ALLIANCE FOR RESPONSIBLE OPPOSITION (AFRO)

Public Statement

We present to you the Alliance for Responsible Opposition (AFRO). AFRO is an inter-party mass civil political organization dedicated to the positive transformation of Ghana’s political culture, practices and traditions by the development of credible, nationalistic, democratic political opposition as a means of radically altering the aims of power from narrow elitist aspirations to the broader legitimate interest of the ordinary Ghanaian.

AFRO wishes to create a positive and progressive atmosphere that will turn opposition political parties and movements into constructive tools for national development and unity.

AFRO asserts that modern political trends have made opposition parties major players in the administration and governance in every modern state. The traditional role civil society organizations and social pressure groups play in mounting positive pressure on governments and governing parties must be complimented by an equally aggressive and critical response to the actions of opposition parties.

Opposition political parties are subject to the general political conditions and have strong leverage on national policy.

In an embryonic democratic dispensation like Ghana where opposition parties are susceptible to corrupt, undemocratic and unpatriotic tendencies, it is ultimately necessary that they be subjected to a high level of scrutiny, aggressive introspection and critique.

Opposition parties are vulnerable to bribery, non-accountability to the base of their party—elitist hijack— tribal bigotry and many other conditions that undermine national aspirations. They may also have tendencies to resort to violent methods in their desperate aim of winning political power.

Ghana’s History has seen more than enough of the tragedy irresponsible opposition can bring to its people. In the First Republic, the opposition to the Nkrumah regime used several methods to undermine national developmental aspirations and social cohesion. It employed terror, inspired ethnic hatred, pursued defamation of the national leadership and institutions and ultimately conspired with foreign interests and western intelligence agencies to subvert the national will and undermine the sovereignty of Ghana.

It is with critical reflection on our country’s history that we take developments such as the EO Group, the Cosmos saga, the trial of corrupt former government officials and the general opportunistic, parasitic and unpatriotic posture of some opposition parties on issues of accountability of public officials, national economic security, sovereignty and independence

AFRO aims to make sure that the actions, aims and decisions of the leadership of opposition political parties conform to the best interest of the country.

The opposition leadership in Ghana has failed to engage in a self re-appraisal to find out the reasons for their rejection by the Ghanaian electorate. This development fuelled by a narrow agenda of power for its own sake has hindered efforts at improving the governance process in the country. Opposition parties should not limit their options of regaining/gaining power to the sabotage of developmental programmes sponsored by any ruling party, in particular mention, the National Democratic Congress.

AFRO asserts the limitless possibility for gaining acceptance of the electorate by an opposition political party through constructive criticism, honest leadership, sincere non-sectarian mass political action and a commitment to the fight against corruption, concretely expressed by supporting the decision by the Mills regime to make all past government officials accountable for economic crimes against the state and people of Ghana.

AFRO invites all Ghanaians into its ranks and calls for the active support of the media, trade unions, student unions, civil society organizations, and all social forces on the side of progress, social justice and equality.

AFRO aims to create a condition for the emergence of a credible alternative opposition leadership that Ghana is in serious need of.

AFRO takes this opportunity to announce a major press meeting in Accra on Wednesday the 6th of October. It aims not only to provide an opportunity for the introduction of the aims of the organization to the media and the general public, but to also provide a strong critical response to the actions, decisions and pronouncements of the leadership of Ghana’ s formal opposition on major national issues over the past year and a half.

(CONVENER)

AKYENA BRANTUO BENJAMIN

0244825187/0264825187

benakyena@yahoo.com

Issued

Thursday 30th September, 2010