State of the left in Ghana

The political history of Ghana has been one of activism based on attempts at radical transformation of our society Lessons from the Aborigines Rights Protection Society to the arrival of Kwame Nkrumah who brought along mass mobilization and organization of socialist transformation ideas, the 1948 riots
and his self-government now Slogan quickened the pace of the nationalist struggle and independence.

Kwame Nkrumah pushed the struggle further when he declared that the independence of Ghana was meaningless until it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent. Under his watch, Ghana became a center for freedom fighters leftist politicians, and ideas of Pan-Africanism and neo-colonialism. The overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah saw a reversal of his ideas.
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The National Liberation Council and the Busia regime took reactionary policies that tried to recognize the minority colonial white regime in South Africa and the expulsion of Nigerians and other Africans in Ghana as illegal migrants. These policies sought to reverse Nkrumah’s Africa Unity policy and strong stance on decolonization in Africa.

The overthrow of the Busia regime by Colonel I K Achampong who had Nkrumah sympathies gradually gave way for the arrival of pro-Nkrumah individuals and the return of Kwame Nkrumah’s body to Ghana for a befitting burial under conditions laid by President Sekou Toure of Guinea where Kwame stayed in exile The 70s saw an upsurge in leftist activities in Ghana and internationally with left groups mobilizing to for Independence in Angola Mozambique South Africa and in Ghana fight Achampong’s corrupt Military rule and union government policy he tried to impose on Ghanaians, people like Johnny Hanson played a leading role I remember the Catholic Standard at that time played a critical role reporting and analyzing events.

The coming of Jerry Rollings and the Provincial National Defence Council with the initial high-sounding revolutionary language he was propagating attracted leftists to take up positions in government. People like Chris Atim Zaya Yebo Sgt Akatapori Yen and many others brought left-wing activism to the forefront of Marxist groups like the New Democratic Movement with people like Akoto Ampaw, Yaw Graham Prof Kwame Kari Kari Attah Munahim of blessed memory Coleman Agyeyomah and many others.

Another Marxist group at the time was the United Revolutionary Front Led by friends like Chris Atim Zaya Yebo Napoleon Abdulai Yen Abukari Mohammed of blessed memory Kofi Nomanyo Clifford Teye Alabira Ibrahim Alandu Richard Robert Asecapta Peter Akari Azumah Besori and many others I can’t immediately remember due to passage of time Others like Kwasi Pratt and Kwaku Baako were very strong leftist activists working for the revolution In Peoples defense committees, Peoples Vetting committees, Peoples Tribunals National youth council and the Democratic Youth League of Ghana but that was short-lived The Rollings right turn to seek financial support from the IMF led to political and economic reforms The PDCs were changed to CDRs ( committees for the defense of the revolution) and drastic Economic reforms that saw massive privatization of state-owned enterprises and widespread retrenchment of workers and tax reforms.

These anti-people and worker policies gave rise to serious agitation from left-wing groups and worker unions leading to the arrest of activists like Kwasi Pratt Kwaku Baako and Akoto Ampaw Others like Cris Atim Akatapori, Zaya Yebo Yen Yenya and Napoleon Abdulai fled the country for their dear lifes. Nevertheless, some of us managed to work underground holding meetings and distributing newspapers and journals like the revolutionary banner critical of the regime which were considered seditious materials and one could be imprisoned without trial if found in his Possession they could even be killed.

Different strategies were used to outwit the fearful security. I remember a conference we held in Korle Bu Hospital to avoid detection by the security we labeled the conference hall notice as seminars on plant medicine another sign board was placed by the roadside directing participants and boldly labeled Seminar on plant Medicine Dr Kofi Nomanyo and many other members were by then medical students Kwasi Pratt played very important role as we met regularly at his New town home to discuss and occasionally travel to places like Ho in his small Renault car.

It is interesting to know that our group campaigned for a no vote on the 1992 referendum for the acceptance of the constitution. We noted the indemnity clauses meant to protect the PNDC members and the too many powers for the president and provisions like article 71 which of late has become a bone of contention among politicians calling for a review of the constitution.

With the yes vote and coming into force of the 1992 constitution, As we predicted, Jerry Rawlings turned a new leaf and formed his NDC party. After nine years of rule as a military leader and controlling state resources, it was not difficult for him to recruit people from CPP and the UP tradition to form NDC. At this point, the conversation in the leftist groups was about the formation of a workers' party but was confronted with several challenges.

The opportune moment for the left to come together to form a formidable alternative with a clear working-class program or manifesto was lost or not taken advantage of due to the following reasons.

There was no strong leadership and a united organization, secondly, the financial muscle to undertake mass mobilization nationwide was lacking and finally, many of the leading members were in Europe and America and some were more academics than practitioners. It was Kwasi Pratt who managed to form the Peoples Popular Party with a leftist orientation and the slogan Together we build. I was one of the members of the party in the north. Lack of resources despite our determination weakened the party and made it difficult for us to mobilize the countrywide, unlike NDC and NPP who were able to mobilize vehicles and money to campaign lavishly around the country. The Nkrumaist group unfortunately has been weakened by Rawlings's strategy of recruiting Nkrumahists into his regime during the military rule and finally moving them to form his party.

The remnants of the CPP members and sympathizers of Nkrumah could not form a formidable party. Regrettably, up until today, they remain fragmented and weak.
Today, the left in Ghana does not exist as an organization but as individuals who occasionally meet to discuss and lament while others have taken to social media.

Despite the fact that the two major political parties that have dominated the politics of The Fourth Republic are corrupt and run the economy down leading to widespread poverty and discontent, there is little challenge to their power as a ruling class. The NDC and NPP Have for the past thirty years maintained the neo-colonial economy and a lavish political elite impoverishing the majority of Ghanaians with impunity Occasionally some youth gather to demonstrate but only call for democratic rights and accountability, by my understanding they only want a chance to participate in the corrupt system since they usually present nothing radical challenging the existing order.

Today the global situation has changed radically from the 60s and 70s. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the shift of East European socialist countries to the European Union has changed the dynamics. However, China has creatively merged the socialist system with capitalist models bringing millions of their people out of poverty, and is currently the second largest economy. Leftists in Ghana can learn from China, Cuba which is still socialist has been seriously sabotaged by US and Western embargoes and sanctions which has reduced their potential.

Despite that, Cuba has made tremendous success in education, health agriculture, and sports better than any African country. Definitely, Ghana and the rest of Africa can not develop along the Western capitalist lines. First of all, we can no longer benefit from slavery and colonialism which helped them to accumulate capital and take off Even if that is possible it is a cruel and evil system that should never again happen in the history of humanity.

Secondly, we continue to obey the ground rules they have set for us which is meant to keep us borrowing and exporting raw materials, what Nkrumah described as neo colonialism that has made us an appendix to their economies Today China charting their own democracy and economic path has shown the way, The left in Ghana and Africa has to channel their energies into deep study of our political and economic history and systems as well as global trends particularly in the development of science and technology. We have to understand that without science and technology with a strong digital technology background, our dependence on others will continue regardless of the system we develop.

China is making it because of its technological advancements. That is the only way to change the dynamics that can drive a path of development that will bring Africa out of neo-colonialism and dependency. The youth under the current system faces a bleak future if the system does not change to one that will ensure we control our natural resources and can creatively use them to produce our needs and for export while building a social system based on our traditional values that takes care of the vulnerable and frown on corruption and dependency. Until then we will forever remain what they call the underdeveloped, third world and some respectfully call us developing countries.