The Brong Ahafo chapter of the Progressive Youth Movement, which represents the Progressive People’s Party’s wing in the Tertiary Institutions wishes to emphatically make the point that Multiparty Party Democracy is undoubtedly the best form of governance for the development of every state. In fact, there is enough evidence globally to support the fact that Democracy has engendered peace and development, which is what averagely we all look for in our lives.

The situation in Ghana is however worrisome and suspicious. One cannot understand why we have practiced Democracy for close to a decade yet still wallow in the same old challenges of our nation Ghana.

Whiles countries like Japan, Mexico, Indonesia, Israel, Germany and several other Asian, Central American and island nations have multiparty systems; Ghana has decided to turn our multiparty democracy into a two party democracy and this has given the NPP and the NDC the luxury of alternating power and not acting to help the poor and the vulnerable in the Country.

Today in Ghana, we may not be wrong to say that there is an open agreement between the NDC and NPP to dupe and collapse the state. These two known parties seem to be comfortable with the fact that if they lose elections, the longest they can stay out of government is 8 years; they will certainly come back. And so, when given the opportunity again to serve, they go back to do the very things they had spoken against in opposition and then refer Ghanaians to what their opponents did when they were in power. As if to say that it is our time to do the same thing.

For example, the NPP prior to the 2000 elections was so loudly speaking against high fuel prices, they promised to scrap off the Value Added Tax (VAT), they promised to deal with the tour debt. Yet when Ghanaians gave them the power, they increased fuel by about 150% before leaving office in 2008. They equally justified the maintenance of VAT and increased its percentage. For TOR Debt, the NPP imputed this country to a debt level which far exceeded what they had met.

Similarly, when the NDC was in opposition, Prof. Mills, promised to deal with corruption even on News paper publications, he promised to reduce fuel drastically, he promised to include more women in government etc. He is in government now, and we still hear NDC Ministers and spokespersons blaming the NPP for the very things NDC has either reneged on or unable to accomplish. Today, the Woyome Corruption under the NDC is one of the biggest scandals in the world. The NDC sacks its own Attorney General who attempts to retrieve the money for Ghana.

When we put the NDC and the NPP together, we can see clearly a betrayal of trust by our leaders over the two decades we have been under democracy. We can see a large number of people openly expressing disappointment in elections. They say, they will never vote again. This is because they believe they cannot have any alternative other than the two parties which have failed to develop the nation. They don’t want to risk voting for a ‘smaller’ party because they think it will be a wasted vote, of course that is what the two known parties have managed to pump into their hearts and minds. What could be a waste of vote, than to vote for about 5 times for 20 years for the two parties and not see any better developments?

Sometimes, when we say Change, people mistake it reverse instead of changing. It must be made clear to Ghanaians that Change does not mean, removing NDC and replacing it with NPP or vice versa. They all sing the same song.

It is time for the Ghanaians to give power and authority to the best people in Ghana without respect to party affiliations or historical antecedents. It is time for Ghanaians to say that our ministers of state must not necessarily come from the party of the President in Power. It is time for Ghanaians for experience a leadership that is selfless and inclusive, disciplined and Just to all Ghanaians. It is time for Ghanaians to vote for a Parliament that cannot form an absolute majority by one single Party. Such parliament results in hasty laws like the Sale of Ghana Telecom and the Passing of STX Bills which are not helpful to the state. It is time for us to put our leaders on their toes. We need to ensure that our leaders form positive consensus and partnership that will promote state interest and not party interests.

We herein call on all Ghanaians to consider carefully the individual capabilities of all political aspirants in the upcoming elections. If we vote for just party, we may just be acting as rubber stamps, but if we vote for committed individuals who are progressive in mind, then we are voting for better lives for ourselves and prosperity.

Long Live Ghana!

*Abansina E. Nsobila*

*Progressive Youth Movement*

*Brong Ahafo Reg. Cordinator*

*0207-573754*

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