangulated such that it does not exit and the weak trampled upon. Freedom has become a scarce commodity which can only be purchased by a few affluent. Those who are muscular, exercise the power of life and death.

On the other hand, if opposition is strong with a mission and works with passion, it may generates an unstoppable force that can free the people from oppression, and restoring to us our freedom and dignity.

However parties in government worked harder to wane and suffocate opposition parties. This is done in the hope that, those in government, no matter their poor performance in office, are always guaranteed continuous stay in office. Hence instead of concentrating their minds and efforts on offering good governance, they spend time planning and implementing actions which have, adverse impact on the fortunes of opposition parties and the nation as a whole.

Opposition political parties need to work together to present a common agenda to challenge the agenda of the ruling party. This strategy has been successful in time past and must be revised and stopped the airwaves discords.

Because when they unite to prosecute electoral agenda, it will produce a spark that will light the hope of the hopelessness electorate that change is in the offing. It becomes cooler to mobilize all those who do not like how things are, and those who need change in the system. The ruling party is restrained from considering the option of electoral manipulation seeing the surge in the interest of the public.

It is only important that opposition parties help citizens to know their rights. Because people can only defend rights, they know are theirs. Ghana to me, need a new thinking, a new attitude and a new orientation that will help us get crop of leadership we need.

When this is achieved, it will help creativity and innovation to flourish and blossom. If this is not done, the Ghanaian will remain in servitude. Self-doubt will continue to weaken our drive, undermine our vision, emasculate our efforts, prevented us from dreaming big and acting big. That indeed is the surest route to remain weak, poor; unripe and dependent.

Let Opposition Parties not be seen as either confrontational or destructive, if they aim at pointing hidden areas which the human eyes can easily overlook. It is the opposition that will cry out for the oppressed, that they can organize the weak and needy, so that help can reach them.

Because it is the opposition that will ensure that the laws of the land are adhered to by the rich and the poor alike. The parties are responsible for blowing the whistle and beating the drums when the mighty in society try to cover their crimes because of the privileged positions they occupy.

Every society that places value on human dignity and cherishes freedom and liberty must create room for a viable opposition.

It is men and women of great courage, with love of country, who build great nations. We in Ghana are one, and must work to make Ghana a good place to live in devoid of political party ideologies, our best days are ahead. We have enough human and material resources to build a better Ghana.

WHO IS A MEMBER OF A LEGAL TEAM?

I stopped, looked and listened to the four lead counsels in the ongoing 2012 election petition introduced to the court presided by Justice William Atuguba the lawyers helping them battle the petition. For the twenty seven days or so hearing of the petition, I have not heard or seen any of the lead counsels for either sides naming the sort of persons introduced to us by the media as members and spokespersons of the litigating lawyers i.e. Nana Atto Dadze, Yaw Boabeng Asamoah, Amaliba Abraham, David Annan, kojogah Adawudu and so on.

What baffles me is their unwillingness to correct the erroneous designations assigned them by the media. Because as an interviewee you are entitled to correct an interviewer whenever you are wrongly introduced.

For me, it is either the media is not been factual to its listenership or they are just interested in mischief that will help fuel the hopes of fanatics of the ligating factions. 

I contend why, lawyers who are not known to a court of competent jurisdiction in an ongoing case could be referred to by the media as members and spokespersons? In the case of Gloria Akufo you and I have seen her been introduced to the court by her lead counsel Philip Addison. Same cannot be said of the rest of those who sits far from the teams they claim to be a part of.

On the face of the pink sheets, a spokesperson is a person who speaks as a representative of a group. It is obvious per the exhibits tendered by the lead counsels, all those lawyers in courtroom with their cassock cannot be taken to be members of either of the litigating lawyers. These may only amount to a situation where the number of people who have voted in a particular polling station is found out to be more than persons on the voter’s register of that very polling station. As to what it is referred to, is a matter for the court to decide.

I taught it was for expeditious trial, and the aversion of an ‘ambush reportage’, that you and the Danquah Institute advocated for the live telecast of the proceedings. And it was not ‘decoration’ that the Chief Justice issued the administrative directive for the live telecast. I suggest to you that it was meant for all of us, lawyers and non-lawyers to watch for ourselves in order not fall prey to propagandists and rumour mongers.

What I find worrisome is the haste with which the media make to talk to these observing cassock wearers who are always in court to broaden their understanding of the case before the nine Supreme Justices.

I am not by this impugning on the professional competences of those lawyers who have voluntarily taken-up engagements that they were never appointed to. Neither am I asking the media not to talk to them as lawyers. My concern however, is the titles given them or have assigned to themselves prior to any interview they granted since the petition hearing.

One can however belong to a government or a political party’s legal team, and may not automatically be part of lawyers prosecuting a particular case at a time, hence it is the media’s burden to furnish us with truthful information.

The media in my own opinion can do better by talking to law lecturers and the station’s lawyers for clarifications on matters boggling their understanding either than political party propagandists parading themselves as spokespersons who are quick to pontificate the so called  weakness or otherwise truthfulness of a witness ahead the declaratory judgement by the Justice Atuguba presided court.

These spokespersons only not disrespect the court, but also commit ‘corpus delicti’ and jumping to conclusions at to which witness is clueless and masterful. They sometimes goes to the extent of telling which witness is corroborating who and demolishing cases.

I find these trend rather troubling of the learned profession that was supposed to be forerunner our infant democracy.

I object to the flippancy of the media naming persons just to put wait on their interviews. My lords as to who a member of a legal team is, I think it borders on matters of law, I trust that your lordships will deal and rule appropriately on it.