“The third rail of a nation’s politics is a metaphor for any issue so controversial that is “charged” and “untouchable” to the extent that any politician or public official who dares to broach the subject will invariably suffer politically”. (Anon)
There comes a time when good people must stand up and be counted.
In the Bible the story is told of a man by name, Gamaliel. I had developed a certain uncanny likeness for this gentleman because of what he said when the Apostles were brought before the Sahendrin.
In fact the chief prosecutor here was Saul who later became Paul after he had transited the road to Damascus.
Everybody bore false evidence against the Apostles except Gamaliel. He said he did not believe the charges being leveled against them was true and so like Pontius Pilate (washing his hands when the Pharisees brought Jesus Christ to him for crucifixion), Gamaliel stood up for the poor Apostles, whose leader, had been crucified.
Stephen, a deacon, attained fame after the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ and inspired the Apostles to bond together to propagate the gospel for man’s repentance and remission of sins .
Stephen’s exploits incurred the wrath of the High Priest and the Sadducees. He was arrested, charged and found guilty of breaking the law and stoned to death even though the charges against him, were false, (Read Acts of the Apostles).
Saul
Amongst those who scrambled for his garments was Saul who sternly believed that it was wrong to preach the gospel. The gospel was Christ’s teachings.
Doing evil, perpetrating injustice, persecuting and oppressing the weak and the vulnerable was the stock – in – trade of the Sadducees and Pharisees.
I have had to present this narrative to emphasize the point that there are objective and subjective conditions for everything.
The opposition may grant themselves the excuse to capitalize on the subjective to thrive.
That’s why a personality like Hon. Yaw Osafo Maafo, was roundly condemned when he suggested that people who hailed from less endowed regions must not be allowed to be in position to dictate how the nation’s resources should be shared.
Minonties
In other words, people who come from regions like Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Brong Ahafo and maybe Greater Accra per what he said, are the ones eligible to aspire to the office of President to run affairs of the state, an obvious reference to President John Dramani Mahama. This is because he hails from the Northern Region, which according to Osafo Maafo, does not contribute much in terms of natural and human resources to the Ghana economy.
I have not heard any condemnation of that by his party leadership.
NPP
If the NPP loses the up-coming general elections and they are looking for factors that contributed to their defeat to the NDC, they should consider Osafo Maafo’s comments as one of those.
I was glued to the TV set on Friday watching the “Good Morning Ghana” show on Metro – TV hosted by Randy Abbey.
On the discussion panel, was my friend and brother from another mother, Kwaku Kakraba Baako Jnr. aka Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako, Editor in – Chief of the Crusading Guide newspaper. The other panel member was Sam George Nettey, the aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region, I enjoyed the show because of the way the two gentlemen conducted themselves. The match – up was okay and the discussion quite good as usual.
I was however disappointed when toward the end of the show, my friend and colleague of old, Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako stated that he would vote for Nana Akufo Addo in the general elections because he wanted “Change”
Before then, he had created the impression that Nana Addo has done well in tackling the issues compared to the 2012 Presidential campaign.
Sam George disagreed. He was of the opinion that the delay in coming out with a Manifesto was a jolt in the NPP 2016 campaign
I know democracy is a game of choice. So I would not begrudge Kwaku Baako for saying he would vote for Nana Addo in the Presidential elections.
I hear he’s now called Nana Dee # Nana D.
Change of Govt.?
So far as I know, there are no subjective grounds for a change in leadership of the country because the current President has more than delivered within this short tenure to render invalid, any suggestion or justifiable ground for a change in the political administration of the country. Compared to J.J Rawlings, Kufuor and even Prof. Mills, don’t you sincerely think this young man in the face of the daunting odds, had dumb founded his most virulent critics? I believe Mahama has done well to deserve another term in office.
If IMANI Ghana, of all think-tanks, would give the government more than 52 in percentage terms, then what else in Jove’s name must we sell our colour TV for a black and white one?
For the record, IMANI did not subject NPP’s tenure in office with regard to the implementation of their “So Far So Good” Manifesto of 2004 to any critical scrutiny.
In any case, the last time I checked, Kwaku Baako was still a member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
So why is he voting for the presidential candidate of a party other than his professed one?
One votes for change when change beckons; when change is imminent and when change is inevitable.
Justification
My point really is why must Kwaku say he is voting for “Change”? And I don’t know if I am justified in my stance against him or not.
In my candid view, one votes for Change when one is dissatisfied with the old order of doing things.
One changes a bad driver for a good one; one changes a bad manager for a good one, and one changes a bad coach for a good one. A winning team is hardly ever changed.
In the business world, if a company keeps on posting losses, you either close it down; dispose of its assets or invite strategic investors to come in, leading to take – overs (change) and amalgamations.
What’s so wantonly irking and excuse me to say, awesomely wrong with the current political establishment under President John Dramani Mahama, that makes my friend and colleague Kwaku Baaku say in spite of that, he would bank his hopes on a sinking ship?
In my view voting for the NPP presidential candidate is analogous to an involuntary endorsement of the series of bad decisions and incidents that have bedeviled the party.
One should therefore not be proud, thumping one’s chest, to openly declare that “I will vote for Change”.
For me, the NDC is better positioned than the NPP”.
Transformation
In terms of rebranding and positive transformation, NDC is streets ahead of the NPP although NDC learned and copied all the trappings and underpinnings of democracy from the NPP which prides itself as the doyen of democracy in Ghana.
