By Alhaji Alhasan Abdulai

After attaining 59 years of independence, Ghana is seen internationally as a mature and strong nation that is holding her own and advancing the cause of her people through social and economic development. The evidence is clear. Ghana has over the years produced many technocrats one of who is Mr. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations. Ghana is endowed with Gold, cocoa, diamonds oil and has the supports of donor communities at all times in her development activities. Ghana is a four time winners of football Africa cup of nations and succeeded in representing Africa in world cup tournaments twice on the trot in Germany and South Africa. The independence celebration on March 6 brings to mind all the struggles of our founding fathers from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) to Convention People’s Party (CPP) led by late Osagefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah who led the way to our independence from our British colonial masters. Dr Nkrumah promoted Pan Africanism that enticed other freedom fighters in Africa to fight their way to independence for African countries like Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zaire and later South Africa among many nations in Africa. Dr Nkrumah is credited with tremendous development landmark projects that include the Akosombo Dam, Tema Motorway and many manufacturing industries. However ever since Nkrumah’s overthrow by a group of soldiers in 1966 who accused him of tyranny, Ghana has gone through checkered life as a nation through chain of military coups and revolutions. Since 1992 however Ghana has been enjoying a new lease of life under the 1992 constitution having had four presidents so far to run the affairs of the nation, beginning from President Rawlings from 1993 to 2000, President J A Kufuor from 2000 to 2008 late President John Mills from 2008 to 2011 and president john Mahama From 2011 till date. However due to the existence of strong political parties like the National Democratic Congress (NDC) , New Patriotic Party (NPP) Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Peoples National Convention (PNC) and others vying for power at all times, Ghana has been divided more on ideological and partisan basis than on true state of development on the ground. Once a person belongs to one political party everything or steps taken by his or her party is seen as good while everything or steps taken by the opposing party as bad. The ruling NDC through President Mahama has been painting a rosy picture of sound management of the economy having built long stretch of roads and boasts of providing many communities with many school buildings out of the 200 promised the nation. The party says it has been improving water projects to provide huge volumes of potable water to many people. The party also speaks of improving the lives of ordinary Ghanaians through social intervention programs such as School Feeding Program , National Health Insurance Scheme and Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty which were first introduced by the NPP government under former president Kufuor. The NPP on the other hand considers the claims of achievements of the ruling government of President Mahama to consist of factual inaccuracies and bloated pricing of government projects such as roads, school buildings and clinics adding that the ruling NDC has borrowed too much money than all the previous governments from internal and external sources with very little to show for it. While celebrating our independence in an election year, the entire people of Ghana must give both the opposition parties and the government attention and take their own decitions on which of the parties to support from now till November. In accordance with the constitution everyone is free to take part in political activities by joining any of the political parties of their choice. In doing so we must remember that Ghana has come a long way suffering hiccups since attaining independence 1957. The political parties must go about their activities without employing insults, physical confrontations and character assassinations against their opponents. Workers must continue to go about our duties as civil servants, farmers’ fishermen and drivers. Those who are agitating for improvements in their pay and service conditions can go ahead to fight for their rights peacefully with the hope their employers will listen to their cries. However they must do so using all the legitimate channels available including dialogues and if possible hold demonstrations and strikes as last resorts. This will ensure the continued relative peace and stability that we are currently enjoying. Whichever party we belong and ethnic groups we all find ourselves in and positions we hold, Ghana our motherland belongs to all of us. We must do all we can to maintain the peace because we are one people in one nation with a common destiny. The things that unite us are more than those that divide us. As we live in the same communities ’ work places, police and military barracks , we must remember to cooperate with one another and be our brothers and sisters keeper, Long live Ghana and its entire people


EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
EANFOWORLD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
0244 370345/ 0264370345/0208844791 abdulai.alhasan@gmail.com/eanfoworld@yahoo.com
And served in the editorial department of daily graphic from 1972 to 1982