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.