Opinions of Friday, 16 June 2017

Columnist: Kwaku Badu

Ghanaians unprecedented vogue for the musings of political dilettantes

In Ghana, greedy and corrupt officials are held in high esteem by the ever so nodding party loyalist In Ghana, greedy and corrupt officials are held in high esteem by the ever so nodding party loyalist

Predictably, I have been incurring the wrath of the brassbound NDC Party loyalists for relentlessly criticising the erstwhile NDC administration on its failure to circumscribe the sleazes and corruptions which somehow brought economic meltdown.

Indeed, I have been facing an avalanche of criticisms, fairly and unfairly, for condemning what I sincerely view as a violation against Ghanaians inalienable human rights and the right to development.

However acerbic and unfair the criticisms, I will continue to shrill and highlight the ostensive canker, because I extremely detest individuals who prefer to indulge in corrupt practices. This is because corruption violates the inalienable human rights of citizens.

Ironically, in spite of their unpardonable coarse governance which brought about their humiliating defeat in the 2016 general election, the NDC faithful are holding a phantom hope that they will soon bounce back and recapture power from the NPP Party in 2020.

With all due respect, the NDC Party stalwarts are living in a denial. They have indeed lost touch with the reality.

The fact of the matter is that their problems are deeper than what they are actually trying to portray to their aggrieved supporters.

In any case, I, for one, do not anticipate their early return to power, indeed, not anytime soon, judging from the unbridled sleazes and corruptions which culminated in economic hardships.

The uncontrolled corruptions, the arrogance of power and the irreversible incompetence which resulted in economic collapse are still fresh in the memories of discerning Ghanaians.

Apparently, the harsh economic conditions which the NDC government wilfully imposed on Ghanaians will indeed take a long time to obliterate from memories.

In fact, if we mull over the greedy politicians and other public servants corrupt practices, we can only conclude that the vast majority of the modern day politicians apparent preoccupation is to manipulate their way into power and then pursue their vested interests.

As a matter of fact and principle, some of us cannot end our arousing disgust anyhow and anytime soon, given the erstwhile NDC government’s risible proclivity, irrevocable incompetence and corrupt practices, which nonetheless destabilised Ghana’s macroeconomic indicators.

It must, however, be emphasised that discerning Ghanaians cannot remit their fury in condemnation over the disputatious NDC apparatchiks ridiculous claim that the NPP government is messing up the country in barely six months, and for that matter, they are on course to recapture power in 2020.

Let us be honest, it is about time the unrepentant propagandists or manipulating politicians changed their seemingly dreary antics, get a firm grip of the issues which are relevant to the masses and come out with pertinent policies and solutions that can propel Ghana’s advancement.

Given the wanton sleazes and corruptions which took place in the previous NDC administration, we can reasonably infer that misunderstanding of true patriotism exists in the minds of the vast majority of the modern day politicians, who would more often than not, choose party and personal interests over the national interests.

Paradoxically, however, in Ghana, greedy and corrupt officials are held in high esteem by the ever so nodding party loyalists for stealing from the national purse at the expense of the suffering masses.

It would, however, appear that we, Ghanaians, and Africans as a whole, are possessed with bootlicking characteristic of a morally degraded mind which dislikes anything that comes with honesty and integrity.

Thus, our leaders, having first-hand knowledge of our obsequious compliance and hero-worshipping nonsense, tend to take us for granted and continue to dip their hands into the national coffers as if there is no tomorrow.

Let us be honest, and rightly so, we definitely need attitudinal and behavioural change, for we must not and cannot keep on electing and hero worshipping individuals who are so corrupt and cannot see their backsides from their elbows.