When parties undermine the EC

I am not trying to be high and mighty about this issue but what the heck. I share the frustrations of many Ghanaians who do not understand why the Electoral Commission is rushing to create 45 new constituencies just three months to the 2012 general elections.

But I feel rather disgusted that some prominent people  you expect to know much better are already tagging the Electoral Commissioner, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan and the EC as pro-government.



Rather sadly, the man has mentioned that he is receiving death threats for just fulfilling his constitutional mandate albeit in a rush.

My heart bled listening to Mr K.T Hammond, the member of parliament for Adansi Asokwa accusing the EC of being in bed with the government.

Such comments, might mean to score cheap political points but the ramifications in the future could be disasterous.

For an MP, undermining the credibility of the electoral commission at a period like this should be the last thing on his mind.

Whether CI 73 or 77 is passed or not, whether we need new constituencies at a moment like this in our history where school children continue to learn under trees and senior high school infrastructure is in deficits, our priority should be keeping this country in our peace.

There will be no Adansi Asokwa constituency in Burkina Faso, Cote d'voire or Togo if the unfortunate happens and the elections turns violent.

I witnessed enough from the Madina riots in the Greater Accra Region where angry moslem youth confronted the police over a parcel of land. I also remember vividly  the scenes from Hohoe in the Volta Region where the indigenes were basically at war with the Zongo community over the right to burry their dead.

Those scenes don't depict a country of peaceful people. Enough said for our politicians to watch their mouths and not to sacrifice this country on the altar of self interest.

Christmas:has it lost its relevance

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 heralded the birth of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago.

Indeed, years on, Jesus did not only live to fulfill the prophesy but amassed such a great following that his supposed birthday is celebrated annually by Christians across the world. His teachings have also become life’s manual for many who have found comfort and hope in it.

Christmas is, therefore, the symbolic day to celebrate the birth of one man whose name has brought deliverance, joy and inspiration to God and has drawn mankind to God. But, what do we see today? The celebration has become so commercialised that sometimes one feels that it is all about food, booze and reckless living.

Days preceding Christmas are seen by drivers as a ‘cocoa season’ when they can make more money by compromising the safety of passengers. Speeding, drunk driving, disrespect for roads signs and other road users become the hallmark.

  At this time of the year, old and young, rich and poor, pious and vulgar, saint and sinner, with boundless energy, race with the coming of Christmas day like the waters of a flooded river, submerging everything before it. Modesty is thrown out of the window.

On the day itself, the solemnity that should accompany the occasion is swallowed by the zeal to satisfy the desires of the flesh than the will of God.

 Some people see the day as a license to loosen their zips, gloat in self gratification and many other activities that will put horse whips in the hands of Jesus Christ if he was physically in our midst today.  In short, our moral compass has lost its bearing and we’ve almost lost our way to our maker.

In all these, I believe Christmas should be a period to make a retrospective journey into our life, take stock of our relationship with God and our fellow human beings, and our achievements and failures.

We also need to ask ourselves a few questions as to whether our lives impacted positively on others and reflect on our relationship with Christ whose birth is the foundation of the celebration.
Similarly, the festivities should be a means to be a blessing to the several underprivileged people in society.

Let us use the yuletide to put a smile on the face that child whose parents died in that forgettable accident; to take care of that boy who dropped out of school because his parent could not afford the fees and to provide for that family who can barely have a plate of food daily.

How about putting a morsel on the table of that widow whose daily struggle to survive you have never taken notice of. That orphanage, that leper’s home, that witch camp, that aged home, will sing chorus of blessing in your name, if you could be of help.

As the clock ticks towards Election 2012, our major concern should be the negative political banter that has eaten deep into our political fabric. Let not the sermons from our pulpits be in vain for posterity will be the biggest judge. Our politicians must use this period to assure us that next year’s election will not be a blood bath as other countries in Africa have witnessed.

Finally, may we find strength in the symbolic birth of Christ to make our society better than we met it and may Christmas be a moment to renew our zeal to put our hands on the wheel to push the progress and stability of Ghana in 2012 and beyond.