Features
A call on CPP to be a potential force in 2024 general election
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A sister of mine, name withheld, told me that she recently dreamt about the party that would form the next government and take over the mantle of leadership of our dear country, Ghana, after the tenure of office of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2024. In that dream, she was directed by the Almighty God to try and get in touch with Comrade Kwesi Pratt, a leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Managing Editor of Insight Newspaper, to deliver a special message to him concerning the re-organisation of the party to take over the leadership of this country in 2024. She asked me to assist her to get the contact line of Mr. Pratt so that she could deliver the message to him personally. I did according to her wish and I am very sure that by now, she has been able to get in touch with Mr. Pratt to deliver her message.
MESSAGE TO COMRADE KWESI PRATT
Being so inquisitive, I impressed on her to interpret that dream to me in a more cohesive manner and to my astonishment, she told me that the good Lord had revealed to her that come 2014, the leadership of this country would be transferred to the CPP because Ghanaians were, indeed, tired and fed up with the current government and that of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and would like to try a third force which is the CPP.
I cannot agree more with my sister about her dream and vision, however, I strongly believe that for that prediction to materialise, much will depend on all the splinter groups of the Nkrumahist tradition to bury their entrenched positions and differences and rally their strength behind the CPP, the party formed by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory and first President of Ghana to regain their fortunes and claim leadership of this country. That can be possible and there is no ambiguity about that vision. It is a fact that those who have been monitoring and following Kwesi Pratt critically about his comments and support for the CPP, believe that he has what it takes to help bring together well-meaning and genuine Nkrumahists who believe in the ideals and tradition of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to build a formidable CPP to capture power, come 2024.
CPP AS AN ALTERNATIVE PARTY IN GOVERNMENT
It is a fact that Ghanaians who have tried and tested both the administrations of the NPP, which is still in power, and that of the NDC, which handed power in 2016, are not seeing any improvement in their living conditions. Rather, what they are witnessing currently is economic stagnation, hence the deterioration in their living conditions. There have been no proactive measures to arrest the declining state of the economy and the sufferings among the people are, indeed, unbearable. Therefore, the only option and alternative left for Ghanaians is to try the CPP and see what they can also offer this nation. But in doing so, that entrenched positions by the so-called splinter groups which claim their roots from the Nkrumahist tradition must be dismantled to rope in true and genuine CPP members and supporters who because of the unstable nature of the party, have defected to other parties including the NPP and the NDC. It is important and significant for the dormant CPP to regain its original posture and to rub shoulders with the two main political parties in our dear country, Ghana.
This article will not be complete, effective and interesting if it fails to trace and sumarise the historical background of the emergence of the CPP from the Nkrumahist era up the present state where things seem not to be going well with the party because of apathy, individual differences and leadership crisis. It is also a fact that there are quite a number of Ghanaians who are not familiar with the CPP, therefore, they will need some bit of enlightenment about the party and what it stood for in the past.
SHORT HISTORY ABOUT THE CPP
This writer was not born when the CPP was formed but history has revealed that it was a socialist party based on ideas of former president Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory. It was formed on June 12, 1949, by Nkrumah to campaign for independence of the Gold Coast. It was a governing party under Kwame Nkrumah of the autonomous British Colony of the Gold Coast from 1951 to 1957, and independent Ghana from 1957 to 1966. In 1964, the Constitution was changed to make the CPP the only legal party in Ghana, thus making the nation a one-party state. The party was banned after the 24th February 1966 coup d’etat by the National Liberation Council (NLC). It will interest readers to know that parties that followed the CPP tradition used various names to prosecute their own agenda. It was the first party to rule Ghana after the attainment of independence in 1957.
