The election fever is beginning to manifest itself in the country’s political landscape, and come December 7, 2024, the date set aside by the 1992 Constitution for Ghana’s democratic election, Ghanaians will once again, exercise their franchise to determine who to govern this country, following the expiration of the Akufo-Addo-led government under the stable of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

And as usual, politicians, especial­ly those from the two major political parties, the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), have geared themselves up to crisscross the country with their campaign mes­sages to woo and encourage Ghana­ians to throw their weight behind them with their ballots to get the nod to represent them in parliament while at the same time ensuring that their parties get the mandate to rule this country.

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS ON THE MOVE

While the ruling NPP is fighting to retain power through sloganeering, “Breaking the Eight”, the NDC, on the other hand, will be fighting to take up the mantle from the Akufo- Addo-led administration, which comes to an end after the December 24, 2024 election. It is an interesting scenario and both parties are not giv­en any dog’s chance to this encoun­ter, come next year. Both the NPP and the NDC are preparing feverishly to choose their flag bearers to lead them in next year’s presidential elec­tion. Nothing has so far been heard from the other political parties, as they continue to remain in the dark, probably strategising to launch their campaigns in grand styles.

Notwithstanding, former presi­dent John Dramani Mahama of the NDC and his campaign team have started touring the countryside with their message of hope, while other presidential aspirants of the NPP, in­cluding the current Vice President Al­haji Mahamadou Bawumia, are doing the same in anticipation of getting the nod to lead the NPP to break the eight, which indeed will be historic in the annals of Ghana’s politics.

ASPIRING PARLIAMENTARIANS

Let me use this platform or medi­um to wish all the contestants both in the presidential and parliamen­tary primaries, especially MPs who are fighting for a comeback, a very warm welcome and good luck in their noble objectives. To those who are challenging the incumbent MPs, I also wish them the best of luck, hoping that their campaigns will be based on constructive and progressive analysis and not for the sake of “Mokoayan­imoko aba” to wit, “somebody should go and somebody should come.” It is the expectation of Ghanaians that in both cases, their campaigns will be devoid of antagonism, mudslinging, hate speeches, rancor, chaos and provocative statements so that the county can continue to enjoy the current peace in spite of the serious economic challenges that have sent us to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to seek a bailout.

However, it is quite unfortunate that, while Ghanaians are calling for peace to prevail in the country during this campaign period, it is indeed amazing that some of our politicians, especially those who are supposed to know better because of the positions they are occupying in the current administration of this country, have rather started spitting and spilling venom and hate speech­es, which if not handled well and timely, can affect the peace and spell doom for our country, especially during next year’s election.

MP’S MISGUIDED STATEMENT

Honorable Bryan Acheampong, MP for Abetifi in the Eastern Region and the current Minister for Food and Ag­riculture, was reported to have said that the incumbent NPP government would never hand over power to the NDC come the next year’s polls. While addressing party supporters at Mpraeso in the Eastern Region after a health walk during the Easter fes­tivities, the honorable minister was caught in a video clip vowing that the NPP would use any means neces­sary to remain in government at all costs. Hear the MP: “The NDC party will collapse. If the NDC dares to use threats, violence and foolishness in the 2024 election, we will let them know we have the men. We will show them that we have men. We have the men! It will never happen that we, the NPP, will stand on a platform to hand over power to the NDC. It will never happen! We will make sure the NPP remains in government at all costs.”

That unfavourable and unneces­sary comment from no less a person than a minister of state in a ruling government who is also a lawmaker has triggered reactions from a sec­tion of Ghanaians, including the mi­nority NDC, asking for the arrest and prosecution of the MP. Personalities like Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, in a letter reacting to the comment by the MP, said such statements could lead this nation into destruction beyond the extent the Akufo-Addo-led govern­ment had caused.

NYAHO TAMAKLOE’S REACTIONS

According to him, Bryan Ache­ampong’s indiscipline and violent tendencies had reached legendary levels, and it was about time the President and the NPP leadership called him to sanity. Failure to do that, he said, would further injure the party and lead to its total collapse. “Some of us in the NPP will not sit down unconcerned for such irresponsible behaviours alien to the NPP and inimical to national development to continue. Development is what our coun­try greatly requires now, and as a cabinet minister, that is what Bryan Acheampong should address on political platforms such as those offered to him last Saturday. The NPP stalwart and eminent elderly stateman called on Mr. Bryan Ache­ampong to immediately withdraw his pronouncement and to render an unqualified apology to the good people of Ghana for making such a destructive, unlawful, unguided, unnecessary and unintelligent polit­ical statement.

CALLS ON IGP TO INVITE MP

Others who felt that the minis­ter’s statement was not in the best interest of this country have called on the Inspector General of Police to invite the MP to come and sub­stantiate his destructive and divisive public utterances, which do not befit his status as a lawmaker for our dear nation.

Indeed, much as we are operat­ing a free society, that should not give room for any person or group of persons to say negative things that will undermine and pose security threats to our dear nation. It is a fact that the stakes are high and people have become agitated, especially when the cost of living has become unbearable for the citizens, most of whom are finding it very difficult to enjoy a square meal a day. There are people who are compelled to con­sume hard liquor such as akpeteshie because they don’t have the means to buy food due to the high cost of living. The youth are not getting jobs to fend for themselves and therefore remain bitter, frustrated and pro­voked at the least opportunity.

DON’T TAKE GHANAIANS FOR A RIDE

As the political temperature of the country keeps boiling, it is im­portant for our politicians and those in positions of trust to be circum­spect and extra careful with their useless, unguided and unnecessary utterances in order not to inflame passion with their misguided state­ments, thereby causing chaos and mayhem in our dear country. This country is not the preserve of any particular person or group of per­sons; it belongs to everyone and we have to safeguard it for the benefit of the future generation. Politicians have only been bestowed with the caretaker’s role in this country, and therefore they must behave re­sponsibly by holding the fortunes of this country in trust for the over 30 million Ghanaians.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

For goodness sake, we expect pol­iticians from both the ruling NPP and the main opposition NDC to behave well and also to spare Ghanaians the greatest ordeal since we have only one nation called Ghana and have nowhere to go in times of political upheaval.

Ghanaians will not allow our politicians, self-seekers and selfish individuals to plunge this country into chaos and run away with their families to sojourn in foreign coun­tries while the people are killed without any justifiable cause.

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By Charles Neequaye