Beating war drums and ethnocentrism ahead of elections

By Amos SAFO

Today, Monday 25 November 2024 marks 12 days to the crucial 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections. Unfortunately, and quite expectedly, there are disturbing signals by some interest groups to plunge the country into instability.

This assertion is based on the threats issued by a National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth to destabilize the country, if the election does not favour NDC and its presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama.  The group claims it operates from Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and its avowed objective is to attack the Electoral Commission.

Combat ready

Clad in John Mahama branded T-Shirts members of the group brazenly boasted that they were combat-ready ahead of the elections. What is surprising is that they shared their threats on social media in what appears to be a direct affront to the security agencies of the country.

“We are warning the EC, if you are prepared, we are more than prepared to fight you”, the leader of the group threatened. He further warned that they were not afraid of death and the graveyard, because they left home promising not to return alive. “We have declared ourselves as winners already with or without election results.

We do not fear anyone, not even the outgoing President, Nana Akufo-Addo”, the group warned. Another spokesman threatened that they would slaughter all those who want to fly outside the country after they forcefully take overpower. “We will use stones to fight bullets, we are prepared for everything, we are not strangers in the graveyard”, they threatened.

Mandate of Electoral Commission

Ghana’s electoral laws and the 1992 Constitution of Ghana mandate only the Electoral Commission (EC) to declare elections in any part of the country. For this reason, if any group arrogates to itself the right to declare election results it constitutes an affront and violation of our constitutional order.

Therefore, the onus is the coercive forces of the states (the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service to rise to the occasion by ensuring that no one or any group disturbs the peace and stability of the country.

There cannot be any private army or police or EC in Ghana.   We have collectively ceded our security and protection to the state to maintain peace and order on our behalf. Keeping peace and stability in Ghana is the duty of the security forces, and that is why the military and Police are trained, equipped and motivated with the taxpayers’ money.

The response of the Inspector General of Police to the threat of lawlessness is encouraging. The formation of the election security task force is the right response, and I hope the task force will apply their power without fear or favour. No one should be allowed to get away with disrupting the elections in any part of the country.

That said, some stubborn party hooligans will still try to hijack ballot boxes, and in the event that they are shot they would have died a needless and stupid death. The NDC hooligans from Obuasi have already indicated in their video that they do not fear death and the graveyard, and are ready to face the security forces during the elections. If death is what they wish, the security agencies should grant their wish.

Ethnocentrism

In a related development two separate media attacks on the Ex-President Kufour have been interpreted as calculated plans to whip up ethnic sentiments ahead of the elections. The two attacks were triggered by Ex-President Kufour’s recent endorsement of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the best option for Ghana. In an address to journalists on November 17, 2024, the former president expressed strong confidence in Dr. Bawumia’s ability to revitalise Ghana’s economy as the next president of Ghana.

Ex-President Kufuor emphasised that Dr. Bawumia’s economic expertise will be crucial in steering Ghana’s economy towards a more prosperous future. He therefore urged Ghanaians to give their full support to Dr. Bawumia, stressing the importance of a decisive vote to drive the nation’s economic growth and development. “With divine guidance, he is capable of delivering on this promise, and I encourage you to support his candidacy,” Kufuor added.

The Ex-President’s endorsement of Bawumia sparked angry and unprovoked attacks by two commentators purportedly speaking for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The first attack was launched by Dela Edem on a television programme, which also went viral on social media. Edem warned Ex-President Kufuor to shut up because his tenure as president had ended.

Therefore, the Ex-President has no right to talk politics, let alone endorse a presidential candidate. Edem accused Ex-President Kufuor of destroying Ghana’s economy through the redenomination of the cedi. With a fit of anger in his voice, Edem insinuated that the former president is paralysed because of the “sins”, he committed during his presidency.

However, linking the Ex-President’s sickness to his so-called “sins” flies in the face of evidence. The facts are that the former president was involved in a near-fatal accident at the airport junction which affected his spine. He went through surgery, but unfortunately he never got his mobility back.

Similarly, the late former Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Ntumy, who served God and humanity beyond the call of duty suffered a similar fate after spinal surgery. Does that mean our beloved former Chairman of Pentecost was in the wheelchair because of his “sins?” Certainly, that is not the case. It is therefore inhuman and insane for Edem to link Ex-President Kufuor’s plight to his sins.

