In a democracy, the people have the right to choose who leads them, at least every few years. In Ghana, the
number of years we go to the polls to choose our leaders (President, Members of Parliament) is four. We go to the
polls every four years.
This year, we shall be going to the polls again. By and large, because of relentless branding, it is also most certain
that one of two people would eventually end up being our President. Barring any surprises, it would be John
Mahama, or Mahamadu Bawumia.
One of them, in all likelihood, would be President after January 7, 2025. That is, unless somebody like Alan
Kyerematen is able to transform himself, with extreme energy and verve, into second place.
With the choice pared down to either Bawumia or John Mahama, Ghanaians are left with a choice between two
‘by-heart talkers’. And ‘by-heart talkers’, I mean the phrase in every sense of the world.
I mean, only a ‘by-heart talker’ would go about promising that he would pay the admission fees of all first year
university students, to a nation that is begging for debt cancellation.
The last time Ghanaians listened to such lavish promises was Akufo-Addo free SHS, which has lumped Ghana with
humongous annual debts that the nation is finding increasingly unwieldy to carry.
Or, for that matter, only a seriously ‘by-heart’ talker would go about promising to set up another fund to dispense
micro loans, when government is already top heavy with such schemes, all of which have turned out to be looting
schemes.
Recently, I heard Mr. Mahama making an amazing promise. According to him, his government, if Ghanaians are
unwise enough to return him to power, would give chicken coops to thousands and thousands of his party
supporters.
He would also give these individuals live chickens. He would provide them with feed, and it is his expectation that
when these chickens lay their eggs, these hapless party members will sell the eggs and make some money.
At the same function, Mr. Mahama stated that he would also be sharing goats, sheep and cows to the willing and
adventurous (hopefully, you have not forgotten his adventures with guinea fowls, the ones that flew off to Burkina
Faso) who would take the risk, it was his expectation that they would make money from these ventures.
Laugh. Talk about a crass proposition, surely, from a man who talks before he thinks.
What about his counterpart? Up ahead, I wrote about his promise to set up a new fund. Another worrying promise
he has made, is that he would increase salaries heavily, if elected to power. This promise, once again, is coming
against the backdrop that the government of which he is a key member, is currently begging for debt cancelation
and has reneged on its obligation to the people who were unwise enough to buy government bonds.
The only way Bawumia is going to be in a position to pay higher salaries economically, would be to borrow from
the Bank of Ghana, and the only way that institution would have more money for such purposes, would be to print
new money. In real terms, the government would have to counterfeit its own currency to live up to its promises.
And this is where we are, left with a choice between two individuals who are trying to outdo each other with lavish
promises, none of which the economy can afford.
It is a sad distin!
(This article was first published under the column Periscope Depth in the Daily Searchlight on Monday 9 th
September, 2024).
