Ghana's political scene yearly is a grandiose event of elections promises, grins, and catchphrases. The same cars that used to go silently pass by the towns are now ushering the politicians whose party flags are like a rainbow over the town. The same people they once disdained are now the ones they promise to heaven. And the cycle is back again.
This has been the inhumane rhythm of Ghanaian politics for decades—a rhythm that is very well composed to trap human beings in hope. The politicians have become experts in exploiting common people and turning poverty together with loyalty into trading ground. They come with gifts, t-shirts, and empty promises. To them, it is empowerment; for the people, it is only a means of survival. But when the election drums die down, the promises evaporate into thin air, just like smoke.
One of the aspects that make this deceit less bearable is how leaders weaponize ignorance and hardship. The typical Ghanaian voter who suffers from lack of jobs, inflation and poor service delivery is easy to pacify with mere gestures. However, behind those gestures lies a more serious matter: the votes of the people are only counted during the elections. After the elections, they are no longer heard. The roads remain full of potholes. The youths are jobless. And still, as time goes by, the political class keeps getting richer, louder, and more obnoxious.
The recent protest organized by the United NDC Youth in Damongo exemplifying this disunity is a very clear case. The youth did not rise up not for deals and money but for transparency. They were bold enough to ask why the promises had turned into nothing. But rather than confronting their issues, the story was spun. In a sudden turn of events, the powerful declared the people's sincere grievances as mere self-interest. The strong ones stood together, and the press, rather than seeking the truth became part of the echo chamber. It's a well-known story: when common people awaken, the system discovers a way to muffle their voices.
A cycle of deception will finally break when ordinary Ghanaians realize the full extent of their power—not just on election day but every day. Unchecked manipulation will be over because the public will be watching, thinking, and learning. The political class in Ghana is now faced with the necessity to deal with the reality.
The youth of Ghana, the future of the nation are starting to understand their strength and that demanding government accountability, transparency and refusing to be won over with gestures are the ways to change societies in a progressive manner, not always through government handouts.
Patience has always been limited, and at no time will a nation that treats its citizens as pawns in a politically charged environment be able to mature. The youth of Ghana, the human resource of the democracy are getting more and more conscious of what is happening.
The leaders in Ghana will, every four years, preach unity, jobs, and progress; however, their actions will testify against them. They build monuments out of selfishness and call them legacies. They travel in groups while rural health facilities are devoid of the most basic medicines. They talk about supporting the youth while their kids are studying overseas and taking up comfortable positions in the government. Nepotism is taking the place of merit; loyalty is taking the place of competence. And the populace is continuously asked to be patient.
Time has come for the political elite of Ghana to confront the reality: the citizens are observing, pondering, and acquiring knowledge. The era of unrestrained deceit is coming to an end. For when the common Ghanaian comes to know the magnitude of their strength—not only on election day but on every single day—the cycle of lies will be shattered.
The battle goes on, nevertheless. And the society will constantly be giving a notice to the ruling class: we are not your doormats; we are the people that you pledged to assist.
By: Johannes Jafo Akunatu, a Political and Policy Observer.
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