Today we are looking at two issues petinent to multi party democracy in Ghana, issues which are intricately related and yet different: Party funding and the debate around a fund raising dinner which will require the presence of the professor less than six months to the day of our reckoning, the day we are poised to wrestle power from the aging, grumpy and deceitful elephant.
Political party funding is a thorny issue for democracies the world over, ours included. However, our opinion is that party funding is worse in Africa and other countries which wilfully fail to legislate for or put in place lasting mechanisms to support political activity and therefore doing democracy a great disservice. In addition, where there are no proper structures in place, it is dogs dinner for ruling parties to amass wealth through all sorts of solicitation and arm twisting in order to gain an enviable advantage and therefore establishing a strangle hold on power. We have recently seen a different dimension of this, with the NPP government and its ministers and key figures taking this advantage to a different level in their flag bearership race. We have seen gargantuan levels of affluence, opulence and extravagance from almost all of the candidates in the midst of growing poverty and inequality. The question you and I need to ask ourselves; is where all this money is coming from amidst talk of efforts by the NPP to repeal the law regarding wilfully causing financial loss to the state. However, we all know that won't happen and I believe all peace loving, progressive minded Ghanaians will rise up in unison, not in arms but with the sheer force of a common purpose to defeat the 'neo-colonialists' of our time.
That aside, party funding should be one of the issues we should address when we come back to power; for posterity sake. We owe it to our democracy to have purposeful mechanisms and legislation in place to facilitate the flourishing of the smaller parties and therefore the blossoming of our democracy. Many of the other parties apart from the big two do not even have functional national and regional offices not to talk about constituency offices. That is food for thought?
Moving on swiftly, the idea of holding a fund raising dinner by itself is laudable and a step in the right direction albeit with enormous cost implication and the danger of running a loss and not raising any funds at all. However these risk factors aside, it offers the opportunity for members to socialise, to network, pick each others brains, strategise and feel a sense of a common purpose, which is an incredible way of achieving great things. It also offers the opportunity to the flag bearer and the party to raise his international profile and to sell the party to the international community. You will be shocked to find valuable friends waiting to be made for the party and for our cause.
Therefore, it is a big yes to the idea of a fund raising dinner but timing is crucial. Our people say ‘there is a time and a season for everything’. An important reminder to us to chose the right time to hold a fund raising dinner requiring the presence of the flag bearer. Our take is that, the UK and Ireland fund raising dinner should be held no less than six months to the election. This will ensure that the Professor and his Team can concentrate on the campaign to win hearts and minds at home, with rigorous and effective door to door, region to region, district to district, village to village, mosques to mosques, church to church, high street to high street , university to university, school to school campaigns. Setting out the vision of the NDC for the people of Ghana and inviting them to joins us to make Ghana a better place.
Let us continue to discuss these things. It is not enough to visit this blog without participating in our discussions and it is not enough just to be a member of the NDC, let us all make ourselves useful to the cause, putting our talents, skills, resources and gifts at the disposal of mother Ghana. Long live Ghana, Long live the NDC!!!
Enye Zu, Enye Za!!
Political party funding is a thorny issue for democracies the world over, ours included. However, our opinion is that party funding is worse in Africa and other countries which wilfully fail to legislate for or put in place lasting mechanisms to support political activity and therefore doing democracy a great disservice. In addition, where there are no proper structures in place, it is dogs dinner for ruling parties to amass wealth through all sorts of solicitation and arm twisting in order to gain an enviable advantage and therefore establishing a strangle hold on power. We have recently seen a different dimension of this, with the NPP government and its ministers and key figures taking this advantage to a different level in their flag bearership race. We have seen gargantuan levels of affluence, opulence and extravagance from almost all of the candidates in the midst of growing poverty and inequality. The question you and I need to ask ourselves; is where all this money is coming from amidst talk of efforts by the NPP to repeal the law regarding wilfully causing financial loss to the state. However, we all know that won't happen and I believe all peace loving, progressive minded Ghanaians will rise up in unison, not in arms but with the sheer force of a common purpose to defeat the 'neo-colonialists' of our time.
That aside, party funding should be one of the issues we should address when we come back to power; for posterity sake. We owe it to our democracy to have purposeful mechanisms and legislation in place to facilitate the flourishing of the smaller parties and therefore the blossoming of our democracy. Many of the other parties apart from the big two do not even have functional national and regional offices not to talk about constituency offices. That is food for thought?
Moving on swiftly, the idea of holding a fund raising dinner by itself is laudable and a step in the right direction albeit with enormous cost implication and the danger of running a loss and not raising any funds at all. However these risk factors aside, it offers the opportunity for members to socialise, to network, pick each others brains, strategise and feel a sense of a common purpose, which is an incredible way of achieving great things. It also offers the opportunity to the flag bearer and the party to raise his international profile and to sell the party to the international community. You will be shocked to find valuable friends waiting to be made for the party and for our cause.
Therefore, it is a big yes to the idea of a fund raising dinner but timing is crucial. Our people say ‘there is a time and a season for everything’. An important reminder to us to chose the right time to hold a fund raising dinner requiring the presence of the flag bearer. Our take is that, the UK and Ireland fund raising dinner should be held no less than six months to the election. This will ensure that the Professor and his Team can concentrate on the campaign to win hearts and minds at home, with rigorous and effective door to door, region to region, district to district, village to village, mosques to mosques, church to church, high street to high street , university to university, school to school campaigns. Setting out the vision of the NDC for the people of Ghana and inviting them to joins us to make Ghana a better place.
Let us continue to discuss these things. It is not enough to visit this blog without participating in our discussions and it is not enough just to be a member of the NDC, let us all make ourselves useful to the cause, putting our talents, skills, resources and gifts at the disposal of mother Ghana. Long live Ghana, Long live the NDC!!!
Enye Zu, Enye Za!!
