Early this week the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) announced its intentions to champion the establishment of an alternative government to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) duopoly.
Addressing a press conference in Accra to announce the plan, the PPP said “alternating power between the NDC and the NPP while implementing essentially the same policies and winner-takes-all attitude to governing the country will not strengthen our economy and improve the standard of living of the ordinary Ghanaian”.
Value is the same
The PPP is not alone on the position that there is no real difference between the NDC and NPP in running the affairs of the country, particularly on the crosscutting issues of economic management, political governance, socio-economic development and corporate governance. In all these, many watchers of our democracy have concluded that the value is the same.
It is important to mention though that it is only the NDC and NPP actors who seem to believe there is a difference between them; matter that must be subjected to investigation by independent bystanders on the streets of Osu, a suburb of Accra.
Fact that the National Committee has authorized party leaders to approach other political parties, pressure groups and individuals with the aim of bringing forces together to forge a united front in the shortest possible time, sends the signal that the party will stop at nothing to see the dream of alternative government come through.
As in every worthwhile endeavour, challenges will come in this endeavour. But it is expected of the PPP to show leadership by ensuring that they stay focused on the agenda to guarantee its realisation despite the obstacles. So far two persons; Dr. Edward Mahama of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and Mr. Paul Adom Otchere of Metro Television in Accra have objected to the otherwise progressive idea of coalition to end the NDC and NPP duopoly.
Thankfully other stakeholders such the Convention People’s Party (CPP) have lauded and embraced the idea of a coalition to get rid of the duopoly who have become a time bomb waiting to explode.
According to the PPP, it was shocked to learn that ordinary Ghanaians, knowing that after they vote, nothing positive will come their way demand what they can get from candidates and political parties before they cast their votes – cash, clothes, electronic gadgets, food, electricity, roads (no matter how shoddy), water, etc.
And “It is for this reason that rural electrification projects, real and not real are staged during campaign periods. This accounts for the distribution of laptops to students, vehicles to traditional authorities, heavy donations to churches, T-shirts and other such items. Signs threatening “light or no vote”, “water or no vote” and “road or no vote” all point to the fact that the people have realized that they only seem to have power before and not after elections. This situation, we want a united front of like-minded people to change by coming together to offer change the people can feel AFTER elections”. Clearly, this is not sustainable and remains a real danger to our democracy.
It is important to also point out that majority of Ghanaians do not trust the duopoly to deliver anything extraordinary. Their problems however have been other considerations such as tribalism, ethnocentrism, nepotism and of course following the most exciting campaign slogans and cash during the electioneering campaigns.
In the 2012 general elections the NDC lied to the people about building 200 day schools in four years. They failed to deliver and were ousted in 2016. The NPP lied about Free SHS in the 2016 campaigns and got the mandate. In less than 100 days in power they have changed the promise to gradual free SHS. If these two examples do not make NDC and NPP the same, I do not know what to call it.
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