Public opinion

Public opinion roundly condemned Edem for the senseless attacks and derogatory comments about the Ex-President Kufour. Perhaps, sensing that Edem’s uncouth and uncultured behaviour could affect its chances of victory in the elections, the NDC through its Information Minister, Sammy Gyamfi distanced itself from his misbehaviour.

In the second attack, another NDC communicator called Samuel Huntor was obviously peeved because the Ex-President had endorsed Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the right person to lead Ghana in 2025. Huntor chastised the Ex-President for failing to develop Kumasi and Ashanti Region. He was also peeved because the  Ex-President dared to advise the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin to let sanity prevail in Parliament.  If indeed former president Kufour failed to develop the Ashanti Region, should it take Huntor from the Volta Region to be angry about it?

It is interesting why Huntor has failed to notice NDC’s failure to develop the Volta Region, despite the region’s unflinching support for the NDC since 1992. Why is he interested in Kufuor’s so-called failure to develop the Ashanti region, and not NDC’s failure to develop the Volta Region? If care is not taken the electorate could punish the NDC for such reckless comments and fueling ethnic sentiments by its Presidential candidate, Chairman and communicators.

Kufour’s legacy

In spite of Edem’s attempt to denigrate the brand of Ex-President Kufuor, his legacy cannot be erased. Generations will come to appreciate the innovative and inclusive social interventions Kufuor introduced in Ghana. The first of his flagship interventions is the current National Health Insurance. Amid opposition by the NDC, ex-President Kufuor launched the policy to make primary healthcare available and affordable to all Ghanaians, irrespective of their social, economic and religious backgrounds. As a result millions of Ghanaians have benefitted and continue to benefit from the inclusive National Health Insurance.

Does the health insurance constitute a sin for which the ex-President is in a wheelchair? Certainly not. Other interventions Kufuor introduced are: the school feeding programme to feed children and encourage school attendance, the capitation grant to offset the cost of expenses in public schools, the metro-mass transport to improve inter-city and community transport at affordable fares, and the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) to provide financial support to vulnerable aged people in the most deprived regions across the country.

Free maternal care

Perhaps, the second most inclusive and significant intervention by the Kufuor-Administration, was the free maternal care programme. In 2007, as Editor of Public Agenda newspaper, I started a campaign for the release of babies and mothers in hospitals. Mothers and their babies had been detained  at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for inability to pay the cost of delivery and incubation.

The headline report, titled, “Babies held in Hospital Zongo.” sparked nationwide agitation which compelled Ex-President Kufuor to seek support from the Tony Blair government in the United Kingdom to address the issue. The 40-million-pound grant enabled the government to pay the expenses of all deliveries and incubation in hospitals across the country.

The initiative became the Free Maternal Care Programme”, to ensure that no mother and baby will be detained in any hospital for inability to pay the cost of delivery. My question to Edem, Hunor and perhaps, their sponsors is that does this humane intervention constitute a “sin”, for which Ex-President Kufuor should be paralysed? Certainly not. Unfortunately, the NDC government led by the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills cancelled the intervention.

The mothers and babies who benefitted from the free maternal policy, as well as all past and current beneficiaries of National Health Insurance, the past and current beneficiaries of the school feeding programme and the LEAP intervention among others will forever appreciate Ex-President Kufuor for his foresight and fortitude. Kufuor’s legacy as one of the greatest Presidents of Ghana can never be downplayed by any ethnocentric, senseless and derogatory attacks. Let us be reminded that every able-bodied person today, could become a disabled person tomorrow. Edem and Hunor, this is food for thought for you.

Oasis of peace in West Africa

In a recent report by the Global Peace Index on Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana is still among the first four countries that enjoy peace and stability. Previously Ghana was the second most peaceful country, but is now 4th behind Mauritius, Madagascar and Botswana. Despite dropping to fourth Ghana remains the most politically and economically stable country in a subregion that is engulfed in religious insurgency and military interventions.

Against this backdrop, Ghanaians are going to the polls on December 7, 2024 to elect a president and members of Parliament. All attention will be on Ghana to see whether our beloved country will remain stable after December 7. This is why our security agencies must support the Electoral Commission to organize a free and fair election.

In that regard, no individual or group should be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Ghana is more important than the inordinate ambition of anyone or political party to hold on to power or return to power. Elections are won through the ballot box and not through intimidation and threats of violence. Long Live Ghana, Long Live our Democracy.

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