THE LAST VOTE TO SAVE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY’S ELECTORAL FORTUNE

The days are very close. The die is indeed cast. The New Patriotic Party’s National Executive election must surely hold. The major contenders are already known. The decentralized election debate is over courtesy the National Council and particularly the Minority in Parliament. The deadline for filing is over. The only contention left is the election proper. The long-awaited voting day is the only decisive event left to determine the next leaders of the Elephant Family to strategize to take up power from the under delivering National Democratic Congress government lead by John Mahama. But that is not the only thing at stake in this election as the election will certainly more than any other thing shape and determines the destiny of more than twenty million people who make up the dozens of space within an area known as Ghana.

In my honest opinion, the New Patriotic Party National Congress slated for the 12^th April, 2014 should be based on proven personality and integrity issues and not on the basis of ethnicity or through empty boasting by some aspirants that cannot even win the party nomination in their polling stations.  These aspirants are only trying to make themselves relevant. However, as I observed from where I stand, 2016 election is not for politicians that are rude, arrogant, unscrupulous, mischief makers and liars. Neither is it for the swift nor affluence.

2016 requires a good and viable Chairman would be liked by all. I know for sure that New Patriotic Party cannot afford to lose in 2016 to another political party just by picking wrong and lazy persons as National Executives.

For me and to me, the way forward for the New Patriotic Party is to pick a winning Chairman, especially now that it has indeed been established and accepted by many, that New Patriotic Party is the alternative platform that can bring smile into our peoples' lips once again. We have accepted it as facts that in New Patriotic Party, we are blessed with governance intellects that combined the gift with managerial experience. Also, it's a concrete fact that we have a shepherd that is a master strategist whom his name is what the Delegates (Gatewarians) are echoing day by day as the leader of the messiah-ship. Stephen Ntim can best work out of the lots to bring Nana Addo and the New Patriotic Party victory come 2016 to build and promote a stronger and united Ghana predicated on justice, equity and fair play. 

As a New Patriotic Party indigene, a young man and a stalwart my position for New Patriotic Party National Congress is to produce:  1) A Chairman that is responsive to the yelling and suffering of all New Patriotic Party  members and Ghanaians as a whole. 2)  A Chairman that empowers Women and Youth. 3)  A Chairman that is visionary, creative and has ideas. 4)  A Chairman that listen to the masses and has an open door policy. 5)  Not a Chairman that is interested in using the masses to achieve his own personal goal and interest or hidden agenda because sheep are happier of themselves, than under the care of wolves. 6)  A Chairman that is humble and ready to work with all shades of Party People. 7)  A Chairman that will remedy the lack of economic and social developments in New Patriotic Party at all levels. 8)  Finally, a Chairman Party Men and Women can describe as a Son of Brong Ahafo Region. 

Nobody has the sole right to the chairmanship slot in New Patriotic Party as one has to fight for it.  It is not given on a platter of gold or given due to emotional feelings. However, Regional arrangement should be seriously considered for fairness and equity, but where it does not happen due to marginalization, then let the chips fall where they may. 

In my opinion, the political system in New Patriotic Party should be in such a manner to command the respect of all Ghanaians, that is, it should be fair, just and equitable.  I stand to say that united we stand, divided we fall; the basic concept is that unless the people of New Patriotic Party are united, it is easy to destroy them.

However, among those indicating interest in the Chairmanship race, only one aspirant rightfully stands out among other aspirants; that is Stephen Ntim.  Stephen is more on ground than any other aspirant.  He is selfless, more compassionate and more reasonable in terms of leadership and management skills.  Ntim is a seasoned and a grassroots politician; he is focused, experienced and has a very good track record.  However, anyone (Aspirant) can try his/her luck.

 Ntim is humble and ready to work with all Party faithful and does not believe in parochial leadership.  Above all, he has the best political structure amongst his peers.  He is a man of the people, for the people and by the people and this is what Democracy is all about.  These qualities, attributes and other relevant leadership skills surpass that of any other Chairmanship aspirants.  The three criteria globally used to measure preference for a leader are competence, integrity and acceptability.  Stephen Ntim has got them all and today Ntim is acceptable to the generality of Ghanaians. 

Between now and the beginning of the Congress, I implore Delegates to hear his views, judge his competence and weigh his success in chosen endeavors.  At the same time, he will continue to seek the advice of Delegates on issues that are of utmost importance to them and the New Patriotic Party.

Where are the political activities of some of our aspirants? What is the alternative they have for the mission to unseat and rebuild the country that John Mahama demolished?

