Eight Days More: Wondering Who To Vote For?

In 2008, when the president was elected I went asking friends “do you think he will be any good.” One friend surmised from late President Mills’ inauguration speech that he might be a really good president, “but we should just watch and see.” he said.

I will not speak ill of the actions of the dead so we will know how well he and the NDC did after December 7.

My colleagues and I have been traveling the campaign trail with Presidential candidates as well as by ourselves. We have seen parts of Ghana that has made us wonder why the people welcome politicians instead of pelting them with stones.

A colleague reports that whiles in a village in the Eastern Region, the residents kept talking about how a broken bridge is making their lives difficult. Curious he went along to check it out and this was his conclusion “If I save my salary for two months, I can pay for that bridge to be fixed.” And if a journalists says his two months salary can pay for the repair of a bridge, that’s saying a lot.

In some communities, residents list “excellent and competent toilets,” as some of their needs. The needs of many of the communities are so basic, it’s surprising they exist in middle income country at all.

Many of the folks we spoke to are angry about the failure of successive governments to address their problems. The chorus is “they only come here when they want us to vote for them.”  The level of disenchantment is so high that some say they will not vote as it is a choice between two evils.  And they may be right, both the NDC and NPP have governed this country before.

There are eight men seeking to run this country, and we know about four have any real shot at the Osu Castle. So we need to critically assess them before handing one the keys to ruin us.  And as your advocate against any person becoming president for no good reason, here’s what I think we need to mull over before December 7.

President John Mahama seems competent – he might actually make a great president but he is with the NDC, I could write book on their failures. It starts with the endless committees’ set-up to investigate issues which could have been resolved by firing and prosecuting those involved. There is also the suspicious payments of judgment debts to cronies, (Anyone remember, Woyome, and CP?) And even if we could ignore its communication hoodlums, I don’t know if the attacks on some leading pastors should be forgiven.

The NPP’s Nana Akufo Addo sounds passionate about transforming this country, but the NPP has failed Ghanaians before- they promised proper decentralization beginning with the election of local officials and did nothing.  And I dread they may win and become like the folks in-charge-numb to the feelings of Ghanaians.

The CPP’s Dr. Abu Sakara was dazzling at the presidential debates. I think he will make a fine president. But he is with the founder’s party which has failed to connect with Ghanaians.

For a party formed in February this year, the visibility of the Dr. Papa Kwasi Nduom’s PPP is impressive.  He has a good track record with his successful businesses and time in government with the NPP. And he has run a savvy campaign.

I have no complaints against Dr. Nduom except we just recently discovered good men do not necessarily make effective presidents.

There is so much one has to consider before the voting day, but this should help.