The CPP started as a vehicle of emancipation of the nation and whole of Africa, and was a party that embraced farmers, fishermen, the rural folks, the rich and the poor alike. In the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections, the party won one parliamentary seat, the Jomoro Constituency with the daughter of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Madam Samia Nkrumah as the member of parliament. The then presidential candidate Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, performed below expectation, managing to get 1,4 per cent of the total valid votes cast. The presidential candidate in the 2012 election was Dr. Michael Abu Sakara Foster with Mr. Ivor Greenstreet being the presidential candidate for the party in the 2020 election.
SHAMEFUL SPECTACLE WITHIN THE CPP
It is a shame that the CPP which used to be a party with a larger following is now wandering in the wilderness due to protracted differences, bickering and a host of other problems basically on matters of leadership of the party. The party has men and women of integrity to manage its affairs but the lack of coordination and unity seem to be tearing the party apart. Was it not a shame that the CPP has no representation in parliament ever since Samia Nkrumah’s mandate expired in 2016?
The turn of events in this country in which the cost of living has become unbearable for the average Ghanaians, demands that the CPP must get its act together, bring all those who professed in the ideals and vision of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah together and launch a positive campaign to win the needed support for the party come 2024 general election. Now is the time for the founding members of the party, some of whom are still alive to call a spade a spade and see how best they can unite the party under one umbrella which is the CPP to make a positive impact on the country’s democratic process. Ghanaians are yearning for a third force to save them from the harrowing experiences they are currently going through.
This country is not the preserve of any group or political party to govern, it belongs to each and every Ghanaian and Ghanaians deserve every right to choose the party of their choice to run the affairs of the nation. That is why a clarion call is being made to the CPP to organise itself well to battle for the leadership and show what the party can also offer to salvage the country from the downward trend.
To borrow from the lyrics of the greatest and popular Jamaican reggae and soul musician, Jimmy Cliff, “There is suffering in the land” and Ghanaians will need selfless, dedicated and visionary leaders to lift them out of their sorrowful state as well as the current economic hardship they find themselves in.
Ghanaians have tried and tested the two major political parties-NPP, NDC- and things, especially issues regarding the economy are not working in their favour, therefore, the only alternative left for them is to look elsewhere for their salvation. The CPP can be a potential force if it can unite and re-organise itself before the 2024 general election.
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By Charles Neequaye
Features
Confronting newborn abandonment in Ghana: When a cry for help is heard in a dustbin – Part 2
The root causes: It is never just one reason
My years of counselling at CPAC show me abandonment is rarely an act of malice. It is the tragic endpoint of seven overwhelming distresses:
1. Severe maternal mental illness —The hidden emergency
a) Clinical Postpartum Depression (PPD): This is far beyond “baby blues.” It is a severe mood disorder that can appear weeks to months after birth. Due to a massive drop in hormones, extreme sleep deprivation, and emotional exhaustion, the mother feels deep sadness, worthlessness, and complete emotional numbness towards her baby. Picture: A new mother sits by her bed all day, staring blankly. Her baby cries for hours, but she cannot lift her hands to carry the baby. She whispers, “This baby would be better off without me.” She does not hate the baby; she feels she has completely failed as a mother.
b) Peripartum Psychosis (Postpartum Psychosis): This is a psychiatric emergency. Rare but extremely dangerous, appearing suddenly within the first 2-3 weeks after delivery. The mother completely loses touch with reality. She hears commanding voices telling her to abandon the baby, or believes the baby is possessed by an evil spirit or is a “spirit child” who will bring a curse. Picture: A mother genuinely believes she heard a voice saying, “Leave this child at the crossroads at midnight or your family will die.” She abandons the baby not out of hatred, but because her broken mind believes she is obeying a higher spiritual order to save her family.
c) Pre-existing untreated Schizophrenia: This is a chronic, severe mental disorder that existed before the pregnancy. The stress of pregnancy and labour shatters her fragile coping. She suffers from paranoid delusions — believing people want to poison her and the baby — flat affect (zero facial expression), and grossly disorganised thinking, making it impossible to plan how to feed or clean a baby. Picture: A young woman whose family called her illness “spiritual attack” instead of taking her for medication wanders away after delivery, completely forgetting she even gave birth, leaving the infant behind.
