So, the Value is the Same, After all!

It is about fifty years ago, when I read Arthur Hailey’sbest-selling novel, In High Places, about the political system in Canada. The main story was about an illegal immigrant who the government wanted to repatriate but the opposition party was against that and went on to hire a young lawyer to defend the illegal immigrant in court. This made the government so unpopular.

When it became obvious that the illegal immigrant was going to win the case, the leader of the opposition party, told the lawyer to throw off the case and make the immigrant, lose. The young lawyer, who was riding on this to achieve fame, did not understand why.

The astute politician told him something like, “In politics, no matter what good things your opponents in power do, criticize and condemn them. When you get into power, you do the same thing but have a good excuse for the people.”

This statement has been manifesting itself in Ghana and one group, which is clearly guilty of it are the socialists. They will descend heavily on the UP Tradition, while in truth, giving the opportunity, they will do the same, or even worse.

During the Nana Addo administration, a number of policies were hotly challenged by the then opposition NDC. Among them was the private-partner-participation in ECG. With the introduction of the PDS by the NPP government, the opposition NDC had all manner of bad things to say about it, without offering any alternative. This clearly indicated that the NDC would always say a big “No,” to the outright sale of ECG or bringing in private partners.

Today, with the NDC now in government, Ghanaians are being told that engaging the private sector in ECG, would be the best thing to happen to power distribution in the country.Then, H.E. John DramaniMahama made two statements, which might be sending lots of Ghanaians, shaking their heads, in shock.

Firstly, he indicated that the National Cathedral project was not bad after all, but in his opinion, the site must be re-located. I totally agree with re-locating this project, but if the NDC then in opposition thought it was a good idea, why did it not say so then and make the previous government to re-locate from the site and find other sources of funding for the project? Who will fund the re-location and the construction of the cathedral, today?

Secondly, NDC’s Sam George has created a name for himself and Ghana in his combat against LGBTQ activities. He is now placed high, internationally and is surely a presidential material.

The Eight Parliament of the Fourth Republic passed the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, which was anti-LGBTQ activities. It was awaiting presidential assent to become law. Unfortunately, ex-President Nana Akufo-Addo seemed not too interested in signing the bill into law.

Every Ghanaian was in anticipation that the next president of the republic was going to sign this, so that our moral lives will be guided by the law. And the president who took over, was from the NDC, H.E. John Mahama. How glad all of Ghana was, feeling blessed by God. The bill originated from the NDC and with an NDC president the waiting period was certainly over.

Unfortunately, H.E. John Mahama had a different intention. He is telling Ghanaians that it would be better for morality to be entrenched in our children in school than for the bill to be signed into law. What exactly does the president mean? Children might be taught good morals, but when they grow up to find that it will not be a crime to conduct themselves otherwise, they would throw away all they learnt in school. Strong moral teachings like pre-marital sex, smoking of cigarettes and drinking of alcohol were entrenched into children. But what happens when they become adults?

Once LGBTQ activities are not illegal, students in the tertiary level, will feel free to engage in them. In the end all the efforts Sam George made, all that the NDC in opposition fought for, will amount to naught. Then nations which lauded Sam George will start mocking Ghana.

The NPP under H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo was blasted with strong words, by the NDC, for not signing the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, into law. Today, the NDC has the opportunity to do so, but unfortunately H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has other plans.

In High Places, Arthur Hailey said it all that among political opponents the value is always the same.

By Hon. Daniel Dugan

Editor’s note: Views expressed in this article do not represent that of The Chronicle

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