Exploiting the opiate of the masses…

NDC, NPP EXPOSED!

THE great philosopher, Karl Max, once remarked that Religion is the Opiate of the Masses. That saying is loaded with many wise interpretations. He believed with its sentimental and emotional attachment, religion is the medium that many use to gain acceptability and recognition.

THAT wise saying has become so synonymous and relevant to Ghanaian politics and politicians. The often resilient and robust manner that people attach and defend their religious beliefs is such that it becomes very easy for cunning politicians to exploit it to their advantage. Such religious zealots are prepared to die for their faith.

AWARE that such religious bigots, are very vulnerable in their faith, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC)—the two so-called big parties in the country—have set certain historical trends which easily give them up as groups that are only interested in exploiting such vulnerability and sentimental attachment in Christiandom to gain cheap political points.

AND they have benefited because religious groups fail to analyze what seems to be the real intentions of the politicians towards their belief and only judge the politicians on the face value of how their overtures could increase their congregation or the number of converts that such politicians can bring the church.

BEFORE the 2000 elections, then opposition NPP candidate, John Agyekum Kufour, virtually exploited the new craze in Ghanaian politics and it is believed that eventually helped the NPP to achieve electoral victory in the 2000 election. The NPP went ahead to win again the 2004 elections, using virtually the new technique. And that necessitated the eight year reign of the NPP.

IN the run-up to the 2000 election, the NPP organised “All Nights” vigils all over the country with some of the biggest church services held at the Kumasi Sports Stadium with some top Gospel divas on parade. They included Cindy Thompson, who led what can easily be termed as the NPP chorus orchestra to give a rendition of the gospel singer’s all popular worship song- Awurade Kasa.

THE mood at the last rally organised by the NPP at the INDAFA Park in Accra IN 2000, was a site to behold when candidate Kufour refused to address the gathering, but instead allowed Cindy Thompson to lead the gathering in a prayer and worship, which was described as the second of liberation of the country from the shackles of the PNDC and the Rawlings dictatorship of 1981 to 2000.

INDEED, there is nothing wrong with seeking the face of God in a contest and asking for His guidance and direction in a party’s activities in an election year.  It is worth recognising His supremacy in all human endeavours and it is believed that the success of the NPP was largely due to the presence of God in the party’s programmes in the build-up to the 2000 election.

HOWEVER, the NPP government, through their acts of omission and commission, confirmed that they only used the religious vessel as a means to an end. In the end, the Kufour administration left an unjustifiable legacy that could not have been what they bargained from God. It was a legacy that was not short of what the P/NDC administration left for Ghanaians.

CORRUPTION, defined by former President John Agyekum Kufour as something which began from the time of Adam and Eve was rampant in his eight-year administration. One-time chairman of the NPP, Haruna Esseku, confirmed that the presidency under President Kufuor received kick-backs at the Castle.

NPP Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Hon. Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori, even accused his colleagues in the Legislature of collecting “envelopes” during the passage of the bill on Ghana Telecom which later changed to VODAFONE.

THE deception in the Kufuor administration also manifested when candidate Kufour after complaining about the fuel prices only increased products a hundred fold immediately after being sworn in as the President of Ghana. Ironically, throughout the eight-year rule of Kufuor, petrol prices constantly appreciated.

IN 2008, then candidate John Evans Atta Mills was seen as God’s reincarnate when he toured the length and breadth of the country under the banner of Asomdwoe Hene and God-fearing. As usual the call was to catch the attention of Christians and all other sects who also believe God is the Omnipotent. And presto with its large following, the NDC courted many religious sects to win the 2008 election.

AS an epitome of humility and perhaps the only presidential candidate to extol the Christian and Muslim values of humility, the religious sentiments came to play and that eventually made Ghanaians vote for candidate Mills to become the President of the Republic of Ghana, from 2009.

AT a point, it was even rumoured that President Mills had turned the Castle, the seat of government, into a prayer camp with Nigerian Pastor, T.B Joshua, in attendance. That in fact raised the hopes of many Ghanaians that Mills’ reign is divinely ordained by God. However, it did not take long for Ghanaians to see through the true colours of President Mills and his NDC government that they only deceived Ghanaians with their angelic attitude before the 2008 election.

PRESIDENT Mills and his administration immediately increased prices of fuel instead of the drastic reduction in the commodity as was promised by then candidate Mills in 2008.

THE lack of the political will to complete the Sofoline Interchange in Kumasi, the Achimota-Ofankor and the Legon-Madina roads is enough portrayal of the grand deception of current President Mills and the affable and humble candidate Mills. Evidence on the abortive STX deal which has for now remained a big hoax is another lack of performance and deception on the part of the president.

PRESIDENT Mills has also recorded some embarrassing corrupt practices in his administration with junior ministers who ran for NDC primaries recently exhibiting affluence in order to sway votes of delegates. The Woyomegate scandal which has cost the two cabinet ministers their positions with its accompanying gargantuan crimes buttress how well the state coffers is being exploited for public gains. Not even the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice who sensed rot and his willingness to recover the GH¢58 million had been spared his position.

THE president’s response to Muntaka’s “Kyikyinga” saga is enough to tell how well he has also endorsed corruption as a Christian.

TEN months from election 2012, the flag-bearer of the NPP has also sought to walk a similar path with numerous prayer camps being established at NPP regional offices nationwide. The climax of this chameleon game was when NPP gathered at the Essipong Sports Stadium on Sunday to hold what they called thanks-giving service. This meeting is of course a clear contradiction to the behaviour and actions of the NPP flag-bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo.

WE are not saying that no one should vote for a Christian or someone who extols Christian values but we are cautioning Ghanaians to be wary of lions in sheep skin. Ghanaians should separate between church leadership and secular leadership, for if we want church leaders to lead us, then we should go for Bishops or Chief Imams to be presidents.

THOUGH we need God’s guidance, Ghanaians should be careful about politicians with clear designs to deceive voters.