I only see one of them with a mission to rebuild the party to retake power from National Democratic Congress, where is the message of others? "I did it for Kuffour and will do it for Nana" just remains a phrase that belongs to an aspirant. Besides were they not the same people at the helm of affairs? Why didn’t they do it?

This mission to unseat an incumbent government is more than a mind game because the only advantage that is enough for us is the acceptability of our party by electorates (Gatewarians) who are variable and can change minds when they see us as not serious.

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, where is your political strength in Ghana? Where is your base? What have you to offer? Muctar Bamba, where are your foot soldiers? The much talked about (Bamba Boys) when party men and women were brutalized across the country?

Otiko Dzaba what happened to your multilingual Prowess when you appear on Twi flagsship programs on radio?

Sir John, we are fed up with your radio interviews. Because it added nothing to us, rather you drag the name of the Party into disrepute.

 The 2016 election is widely different from 2008 election. There will be no need for further and better particulars, hence the demand for those who need power to deliver the party from opposition, Men and Women who are able and willing to serve, for there is work to be done not position to be occupied.

If we are only strong in Ashanti and  Eastern without being stronger in Central ,Western and not being strongest in Brong Ahafo where John Mahama  is recruiting his foot-soldiers (Alshabab) day by day, then to unseat a corrupt  incumbent Party would only happen in our imagination.

The Jake administration contrived the political space and usurped the powers of both NEC and the National Council, posing a grave danger to the democratic content of democracy. Most of the claims of Jake and his cohorts on the gains in the rule of law turned out to be mere political gimmicks as they were clearly unfounded and merely designed to create the impression that it was no longer mandatory as usual in the New Patriotic Party Constitution after they became Executives. 

Jake and his team should go away and retire in shame politically, what integrity has they in terms of political legacies for New Patriotic Party and Ghana to speak on? Apart from his aborted third time ambition to circumvent the party’s constitution, he brought about and left a legacy of electoral corruption in the party country wide. He should leave the political landscape of the New Patriotic Party alone. He brought a whole salad of corruption, manipulation and failures.” 

I will always hold Stephen Ntim credible for his singular act of standing up for his third term drive and wish to chair the party and his loyalty and commitment to the party’s agenda. His willingness to serve has never been dashed by his loses in elections. Not when he was maligned political as an appendage of a certain aspirant.

For how long shall we continue to entertain and celebrate mediocrity? Why must we stick to ineptitude when there is a substitute? For how long shall we continue to laugh with people who were unable to raised funds in four years to organize a centralized National Congress? We cannot and should not entrust the success of a party that is hungry for power into the hands of Men and Women who budgeted for 1.2 million cedis when indeed the actual cost was around 650 thousand cedis? Let Jake and his ilk’s tell us what they were going to use the excess 550 thousand cedis for?

For me, although they are qualified as per the party’s constitution, they are not competent enough to bring us power in 2016.

It is apparent, from street to street; from town unto town that Stephen Ntim is the messiah to write of the wrongs of those before him and unite the party in readiness to retake political power in 2016.

I am also conversant with the talking’s that He, Ntim is for Alan Kyeremanteng. But I want to proposed it should be the very reason why he should be the one chairing the party. Because Nana Addo would be better, safe and effectively protected under Ntim than any of those who are parading themselves as lovers of Nana Addo.

It's thus in our conclusion that it should be beeping in our minds that people will continue managing "that inferior thing" if the elements of alternative is not convincing.

Finally, my generation of party membership must rise and rebuild the future of New Patriotic Party, and we must do it on a new plan that involves patriotic party leadership.  When we are principled, our policies and goals must not fail.  Ntim is a man of principle. 

Let's move and show the world that we are ready to MOVE GHANA FORWARD.

 

Let the Unborn live.

Abortion is when the pregnancy is ended so that it does not result in the birth of a child. Sometimes, this is called ‘termination of pregnancy”. This is the deliberate act of destroying the life of a foetus for reasons best known to the mother and those involved. Apart from extreme cases where medically it is discovered and proven that the existence of the pregnancy puts the motherhood in a precarious state of danger, the act of abortion should be shunned by all.

The act is a grievous offense before God, the law, the unborn child and the society at large.From 'Atuguba's  perspective, the right to life is one that everyone enjoys as provided in 1992 constitution of the Republic Of Ghana that states that the right to life is per-eminent.  However,a  very important question is being raised; does an unborn child enjoy the right to life?

Generally, a foetus is regarded by legal fiction as already born and at such enjoys the same right to life as an already born and as such enjoys the same right to life as every living being does. The law went a step further to clothe this law with strict legal implication when defiled. These sanctions are rightly placed in both the Criminal and Penal codes used in the Ghana. This provision is may be found in the Criminal Code and in the Penal Code, but for the specific Act and Section I will adjourn it for another day for hearing to continue.

