Why Atta Mills must win the run-off!

I know some of you may be prejudiced as far as the title of this piece is concerned because you may be pro-NPP, so let me begin by setting this piece on the right note. I am neither an NDC nor NPP supporter; I am only a Ghanaian citizen trying to think objectively. And I don’t think I should be stigmatized for thinking about the welfare of my motherland. In fact, I didn’t even think African states with their high illiteracy and penchant for tribalism during elections were ready for the western brand of democracy which revolves around electioneering and voting. But Dec. 7, 2008, made me think again... ...perhaps an African country can mature into democracy whilst trying to develop at the same time. I was of the view that with our current level of development on the African continent, countries should be ruled by nationalists and visionaries who are more driven by what they can leave for their countries rather than what they can take from them. Selfless leaders, who have a passion to see Africa develop so that we can rival our colleagues in the West. Yea, you can remind me that Mugabe is a nationalist, but we all know that is the case of a misguided nationalist gone bad. It was definitely wrong for 10% of the nation to own 90% of the land, but what has led Zimbabwe into a failed state status was Mugabe’s lack of objectivity, not his nationalism. This current state of governance in Africa, what Prof Adei calls "chop-chop" government, where elected leaders choose to enrich themselves at the expense of the citizens, is what WE THE PEOPLE must seek to eradicate at elections. I believe Ghana, with all the accolades we are receiving from the world at the moment for our democracy, will be short-changing ourselves if during this run-off we do not cease the opportunity to strengthen our democracy by moving a step further at uprooting this phenomenon called the "chop-chop" government. I agree that the journey may not be won in a single election cycle but the Chinese say that a journey of a thousand miles always begins with just one thing: A STEP. That is why I think Ghanaians must take this very first step. How do we take this step? Political scientists say that for a country to have a mature democracy, they must have undergone what is described as two alternations. That is the case where a political party loses power, hands over peacefully (1st alternation) to the party that won the elections and that party that won also loses in another election and hands over peacefully (2nd alternation). By this definition, Ghana is at the crossroads of becoming a mature democracy. We all never knew who was "chopping" what money in the NDC until the NPP won power in 2000. That was when we realized that people in government are not untouchables at all. I commend the NPP because even though it did not go down well with the NDC, it was a baby step to sanitize our governance. It was a step in the right direction. But one will ask: So who polices the policeman? Or in other words, how are we sure that the same people who took the NDC to task have not themselves enriched themselves whilst in office? I know what you will be thinking right now. I am not calling for witch-hunting in any form. I only know that checks and balances are needed every now and then as we are reminded from the escapades of Uganda´s Iddi Amin to Illinois current governor that absolute power most often corrupts absolutely. Eight years is a lot of time to be in government and some of these ministers like Asa B and his cohorts may have been taking us for a ride because they have started putting on airs of invincibility. For our own good as a nation we need to audit them, check them, search them, query them just to make sure that we have not been short-changed as a nation in these eight years they have been in government. This is something we cannot do if we give the power back to them. We must all remember that the NPP was more vigilant when it came to power in 2000. They started the people´s assembly, opened governance to the media in a way Jerry Rawlings never did, started building roads and stabilized our cedi. I am delighted when I look back at some of the successes chalked. I thought then that they were performing miracles in governance. But recently, I am observing that they have been slowly driving us to the same position Rawlings left us in in 2000. Inflation is surging marginally, the dollar and pound are now approximately GH¢1.2 and GH¢2 respectively and petrol prices never fell when world prices long fell. In the same fashion as Rawlings increasing salaries in 2000 to buy the vote of the electorate, petrol prices fell only after the NPP realized that "maybe" they could use that strategy to sway votes in their direction. It seems generally to me that the original shining ideas with which the NPP assumed power has gradually dimmed. Akufo-Addo will just be continuing policies that have lost their novelty since he has been in the thick of the NPP government for the past 8yrs. As was the case in the US, where Obama claimed John McCain was running for Bush’s third term, Akufo-Addo will simply be running Kufuor’s third term. An NDC government that has been starved for power the past eight years will not want to fail the people, just like the NPP in 2001. They will be more careful at governance and bring ideas aimed at making Ghana a better place to retain power at least in the next four years. Added to the above, the current state of the Ghanaian parliament requires a bipartisan president. A president that is able to rally individuals, irrespective of their background, around a common goal.. Akufo-Addo with his history of partisanship seems unfit for me to assume office at this moment in history. It will lead to more chaos in the country, as I see him using presidential vetoes already in cases where no consensus can be reached. Atta-Mills has a disposition that affords him the opportunity at building a broader-based coalition in decision making. That is why I see Atta-Mills as being better at rallying the country around a common goal that benefits majority of the people compared to Akufo-Addo who firmly believes that our democracy should be a means of acquiring properties! What the NPP calls a Property-Owning Democracy. A type of democracy that eludes the common man in the street. A democracy that is the preserve of the elite in government. I think it is fair game for Atta Mills to ask Ghanaians to HWE WASETENA MU NA TO ABA PA (Look at your living condition and vote wisely) ...if only the common man can pare his life to the elite in government! Hmmm! I can still remember how captivating that advert was. It indeed sealed the deal for the NPP in 2000. I think it will not be a bad idea at all for the NDC to pay for re-runs of that advert in its name. In any case, some people are afraid that an NDC government would be run by Rawlings in the background. I ask these people to learn from recently deceased Zambian President, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, who even jailed his political mentor, Frederick Chiluba, on charges of corruption. After Obasanjo literally rigged the elections in Nigeria to make Umaru Yar’Adua president, Obasanjo now finds himself in the uncomfortable position of facing corruption charges. Many Nigerians expected Obasanjo to rule from behind the scenes but that is far from what is happening in Nigeria today. As I write, there is a probe into oil and gas business under Obasanjo. That is not to say Atta-Mills will jail Nana Konadu or Rawlings himself, but to explain that when people attain the highest office in the land they know they are the ones in charge and may not listen to political mentors who might have swayed them in the past. Lastly, I am also curious at what the NPP will do when they lose power. Will they emulate Rawlings and hand over peacefully? Or will they allow the country to descend into chaos? To prove to the world we are a mature democracy we need two alternations, remember, two alternations, that´s what we need at this time. This is required if WE THE PEOPLE must play the foremost role of guiding our leaders into putting our needs first ahead of their own. IF MY THUMB POWER CAN BRING A WHOLE MINISTER IN AFRICA DOWN TO HER KNEES TO BEG FISHERMEN, I WILL BE A FOOL NOT TO UTILIZE SUCH POWER! As Oboshi Sai-Cofie herself crafted in Ga for the 2000 run-off - MOKO AYA, NI MOKO ABA KEKE ...NO NONN! (Some must leave, so others can come in, that’s all). Discerning Ghanaians must vote for CHANGE, VOTE ATTA-MILLS! Credit: Sir Gogo [Jul B

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