There are some people worth celebrating not for what they have achieved but for what they stand or have stood for.
The likes of Nelson Mandela, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Mother Teresa are some of these individuals eternity itself has immortalize.
We at the ‘Daily Post’ believe that there are many other individuals in various fields of endeavour in Ghana today who are worth celebrating. One of such persons is Mr. Kwame Pianim, an economist and a politician.
Kwame Pianim’s political stance is one which the up and coming generation of politicians ought to study and emulate. His speech is refined, he holds himself with humility and despite his loyalty to the centre right NPP, is able to cut across the political divide.
Sadly, the likes of Kwame Pianim have lost the clout they have in the NPP because of their moderate views. It is no wonder that the NPP has become an extremist party.
If there is one person who should want to have nothing to do with the NDC, it is Kwame Pianim. For taking up arms to overthrow the then PNDC government in 1982, an act he insists was lawful because the PNDC was not a democratically- elected government, Pianim was jailed 10 years.
Having served his jail term, he came out with the desire to contest for the Presidency but was dealt a blow by Supreme Court ruling which barred him as a result of the attempted coup from seeking public office. Years on, while anyone in his position will be breathing brimstone and fire especially at the NDC which takes its roots from the PNDC, Mr. Kwame Pianim has positioned himself as a nationalist who is at peace with himself, one who puts his country above his political party.
Here is a man who is ready to vouch for the honesty of his political opponent unlike the everyday politician who will run down his opponent even if he knew the opponent is clean. In 2009, Kwame Pianim said he was ready to vouch for the then President Mill’s honesty.
“To me if you go to any country where there is corruption, the head of state is corrupt, if he is not corrupt it won't happen…and fortunately for Ghana now, we have a president that at least I will put my hand in the fire for, that he will not steal from the people. I have seen him on two occasions give envelopes back and I didn't see it happen under John the first or John the second but at least now we are progressing and we have a president who I think will not steal from the people. How is he going to make sure that the people below him will also not do that – that is the question.” Pianim said
While many waited until President Mills passed away before they hailed him, Pianim did so while Mills was alive.. The rare ability to praise his political opponent even to the chagrin of members of his political party has marked Pianim out as a man worth listening to.
Kwame Pianim’s presence at the National Economic Forum (NEF) which his party boycotted is another further in his cap: it is another proof that for Pianim, country comes before political party.
We dare say Ghana politics will be cleaner and more edifying if it had a lot of Kwame Pianims. Without sacrificing loyalty to his party, he continues to display a brand of politics that will make parents want his or her ward to become a politician.
We of the Daily Post do not subscribe to the political party of his choice but by jove, we think that he is among the handful of Ghanaians worth celebrating not after he has passed away but now! We doff our hats off for his brand of politics – a brand the NPP lacks.