‘Any person who, with the intent to procure miscarriage of a woman whether she is or not with a child, unlawfully administers to her or causes her to take any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or uses and other means whatever, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for some years.

However, where a woman herself causes or attempt to cause her own miscarriage, whether she is pregnant or not by any administration of poison, by force or means, she will be guilty of felony punishable by law. This is the position of the law for the punishment of anyone charged with abortion (be it the woman or anyone else that rendered assistance with the full knowledge of the intent of the woman). The exception to this rule is for the purpose of saving the mother’s life and except in the instance as stated above, the life of a foetus is germane to the state and thus must be protected by the state who is charged with the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of its citizen.

 Law aside, from a moral, health and religious perspective, the act of abortion cannot still be justified. Abortion is a rude way of killing an innocent foetus. Abortion claims the lives of thousands of women yearly. These begging questions needs to be asked at this point; the death of all this ladies, is it God’s plan or man’s act? Did God plan for females to die prematurely or through this way?  Does abortion cleanse us from the mistake we made or only complicate things?  Are they no health implications even after the act of abortion has being done?  Can a man play with fire and not get burnt?

The truth is that abortion ought not to be an option if the right is done; this is because abortion is not a mystery that cannot be understood. Before thinking of abortion, the lady must first of all be pregnant and pregnancy involves the act of sex (not unless one proves to us that it is another case of Immaculate Conception as was with biblical Mary, mother of Jesus). People, who are not ready to face the product, must not engage on the process.  Ladies must learn not to engage in actions, that could easily jeopardize their lives, as they must know that sex is a two edged sword; it gladdens  the heart momentary and saddens the heart when the undesirable happens as he who plays with fire must be ready to be burnt as well. 

Parents please enlighten your children and instil some moral and spiritual discipline in them, seek to know your children beyond the surface no matter their ages. Also when the undesirable or the unexpected happens, exhibit maturity in accommodating their mistakes as two wrongs cannot make a right and with the full knowledge that everyone including children deserves a second chance.

Conclusively, children are heritage from God and at such deserve to live and the shame of keeping an unexpected child is always temporary but the guilt of killing it, is one that will remain forever.  Remember that what we do to ourselves is far worse than what any other person can do to us and so we must seek to improve ourselves rather than destroying ourselves alongside with the mistakes we made previously. Let the unborn child live because abortion would cost us more than we are willing to pay and take us farther than we are willing to go. We must put an end to this act as abortion does not stop you from being a mother; it only means you are the mother of a dead child... Either ways, you are still a mother!

 

VENERATION OF MEDIOCRITY, THE TRAGEDY OF GHANA’S LEADERSHIP FAILURE

The Bible says in proverbs 29:18 that “where there is no visions the people perish.” This declaration is very true for a generation that has succumbed to unbelievable levels of mediocrity that they sing and dance for MM/DCES, Members of Parliament and Presidents who build a few roads and then endlessly justify all the other failings of government. 

There are now large agents of mediocrity across Ghana who have made a career from justifying the inexcusable failure of the past and present governments at all levels and count some mediocre projects as achievements even after some fifty six years (56) of independence; Ghana is a certified failed country in spite of abundant human and material resources.

The phenomenon of mediocrity is not new, it has been with us for a considerable length of time; what is new however, is the extent to which the culture of mediocrity has been consolidated across the Ghanaian society with large sections of the population becoming the defenders and justifiers of the mediocrity of government and opposition parties. This is 2013, where deputy minister can anticipate basking one million dollars before calling the cat for a fight. This is where one will need a million dollars to be able to control humankind, not 1809 where one could only boost of his riches by the limitless number of wives, as well as male children to mould yam mourns. We live in the 21st century, an era that has heralded the most advanced technology ever known to man. From the internet to face book, YouTube to twitter, solar energy to wind energy, GPS to space tourism, the world is navigating through revolutionary technology in all spheres at a dizzying pace. Technology brings with it possibilities and solutions for all kinds of human challenges, it takes away the constraint and arduous task of needing to “reinvent the wheel,”  yet in the age and midst of such possibilities, Ghana has regressed into a failed state lacking the most basic infrastructure. 

Sadly, there abound so many soaked in the muddied waters of mediocrity, willing to applaud and defend the government in the open glare of colossal failings. Most worrying is the well travelled and educated elite who are now either the purveyors, enablers or chief defenders of mediocrity. Ghana is the only country where so called leaders are endlessly praised and celebrated for doing less than 15% of their job even when the 15% is mostly of doubtful quality. This trend is evident all across Ghana as governments construct a several substandard roads, erect some cranky boreholes in a few communities and get treated to dance troupes and praise singers for failing in his job. Same goes for the members of parliament who are toasted and celebrated for patching up a few spots in some badly damaged asphalt roads that continues to kill thousands of victims annually. 

