Post-election musings

All too soon and after a four year run, the euphoria that built up gradually and rose to a crescendo which characterized the campaigning activities of the various political parties across the length and breadth of our dear nation prior to the 2012 General Elections has calmed down and activities are getting normal if not normal already, depending on where you find yourself geographically or ideologically. 

Considering how the political terrain and activities got tensed up, it is only relieving and commendable to pat every Ghanaian at the back for making history for the nation once again thus deepening our democratic process with highlights on the Electoral Commission headed by the abled Dr. Afari Gyan, the government under whose watch the peaceful elections were held, the various political parties, the observing parties, the security services and the last but not the least, the good people of Ghana who spoke through their thumbs thereby sending a strong signal once again to the whole world out there that the Blackman is capable of doing his own things and rightly so.

However, there were some hitches and glitches which almost marred the Election process and the peaceful atmosphere in which the Ghanaian revels, but thanks to the timely intervention and the power of understanding through deliberations which has once again reposed confidence in our state institutions and entrenched our declaration to uphold democracy. There were hardly recordings of violence which hitherto was a part of our voting process and thanks to the introduction of the Biometric voter register which ensured that everyone who voted was verified and the vigilance of the various political parties and Ghanaians as a whole that has made this exercise a successful one as testified by the various national and international observer groups and the citizens as a whole.

I learnt since my elementary days that, no matter what happens, the sun will always rise from the east and your setback will not change anything, so it is imperative that we bury our differences or at most smoothen the roughened edges, garner our similarities and move on as a nation because we’ve always been a nation even before the advent of electioneering in the Country.

However, there are a few things we have to look at as a nation that wants things done right, so as to distinguish ourselves from other nations and the world as a whole and methinks, the nation is headed in no direction or at most we are headed to an unknown destination on a wild and un-tarred road if things are going to remain the way they are. 

We have accepted to join the league of nations that are already clutching on the democratic straw which is not bad in itself but it can get worse with all the inconsistencies clouting the political parties and their ideologies. Political parties are not formed on whims but rather a deep belief that, this is how things must be done and anything contrary to that will be short changing the people who will be at the receiving ends and the generations to come.

The Convention People’s Party is a leftist party also known as a Socialist movement where they believe in availing the national cake to every Ghanaian regardless of where they are coming from, while the National Patriotic party is a property owning democracy (where they tout riches) also known as a Capitalist party while the ruling party National Democratic Party (NDC) is supposed to be a right-center-leftist party which is a combination of Capitalism and Socialism. These ideals clearly tells the voter what these parties stands for but there has been an alienation from what they all believed in and it’s worrying to those of us who do not want to vote for parties based on the fact that the founder of the party or the flag bearer probably hails from our region or tribe, because all we have is Ghana and not parties that are abstract anyway.

Things have changed and in reality, social democracy cannot really be pursued to the letter and Capitalism can also not be pursued to the letter because some people will still need the help of others to even exist so most democracies are leaning to the middle where you can find the right-center-left who are trying to position themselves as best of both worlds. 

What beats my mind is, why NPP, a capitalist ideal party would rather be instituting social democratic initiatives in the form of National health Insurance scheme, National youth Employment Programme, School feeding and now free SHS when the supposed socialist party is seen doing nothing with regards to the principles they stand for or is it because the NPP seem to have pre-emptied their stand? Are they not confusing everybody? Should they not stand for what they believe in or where there is a change in ideals which is alright, should we not be informed as a people? are the parties bereft of ideas?

I am no expert on governance but I really would like the parties to re-package and communicate to us what they actually stand for and the rest of the parties who stands for practically nothing should be filed to join the bigger ranks. The EC has also been chided for several anomalies and to avert serious situations or clashes and to organize credible polls in the future, they should do their homework well to spare the average Ghanaian any post-election brouhaha.

Finally, I would like to use my piece and medium to be among the numerous well-wishers to Congratulate the President Elect John Mahama, and to also tell him to do everything possible to erode all forms of corruption in his government and the nation as a whole and this is no more negotiable and if possible, he should even pursue some of the old cases starting from within to send a strong signal to everyone that he is objective and ready to build the almost broke(n) nation. He must also be seen as a unifier and most of all he should not lose touch with the masses since it is what he and his party upholds.