A friend of mine recently vented his frustrations about the duopoly in Ghanaian politics, that is, the domination of the political system by the ruling NPP and its arch-rival the NDC.
His point was that the two political parties are only in the political game for themselves, to protect and enhance their interests while woefully neglecting to promote the general welfare of the Ghanaian public.
He stressed that the NDC and NPP were not keen on lifting the country out of abject and grinding poverty and went on to single out corruption and nepotism which he said were common place during the John Mahama administration and now pervasive in the current Nana Akuffo Addo’s administration as proof positive that the Ghanaian is always given the rough end of the stick by both parties.
My friend cited the dishonesty and pretentions of the two major players on Ghanaian political scene as the reason why he firmly believes that they have outlived their usefulness. And if he had his way, he maintained, he would very much want to see an end to the NPP-NDC stranglehold on our political system.
In other words, he wants the emergence of a Third Force, a new political party that will upend the political fortunes of the two big players, threaten their domination and influence and jolt them into reality. The other political parties in the system, he noted, have been so marginalized that they have become impotent and irrelevant
I share my friend’s anger and worries. I, too, would prefer the appearance of a brand-new political party on the scene. In addition, I very much want to see a political party that doesn’t share the same convoluted ideologies and philosophies of the NPP and the NDC.
Yes indeed, I want a party that would be fiercely committed to promoting the welfare of Ghanaians and one that would pledge to chase this goal at all cost and to make it the cornerstone of their political agenda.
If you probe me further, I would tell you without hesitation that with the gross mismanagement of the economy and the attendant high rates of unemployment in the country, a benevolent dictator in the mold of Paul Kagame of Rwanda who will work passionately in the interest of the nation, will be the magic bullet we desperately need to address our countless problems.
Many may not remember Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore who ruled the city state for 34 years with an iron fist and amazingly transformed it into a stable and prosperous democracy and the powerful global financial center it is today. He was a dictator no doubt about that, but of the benevolent kind.
The fact remains that the NPP and the NDC continue to do as they please with the trust and confidence placed in them by their supporters. Sadly, despite the adulation and unflinching love of their supporters, the NDC and the NPP see in these loyal followers a bunch of gullibles who could easily be manipulated and taken advantage of.
So, every four years, the NPP and the NDC concoct these pie in the sky promises and sell them to their followers who buy them without as much as raising a finger.
Nonetheless, the fortunes of the big parties hinge on the Ghanaian electorate.However, is the electorate prepared to jettison the NDC and the NPP in favor of a more dynamic and forward-looking political party that will champion its cause?
It is difficult to gauge. There is so much loyalty to the two political giants that it would be almost nearly impossible to shift the goal post, to change the status quo; it may in essence be a herculean proposition.
But at the end of the day, the prevailing question remains: will the two parties let go of the power they have enjoyed all these years?
I have my doubts; and the reason is simply this: they are so entrenched in the system that getting rid of them will be tantamount to having your wisdom tooth pulled out by your dentist….it will be painful and bloody.
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