2. Extreme socio-economic deprivation: For many girls in some parts of Ghana such as Kasoa, Madina, or Bekwai, poverty is not a statistic; it is a daily panic. No money for antenatal care, no money for hospital delivery, no money for baby diapers or formula. When a mother cannot feed herself, the thought of feeding another mouth feels impossible. Some mothers say, “I left her where someone richer would find her, because I could not watch her starve to death in my hands.” It is a distorted act of survival.
3. Intense societal stigma and shame: In Ghana, pregnancy outside marriage, teenage pregnancy, or pregnancy from rape can bring extreme family rejection. The girl is called “spoilt,” beaten, banned from church, or sacked from school. The fear of bringing shame to the family name is heavier than the fear of police. So she hides the pregnancy for 9 months, delivers alone, and abandons in secret to protect her family’s “honour.”
4. Paternal abandonment — The Man Who Ran Away: Behind almost every abandoned baby is a man who vanished. He says, “It is not mine,” or “Abort it,” and switches off his phone. The mother is left utterly isolated — no emotional, financial, or social support. She is criminalised alone, but the abandonment started with him. Psychological research shows paternal denial is one of the strongest predictors of maternal panic and newborn abandonment.
5. Substance abuse disorders: Alcohol, tramadol, and other drug addiction impair the brain’s executive functioning — the ability to plan, judge consequences, and process emotions. A mother struggling with addiction may give birth in a highly intoxicated or withdrawal state, unable to comprehend the needs of the newborn, leading to neglect and eventual abandonment.
6. The spirit child cultural phenomenon and superstition: In some remote pockets of Northern Ghana and even in few parts of Central and Ashanti regions, public health research shows babies born with congenital deformities, severe disabilities, or whose mothers die in childbirth are branded as “spirit children” or cursed. In extreme instances, families, under cultural pressure, mandate that such babies be exposed or abandoned at shrines or bushes. This is not mental illness, but a harmful cultural belief system that still kills.
The invisible wounds
On the baby: Risk of death from hypothermia, sepsis, and infection. Survivors suffer Anaclitic Depression and Failure to Thrive due to lack of touch. As adults, they battle Reactive Attachment Disorder, chronic mistrust, and identity crisis — “Why did my mother leave me in a dustbin?”
On the mother: Lifelong hidden grief, intense guilt, chronic PTSD, depression, and elevated suicide risk. A prison cell does not heal this.
On the nation: Overburdened orphanages like Osu Children’s Home, draining health budgets, and overworked Social Welfare officers.
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“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; no one seeks God. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. For there is no difference; – Rom. 3:10, 21-22. (NIV)
Introduction
Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. Thus, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.
The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is not possible for man to attain on his own; the standard is simply too high. The good news is that true righteousness is possible for mankind, but only through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have no ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But Christians possess the righteousness of Christ, because “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21. This is an amazing truth. On the cross, Jesus exchanged our sin for His perfect righteousness so that we can one day stand before God and He will see not our sin, but the holy righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
Establishing our hearts in righteousness
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” – Proverbs 4:23
According to the above verse in Proverbs, our heart is the source of our life. Our life flows from our heart. The Holy Spirit resides in the spirit of the born again Christian. So there is a strong influence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the new-born Christian. But our heart is also comprised of our soul. As Christians we can choose to focus our soul on the Lord, or on evil things. If we focus on corrupt, immoral, and evil things our heart will be affected detrimentally. It will cause our heart to be crooked or wicked, instead of straight or righteous. So the Scripture says to keep, or guard, our heart. It is wise to protect our heart as what we allow to dominate our heart will inevitably become the fruit, or influence the outcome, of our lives.
One way to approach life is to continually ask the question, “How will this decision or action affect my heart?” Everything we do, every thought we entertain, everything we watch, read, or listen to, shapes our heart. Therefore, the future prosperity of our life will flow from how well we care for our heart.
