Politics and the NDC’s economic forum
The recent economic forum at Senchi near Akosombo was called by the government to raise a consensus on the flailing economy. The government extended a hand of friendship to all political parties and all former ministers of finance inaddition to several prominent Ghanaians. A nuber of personalities including Mr. Kwame Pianim, a NPP elder were at the forum. But the NPP as a party declined the invitation.
It was not the first time such fora has been held in Ghana. The first NDC government led by Jerry J. Rawlings did it and NPP under John Kufuor also did it. But whether such fora in the past made any impact is another story, considering the ruling government’s existing agenda. What makes such programs important for democracy is their non-partisan nature. But we dare question the genuineness of this year’s forum.
The NPP declined to accept the invitation on grounds of tardiness of the planners in sending out the invites. But the real reason is obvious. The economy has been politicized. The government has been quite defensive with it. Until its own admission that the economy was failing the Mahama administration has always been saying positive things about it. Government and party spokespersons have also always been evasive and most often untruthful about the real issues.
The NPP for instance would not attend because it has often made its position clear. Dr. Mahamodu Bawumia, an economist and former running mate to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo during the 2012 general elections often holds lectures and speaks at forums about the direction the economy is going. Responses from the NDC administration have been rather insulting. Deputy Minister Kwakye Ofosu has called him a disgrace to his family. Minister of State at the Presidency Fifi Kwetey has also described him as bereft of ideas about the economy. Various NPP functionaries have suffered similar fates.
CPP Chairperson Samia Nkrumah has complained that her party’s views were not solicited even as they accepted the invitation to the Sencchi forum.
Problems arise when politics creeps into issues of national importance. And the economy is one of such issues that need to be depoliticized. Democracies survive on compromise in times of need such as wars and conflicts. The current state of Ghana’s economy is akin to a wartime situation that needs all hands on deck as the marines say.
The forum made several resolutions to attack the economy and we hope the government would continue in the spirit of the forum to accept different viewpoints. Seeing everything in a political microscope is not what Ghana needs now. Compromise is the watchword.
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