Opinions of Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Columnist: Clement Akotsen-Mensah

Is NPP’s win just a political serendipity?

File photo of Invinsible Forces File photo of Invinsible Forces

Permit me a space in your widely read website to contribute to some of the recent developments taking place in our motherland, Ghana.

I am not a regularly contributor to your website, neither have I ever submitted any article for publication.

However, recent events happening in our motherland has compelled me to write this short article for publication on your website which I think has a wide readership Ghanaians in and around the world.

As a person in the diaspora, I have been following news and events in Ghana through your medium and I believe this article could serve our politicians some greater good.

I chose this title because I have observed with great concern since NPP won power in the just ended election that, members of the party feel the win is a serendipity.

Before I discuss my topic I would like to give readers the benefit of the doubt and explain the meaning of serendipity? In order not to be tagged a big “English” person, I would like to provide the definition of serendipity from two main sources: (1) the on-line edition of the Merriam-Webster dictionary and (2) dictionary-com. The Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary defines serendipity as “the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for”.

On the other hand dictionary.com defines serendipity as an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident or good fortune or luck. Depending on which of these definitions one finds appropriate, I think there is something common to both definitions, which is luck.

Given the events which took place during the 2012 and prior to the 2016 elections, I may be begging the question if I assume that members of the NPP believe that their win was just by chance or luck.

Why am I saying this? I have been following events since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo assumed office and have come to some conclusions that maybe some members of the top hierarchy of the party think they won the election by chance.

I would not want to take readers back to the events which happened prior to the election, but want to draw readers attention to one important campaign slogan that the opposition NDC used against the president. By virtue of someone’s ingenuity, NDC came up with a meaning of the initials of the president’s name which was NADAA.

However, I have read and followed the president’s actions since he took office and have no doubt that he has good intentions for Ghana as every president or Ghanaian does. However, I believe some comments I have been hearing and reading as statements made by some of the top level echelons of the party is rather unfortunate. What is my point here?

My point is that I think as an onlooker from outside the party, there is generally a feeling of serendipity among the rank and file of the party. Thank God that these days because of access to internet in many parts of the world, news and other events can be watched live everywhere.

Therefore I was shocked to hear from a prominent NPP guru making some statements on Badwam Mpensenpensenmu on Adom TV Adom TV talk show concerning the vigilante group Delta force.

I would not want to delve much into what was said but to ask whether Honourable Kennedy Agyapong feels the Delta force made more sacrifices to NPP than the over 5 million plus who voted to bring them to power?

My questions is if the members of Delta Force or Invincible Force need to be given opportunity in the countries security services, how about the 5.7 million people who voted for them? I am not a politician and I don’t hope to be one but I think Honourable Agyepong should come again on this.

His statements put me in a nostalgic mood about some phrase my dad used to tell us in Twi which is “abaa a y? di b? Takyi no y? di b? Baah” to wit “the rod or stick that was used to whip Takyi, the same rod or stick could be used on Baah”.

On this note I would like to request that members of NPP should not feel their assumption of political responsibility in the country was based on luck but rather hard work from all the over 5.7 million voters who voted amidst fear and uncertainties of their future to bring them to power and that everyone matters in this victory.

On this note I would like to say God Bless our Homeland Ghana and make us great and Strong!!