Think of everything you do, every moment of time, as a seed. We have been given responsibility for choosing which seeds to plant in our heart. What will you grow in the garden of your heart? What seeds will you choose? Our heart is our garden, and our life is the fruit of our garden. So next time you are tempted to dwell on a bad thought, think, “Do I want this seed to grow and manifest in my life?” Next time you are tempted to indulge in a sinful action ask yourself, “Do I want the extension, or fruit, of this sinful action to be what I am known for?”
God gives us the freedom to plant whatever we like in our garden. God loves us regardless of the good or bad choices we may make in our lives. You may be reaping the fruit of some poor choices right now. And God is still saying, “I love you.” But He has wise advice for us; He desires we have a good life. He says, “Guard you heart with all diligence.” This Hebrew word translated ‘diligence’ conveys the meanings of: prison and guard (ibid). A superintendant of a prison is very particular as to what goes in and out of his prison. A prison has very tight security. Just as a superintendant watches over his prison, so we should also supervise our heart (our lives). We should exercise meticulous security with regards to what enters into our heart. Actually, even what comes out of it, as the Scripture says, “ Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” – James 1:19, as “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” –Matthew 12:34b.
If what goes into, and what comes out of, our heart determines the success of our lives, what is the first important principle to establish in our heart? “In righteousness you shall be established;” – Isaiah 54:14
Righteousness is the key foundational truth we need to first establish in our heart. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Matthew 6:33. Notice Jesus said, “His righteousness”, not our own righteousness. We have to seek and understand God’s righteousness. Isaiah 54:14 says, “Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” God’s righteousness comes from God, not from within us. Humans cannot make themselves God’s righteousness, as all humans have sinned and are therefore inferior to God. God’s righteousness is a gift from God: “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
Righteousness, or right standing with God, has been attained for us through the exchange Jesus made on our behalf. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. God’s righteousness is imparted to us when we are made a new creature in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17. This righteousness is a gift from God and undeserved by us: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”- Romans 5:17
Through our faith in Jesus’ blood, shed to remit our sins – Romans 3:25, God imparts righteousness to us by His grace. We actually become a new righteous creation, fully identifying in Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. This is the foundational miracle we need to understand and have established in our heart. All the other miraculous promises of God come the same way, by God’s grace through faith. Righteousness must be established in our heart for us to truly have faith to receive our rich inheritance in Christ. Jesus has been made unto us righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are now “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”. – 2 Corinthians 1:20
Establishing our minds in righteousness
God expects that, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be radically changed. In Romans 12:2 He tells us, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
This transformation is to be a metamorphosis, of a magnitude at least comparable to that by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. He expects us to become totally different.
Scripture uses many different images to express the change that should occur: We become “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.“ – 2 Cor 5:17. It is almost as if we become a new species. Scripture speaks of the “first Adam” who was earthly and fell into sin, and the “second Adam” (Jesus Christ) who was sinless and holy – Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor 15:44-49.
We are “made new in the attitude of our minds” – Eph. 4:23.
We “put off our old self” and “put on the new self” – Eph. 4:22,24; Col 3:9-10.
We “live by the Spirit” and not by the flesh – Gal. 5:16; Rom 8:13.
We become “instruments of righteousness” rather than “instruments of wickedness” – Rom. 6:13.
Each of these metaphors, in a different way, emphasizes the magnitude of the change that is expected. Each is dramatic and astonishing in itself; their cumulative effect is even more powerful. We are talking about a tremendous transformation. It should be visible to others, but its internal effect should be far greater than what others can perceive.
The goal of this transformation
What is the goal of this metamorphosis? Scripture states it in a number of different ways, which overlap and can be seen as different ways of expressing the same basic concept. Scripture often does this, because our minds are inadequate to comprehend, and our language inadequate to express, the full scope of God’s revelation to us.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
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Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
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