Opinions of Friday, 23 November 2012

Columnist: Blankson, Nana Kow

Re: I Will Be Surprised If Christians Vote For NDC

By Nana Kow Blankson

Sammy Awuku, a deputy communications director of the NPP, is one of the young stomach politicians who falsely believe that every single Christian walking on the streets of Ghana belongs to the NPP. That is the reason why anytime there is any issue involving any Christian and the NDC we see the NPP quickly cashing in to portray the NDC as anti-Christian or anti-Church.

Otherwise, what went into the head of Awuku to declare that he would be scandalized should the Christendom, upon all the seeming opposition shown towards them by the NDC, cast their votes for the government? Scandalized of what? I will rather be scandalized if a “Shamalo” like Awuku had been given such a big responsibility in any other party other than the NPP.

For the information of Sammy Awuku, the NDC unlike the NPP cuts across all racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. That is the reason why we have millions of Christians in the country who are card bearing members of the NDC and have voted for the NDC since the country returned to multi-party democracy in 1992. If it is not so, there will never be any election cycle that the NDC could have won even 20% of the popular votes.

Therefore, the statement by Sammy Awuku that the behavior of the governing NDC towards the church does not deserve the votes of the Christian community is not only childish, misleading, inappropriate but very dim-witted.

To set the record straight, the NDC has done nothing to the Christian community. What is happening is that anytime a member of the Christian community goes after the NDC and the party fights back, the NPP brands the NDC as anti-Christian. This deliberate but subtle attempt is being done by the NPP to chisel Christian votes from the NDC during the up-coming elections in two weeks from now.

When you visit all churches whether the Orthodox, Pentecostal or Charismatic, you will find a big chunk of the congregation either belonging to the NDC or NPP. Therefore, it is simply a waste of time for Awuku to attempt to set the church against the NDC.

The congregations in these churches have been thought by their pastors and leaders on how to separate the wheat from the chaff. They know the truth from lies and can therefore read between the lines and the lies being churned by Awuku.

What I want to drum home to Awuku is that it is not what he says that will turn the Christendom against the NDC. Christians in the country are also human beings, who have a stake in the country. They were around during the 8 years that the NPP was in power. They saw how the country was turned upside down by the NPP folks who looted everything that was in sight. They saw how the arrogant NPP folks ruled the country with impunity and behaved as if the country was their personal property.

And thank God, the same Christendom have been around the last 4 years and have seen how within this short period that the NDC had been in power massive developmental projects which range from the construction of school blocks, roads, improved agriculture, electricity, water, the implementation of the Single Spine Structure, the addition of two universities, the elimination of 1,700 schools under trees and the Eastern Road Corridor among others have been undertaken by the NDC to make like bearable for Ghanaians.

These Christians are not stupid. I say again that they can read between the lines and see which of the two parties, the NDC and the NPP has what it takes to move the country forward. Individual Christians know which of the two parties they are going to vote for, therefore, it is too late and a waste of time for Awuku to give this unsolicited advice. It is needless and I bet it will not change any minds.

nkowblankson@yahoo.com