LET'S FACE FACTS

ON Tuesday, the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) were on the streets of Accra to demonstrate their frustrations at the economic and social policies of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
The pressure group, which can be described as a rainbow coalition, because its membership is drawn from opposition political parties, did not mince words in their condemnation of the performance of the Kufuor administration.
Article 21 (d) of the 1992 Constitution guarantees the right of all persons to “freedom of assembly, including freedom to take part in processions and demonstrations”.
Demonstrations or processions are means by which people express their appreciation for or dissatisfaction at certain developments in society.
The framers of the Constitution realised that the only way the people could be sovereign, while at the same time being subject to the law, was to organise government around a system of deliberative discussion. As James Madison, the fourth President of the United States of America, explained, “Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of the whole system of government, since it ensures discussion and debate among people of genuinely different perspectives and positions.”
A very distinctive feature of our democratic dispensation is our acceptance of disagreement and heterogeneity. The Daily Graphic is gratified that the much-talked about demonstration was staged in a very peaceful manner, despite the initial disagreements between the organisers and the police.
The merits or demerits of the demonstration are not for us to judge. We leave that to the larger Ghanaian society in whose name all political forces claim to be speaking. Our worry, however, is over the use of intemperate language by some of the leading members of the demonstration.
We are of the belief that the challenges confronting the country cannot be resolved by attacking personalities but by bringing out the issues that stand in the way of growth and development.
It is difficult to appreciate the claim by some of the leaders of the CJA that this government has eroded the economic gains achieved since 2001. The macro-economic indices, including a fall in interest rates, a reduction in inflation and a relatively stable currency cannot support that claim.
As the people protest loudly about apparent government’s inaction or failures, they should also be humble enough to admit the gains that have been made so far. Every Ghanaian expects the good things of life but that can only be attained through hard work and determination. The success chalked up by every country is by design and not by accident. Thus the time has come for us to desist from the refrain of “no money in our pockets” and take advantage of the opportunities in the economy to maintain our keep.
The leaders of the protesters will also help by stating in very clear terms how they hope to address the numerous inscriptions on the placards carried by the demonstrators. How do we put three square meals on the table of the poor, teachers in our classrooms and nurses in the hospitals and jobs for the teeming unemployed youth? This will be difficult for any political group in the country to claim to have the magic wand to fix, unless by our collective resolve.
As the political season draws near, all manner of claims and promises will be made by politicians, including “building bridges in areas where there are no rivers”.
The Daily Graphic reminds all Ghanaians to demand from those who seek their mandate to govern to state in clear terms how they plan to raise the revenue to provide for the means of the people. Politicians do not govern or manage the country with their own resources. They do so with revenue mobilised from taxpayers and donors.
If people demand clear explanation now about how the politicians plan to provide free education, health services, three square meals and living wages, then when the day of reckoning comes and they decide to thumb in and out political parties, their decisions will be based on informed choices and not mere rhetoric.