Yes, we have deferential regard for politicians who have the heart to make sacrifices. Of course we hold in high esteem the unpretentious politicians who have the wherewithal to do the right thing. And we admire the politicians who have the courage of their aspirations. Yet some politicians would betray the trust we repose in them. Why?
Politics in Ghana has indeed become a scoffed profession, not a noble profession it used to be. Currently, the men and women who are in charge of affairs do not know their arses from their elbows. Needless to say, it takes more than good laws and institutions for democracy to thrive.
It also takes good people—good citizens and leaders to keep politics going. Yet a lot of good people are reluctant to go into politics, for they dislike the toxic levels of partisanship.
And more so they hate the intrusive media scrutiny and the unwarranted insults. And they won’t pay the high personal costs of the political life.
For that reason, we are more often than not presented with lousy plebes, many of whom can only boast of dining hall prefect experience.
What would make people scramble for political power then?
Actually, the reasons are multifaceted. First, some people claim they go into politics for the love of their nation. Others just see power as an opportunity to unleash their criminalities.
While other people also go into politics with a view to enjoying the power and satisfying their egos, others are empowered by the convictions of political ideologies.
Whatever their reasons for entering into politics, they, the politicians, more especially, the NDC mountebanks, have lost our respect, for discerning citizens don’t trust them anymore. They have Disappointed us, and still taking us for a ride.
Yes, once upon a time, anyone elected as president, or gained a seat in parliament was looked up to and respected by all; alas, this is not the case anymore. For it hurts to show deference to incompetent and corrupt politicians like those in the NDC Party.
In a nutshell, the NDC government has abhorrently reneged on its promises in the past, and still reneging on its promises.
They don’t care for the electorates; they only scramble for power in order to pursue their vested interests.
Take, for instance, during the electioneering campaign, the NDC apparatchiks go about soliciting votes from the uncritical electorates with vague rhetoric and political crapulence and only to turn their backs on poor constituents when they get to their comfort zones.
For me, the NDC politicians are the worse culprits, Yet Mahama and his shameless appointees keep spewing their vague rhetoric and political insobrieties-‘We care for you’; ‘people matter, you matter’; ‘we are transforming lives’.
In actual fact, President Mahama and his derelict appointees are only interested in the power and the massive remunerations that come with the job (e.g. ex gratia).
Sadly enough, despite Mahama and his appointee’s persistent nonfeasance, or dereliction of duty, they have the impertinent boldness to tell discerning Ghanaians that they are actually transforming Ghana. Indeed, it is extremely painful that we have to endure such shenanigans from those shameful opportunists.
Despite all the disappointments, we, the electorate, are bizarrely happy to give our votes to the uncaring and non-performing NDC Party, who has failed time and time again to implement expedient policies that would move the nation forward. Meanwhile, they only keep on spurning discerning Ghanaians with their political tipsiness. How pathetic?
Thus, in contrast to many electorates expectations, it will, be devilishly suicidal to vote one more time for the incompetent Mahama and his NDC Party, with all their below par performances.
Mahama has indeed failed to initiate expedient policies to rectify the failed policies of agriculture, food security, natural resource management, poverty reduction, resource allocation (e.g. in healthcare, education, finance, infrastructure, etc.), supply chain management, humanitarian intervention logistics and security sector planning, amongst others.
All the same, the overarching question is: how long can we endure Mahama and his lousy appointees persistent shenanigans?
The question again then is: will the day come when “political criminals” find they have nowhere to hide?
For me, Ghana’s constitution has to be reviewed and the irrational clauses such as the indemnity clause are expunged accordingly.
How on earth can individuals commit unpardonable crimes (gargantuan corruptions) against the state and get away with their misdeeds?
Without an iota of doubt, the traditional exemption of heads of state from prosecution despite the evidence of a case to answer is wrong.
For if the bribery and corruption (do you remember the Ford expedition bribe by the Burkinabe Contractor?) ; dubious judgment debt payments; stashing of national funds by some greedy opportunists and misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement by some politicians do not warrant criminal charges, then where are we heading as a nation?
How serious are we as a nation when we can only descend heavily on goat, cassava and plantain thieves and let go hard criminals who persistently dip their hands into the national coffers?
“We are not serious as a nation, are we?”