By Kofi Thompson

For independent-minded and patriotic Ghanaians, it is always sad when cynical individuals amongst our political class, resort to tactics that are effectively criminal in nature - in ruthless pursuit of their party's power-winning strategic objectives.

It will be recalled that a secretly recorded conversation - contained in a tape-recording broadcast by Radio Gold FM's "Election Forensics" programme - revealed that as his party fought to retain power during the December 2008 polls, Maxwell Kofi Juma promised some thugs (who had been apparently recruited to snatch ballot boxes and generally cause mayhem in a number of polling stations around the country) that he would arrange for them to be freed, if they were arrested whiles impersonating police and military personal, whose uniforms they wore, whiles on their abominable and criminal activities on his party's behalf.

Today, in what is a case of déjà vu, a similar recording has now emerged, in which the National Democratic Congress' national organiser, Yaw Boateng Gyan, is apparently up to more or less the same tricks employed by Maxwell Kofi Jumah & Co., during the height of the battle to remove the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regime of President Kufuor from power, in December of 2008.

Incidentally, at one stage, it took the clever and politically-savvy Jake Obestebi-Lamptey, to alert Maxwell Kofi Jumah, that what he thought was a secret phone conversation with a member of a group of "macho men" recruited by their party, nicknamed Blackie, was indeed being broadcast live on Accra's Radio Gold FM.

When leading politicians resort to such negative actions, which are clearly criminal in nature, they debase Ghanaian democracy, and make ordinary people feel cynical about politicians.

President Mahama must take immediate steps to have Yaw Boateng Djan suspended from the NDC, and ask the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to investigate his perfidious activities, and if need be, charge both Yaw Boateng Djan and Maxwell Kofi Jumor, for their unacceptable and irresponsible conduct.

We must not allow such cynical behaviour to tarnish our nation's image - and dent the worldwide reputation Ghanaian democracy now has around the globe.

For the sake of Mother Ghana - and as an example of principled leadership to the younger generation of Ghanaians - President Mahama must sack Yaw Boateng Djan now! A word to the wise...

Tel: 027 745 3109.

Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com