So I would have been silent and in fact let sleeping dogs lie, if my colleague had said he would vote for Nana Addo because I would have taken it that he was voting for his preferred candidate, which is his democratic and constitutional right anyway. Better still, Kwaku could have said “I will vote for the NPP and not the NDC”. Here too, I would not have had any trouble or qualms with him.
He said and I quote; “I am voting for Nana Addo because I want change”.
This is my point of departure, thus far, I wish to posit that there’s no objective reasoning for a democratic change in Government now.
The 1992 Constitution even affirms this when it spells out conditions for giving another term of office to an elected President. “Choose ye this day whom you and your family would serve, but as for me and my house we shall serve the Lord”
I dedicate this famous verse in the Old Testament to my colleague.
As for me, I think the time for voting for a change of Government is not nigh.
The subjective conditions aren’t enough to justify that, to wit, what do we want the change for?
The quantitative and qualitative research outcomes even, put paid to that.
Do you want the change for mortgaging of a party’s national headquarters for a Prudential Bank loan?
Change for despotism?
Change for internal Zionism?
Change for authoritarianism?
Change for egocentrism?
Change for ethnocentrism?
Change for politics of exclusion and expulsion?
Change for divisiveness?
Change for factionalism and change for “All Die – be – Die?
Perhaps, change for the Third Rail?
In my view, although politics allows space for democratic choices, I believe Ghana is not ready to be entrusted into the hands of the NPP as of now.
Ref: Nana Kofi Coomson, publisher of the Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper’s comments on Nana Addo captured on tape.
His reason (s) is not far- fetched.
Source: Baby Ansabah (Punch Newspaper)
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Please say I am 100% ready to vote for Nana and stop speaking for Ghanaians. All of you calling for this change and I doubt will happen but should the table turn probably some of you are yearning for change because of your personal affiliation with NPP and what you will gain as an individual should they win. For me who don't belong to any party and will not benefit from any government directly I prefer to maintain NDC than to vote for a party which is highly in debt to steal the resources of the nation to pay their debt. If indeed Nana Addo have the interest of this nation at heart and not just bent on fulfilling his childhood ambition of becoming president at all cost, in the face of all that he is going through in terms of his personal life, he would have step down for another candidate in NPP to take over. He just want to fulfill his presidential ambition and nothing more.
Which research have you conducted to arrive at this conclusion that majority of Ghanaians are yearning for change? Talks like these are very dangerous when your preferred party didn't win the election. Please speak for yourself and leave the rest of Ghanaians to decide whom they want to vote for come December 7.
Get your bible knowledge right saul didn't become Paul its just translation the Greek call him Saul and then English is Paul
Oh people!MY BIBLE, its become the weapon of deceit.hyenas and lions are quoting anything from it to attract preys and eat them. the poor and innocent have nowhere to turn to anymore because the bible is turned into trap, with so many wolves in sheep skin aside politicians,prowling around to take advantage of the gullible.
In civilised jurisdictions journalists use their talents to fight for the man in the street ;the voiceless, the oppressed and the hapless. In this part of the world, though, senior journalists accept monies from dictators and do the bidding of their paymasters thereby grinding the people into the dust. Ben Ephson, Kwesi Pratt,Baby Ansabah.These are the leeches who in the face of all the hardship the Ghanaian faces on a daily basis,choose to push the agenda of the most corrupt, inept leader this country has ever had.Well baby Ansabah whether you like it or not change WILL come and if you and the other hyenas like you resist it you will burn in hell.
this is one of the ***barred word*** write up i have ever read in my life. i was reading thinking i will have something to learn, but ......... just wasted precious time reading this crab.
After spending time to read this piece, I don't know how to describe the writer. Is Baby Ansaba really thinking straight with this unnecessary attention seeking piece? Someone says he's going to for CHANGE should that necessitate this NWURA to occupy space. Peacefm please spare us this M-A-D-NESS from this unstable Ansaba. In the recent past he use to vote for NPP until he was caught pants down when he wrote an article to the effect that late president Mills was dead in SA which obviously turned out to be false. Not too long ago he killed someone through ***barred word*** driving and I heard some people in authority worked out for his freedom so he thinks he should appreciate that gesture with one of the most lamest articles in support of a government that doesn't have the slightest clue how to manage an economy. The only and easy way they can govern is to BORROW and keep half in their pockets through inflated contracts. As for this BabyAsaba the least said about him the better.
Baby, I like you when you say "IF" though out your piece. Why are you surprised that someone will vote for CHANGE? Democracy and for that matter elections are like BEAUTY which they say is appreciated in the eyes of the beholder. If you think this government is good for you, vote for JDM its your opinion and I must respect it. In like manner, leave me and people who think like me to also vote for Nana Addo and I equally expect you to respect my choice. One man's meat is another man's poison so leave me alone or leave Kwaku Baako alone. Go ahead and vote for your choice IF you think it.........
Ghanaians should keep calm n punish these people with their thumbs...my heart bleeds when these mugus go about destroying the image of Nana. U lots are just afraid that noble man...God's will shall be done!!!
Baby Ansaba, you've got it all wrong. Majority of Ghanaians are yearning for change and the time is now. With corruption here and there, who is not yearning for change? It's only those who are embedded in them or benifit from it. Or was it you were not prosecuted when you run your car over and killed someone? #changeiscoming