The Promises of Grace and the Politics of Déjà Vu: Amma Obenewaa Needs Answers

Modesty is a shunned virtue in Ghanaian politics. It was euthanized long ago, and has never reemerged in our nation’s political books, which begs the question whether our political leaders are genuine when they take the vows of service to serve the nation? Are these politicians really committed to reciprocating Ghana’s nurturing motherliness, and years of unremitting charitable provisions? Or, are their public declarations just a reenactment of theatrical politics to win votes from the naïve public to guarantee their continued tenancy in one of the nation’s many colonial mansions at East Cantonments and the Airport Residential Area. In my angst, which is also a reflection of reality, our nation is presently producing postcolonial Black democratic royals, who are oblivious to the nation’s horizontal afflictions?

Some partisan elements would contend that the recent passage of bills, such as the “Amoateng”Bill, are sacred testaments to our nation’s democratic growth and true independence. I personally disagree. Does it make any economic sense to pass a Prisoner Exchange/Extradition Bill, when the budget allocation for our nation’s Correctional Services can barely feed inmates? What are the fundamental motivations behind the government adding additional cost to the nation’s receding budget by making needless arrangements for deported criminals? Maybe, in their strange minds, integrating these deported criminals into the nation’s overcrowded prison population will rehabilitate Ghana’s battered image as a transshipment entreport for the “White Poison of the Andes.” Isn’t Ghana becoming a strange world, with strange leaders, with strange minds? Thus, a Neverland with deranged policymakers at the helm of affairs?

In Ghanaian tradition, we are told that with every service comes an attending benefit. While such a premise seems rational, how do we measure benefits given the cost they inflict on our nation’s declining treasury? Do our Ministers, among other political appointees, deserve free housing, free petrol allocation, transport allowance, rising per diem, and all the remunerative benefits beside the houseboy, house girls, and the watchman allowances? What about the many pointless meetings held in deluxe hotels at the nation’s expense? In my humble opinion, I believe that the Queen of England would covet the endless list of official benefits that Ghana accords to Her Majesty’s postcolonial commonwealth political subjects.

Why are certain political aspirants, such as Dan Botwe, calling for asset declaration? Why didn’t he suggest the enforcement of the stated when he was a minister in the present administration? When did it dawn on him that, asset declaration was important to restoring the public’s ebbing confidence in the government? Ghanaian politicians are nothing but marauders with flawless expertise in shuffling lies to entice the uncritical public to voting for them.

As a matter of fact, declaratory policy is not the same as committed policy. While the former is craftily employed to bait the public to miscast their votes, the latter replaces the former when election victory is declared, and politics becomes a déjà vu; begging the public for their patience and support despite broken promises.

In a nation where the public cannot recall a Member of Parliament, for the lack of a legislative instrument that makes it possible to do so, we should be mindful of persuasive scripts. Despite their appeal, they tend to lose their numbing effect once elections are done, and voters are left to their fate. Let me end by saying that, as a nation, we should fear grace and the promise of gifts. My knowledge of Ghana’s spastic postcolonial politics tells me that, the promise of grace brings nothing but grief. I cry for my nation. Good day and cheers.