Every year endless hypes and noise is made  about the purported achievement of government; how things are improving; how this and that president is ‘performing,’  but beneath all that deceit  propaganda is the reality of failure across all strata of  governance in Ghana. Neither the neither president nor any of the ministers are successful.  None of them can pass even the most basic test of good governance and accountability. Government in this time is all about scamming and mediocrity. They loot public funds, deceive the public with some mediocre projects and together with a mediocre populace celebrate their failings as success. 

In the era of unprecedented technology and attendant possibilities, the nation has gone back in time.  As a consequence of mediocrity and corruption, there is no remarkable development anywhere in Ghana in spite of a sustained oil boom and consequent availability of financial resources.  After more than twenty years of democracy the nation is littered with bad roads. There is no pipe borne water, no electricity, no functional hospitals, no functional refineries, no functional steel plants, no functional public schools, no national airline, no social housing, no social welfare, no skills and vocational training centers, no functional railways, no waterways, no modern port facilities. The tragedy of Ghana’s leadership failure is further appreciated when we ponder the irony of a nation that is producing crude oil in the world yet imports fuel for local consumption because the refineries are dysfunctional.

Patchiness and its twin of corruption have ensured that there is increasing poverty, unemployment and massive infrastructure deficit at a time the nation is awash with petro-dollars.  It has consigned the president and Ministers   to mediocre projects while ignoring major and massive infrastructural projects that would build capacity for industrial growth and social investments that will insulate the citizenry from poverty and destitution. A country  with the resources,  population and size of Ghana should have a modern rail system with high speed   trains ferrying goods and persons across the nation, state of the art feeder roads in excess of six lanes, inland waterways and state of the art river ports, modern  steel plants and refineries, a  comprehensive  and free high quality  medical system,  twenty four hour uninterrupted electricity,  pure and clean pipe borne water, special economic zones  and cluster industrial parks, subsidized  education at all levels,  basic social security and safety net, job and  vocational training centers  amongst other basic social services and infrastructure that  are  indispensable  attributes  of any  functional nation. 

Notwithstanding the mechanics of state failure, all too present in Ghana, the justifiers and enablers of mediocrity are everywhere singing praises of government for non performance and giving endless excuses why the much desired basic infrastructure and social services does not exist. A nation where so many are ever too willing to defend visionless and underperforming governments cannot succeed. At a time when so many ambitious and progressive nations around the world are blazing an audacious trail in economic, infrastructural and social development, Ghana is behind in time. A dirty, stumbling, un-ambitious giant of failure consigned to the ignoble depths of penury.

It must be borne in mind that successful societies are constructed through the continuous social pressure put on the leadership by a citizenry disposed to holding their leaders accountable. The choice is clear, it is either we emancipate ourselves from the veneration of mediocrity, and put our leaders under enormous pressure to fulfill our aspirations for economic, social and infrastructural development or continue with mediocrity and be consumed by the social violence of a failed dysfunctional nation.

BISHOP OBINIM PLEADED NOT GUILTY - on all counts in his Hot FM studio demolishing trial.

Bishop Daniel Obinim the founder and head Pastor of International Gods Way Church and two of his junior Pastors; Kingsley Baah and Kofi Akwetey on Friday pleaded not guilty in all eight counts leveled against them.

Prosecuting on behalf of the State Attorney, Joyce Debrah told the court presided by His Lordship Justice Abdulai Iddrisu that the accused persons on the 8th day of August, 2011 at about 9:45 pm unlawfully and forcefully invaded the studios of Hot Fm and vandalized properties of the radio station and caused various degrees of injuries to the Host of 'nyasem hwe' Ntim Katakyie, Kumi and Reverend Amoako Atta Junior both panelists and the producer of the programme Shadrack Adu.

The prosecuting counsel told the court that the accused persons demolished studio equipments such as voice processor, electromagnetic microphone, console, headphone distributor, three (3) sets of telephones, laptops, desk top , a transmitter and sliding doors amounting to One Hundred and thirty thousand five hundred and eighty (130,580).

Counsel for the accused persons Kwame Afriyie in his defense told the court that his clients are innocent of the charges and thus prayed the court to grant them bail accordingly.

Without contest from the State Attorney, Justice Abdulai Iddrisu granted the accused persons a conditional bail of ten thousand cedis (10.000) with two sureties each.

The suit number ST/5/2014 was subsequently adjourned to Wednesday 6th November, 2013 for hearing.