Aug 21, 2014 at 2:38pm

Recent Disturbances In The NPP

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NEWS COMMENTARY ON RECENT DISTURBANCES IN THE NPP

In 1968, Enoch Powell, a British Conservative, observed that one of the greatest betrayals one can do to his or her nation is ‘to see and not speak’. It would therefore be in the interest of democratic governance for all Ghanaians to be concerned about developments in the country’s largest opposition party, the NPP for, at least, two reasons: First a vibrant opposition is a mandatory ingredient in good governance and development. Second, Ghana’s democracy cannot be envied by anyone anywhere in the world if only one party stays in power for
decades.

Our elders say that developments today determine the comfort or otherwise of tomorrow. What happens in the NPP today can therefore affect both the party and the nation in future. It is a fact that every political party has its own challenges and that has been evidenced historically by events in the NDC, CPP and the PNC.

It is also true that every attempt to justify what is happening in the NPP cannot be defended by serious academics and true lovers of democracy. If the assertion by former Rector of GIMPA Prof. Stephen Addai, that
leadership is cause, all others are effect, is anything to go by, then the Paul Afoko led national executive must be blamed for the current crisis in the NPP.

Two leadership scholars, Winston and Patterson in 2006, describe a leader as one ‘who selects, equips, trains, and influences one or more followers who have diverse gifts, abilities, and skills and focuses the followers to the organization’s mission and objectives, causing the followers to willingly and enthusiastically expend spiritual, emotional, and physical energy in a concerted coordinated effort to achieve the organizational mission and objectives.

The current national executives of the NPP cannot claim to have succeeded in this direction. This however does not give anyone or
group the right to invade the national headquarters of the NPP with offensive weapons to disorganise the news conference that was being addressed by people who have been duly elected to lead the party and there is absolutely no twist of logic that can justify the dastardly act by the irate youth of the party.

The current executives led by Paul Afoko and Kwebena Agyapong would shoulder the greatest blame if the NPP losses the 2016 election. They must therefore be given the peace of mind to take decisions as leaders who take absolute responsibility of whatever happens in the NPP. Resistance to change is normal; yet change is inevitable in every human society. For instance, it is not every one who is happy with appointments made by President Mahama for the entire country, yet no one takes machetes to the streets because he or she disagrees with decisions of the president.

Workers everywhere have problems with some decisions taken by their management yet they learn to comply, sometimes in painful silence. And that is the nature of bureaucracy, democracy and rule of law. People must therefore learn to respect the law and authority or be forced to do so in the interest of social order. The NPP must know that without discipline and respect for their own leaders, victory
could elude them because no one would entrust the destiny of the country in the hands of a party that is in crisis. In an interview on an Accra based Radio Station yesterday; NPP General Secretary Kwebena Agyapong said he knows most of the young men who caused the mayhem as body guards of senior party officials. That is most pathetic and such senior party officials should be seen as the real enemies of the NPP.

It would therefore be in the interest of the country and the party for the council of elders of the NPP to closely work with the police to prosecute such guys. But for the police, some journalists would have
been attacked for merely doing their work.

Leadership must sit up before such guys destroy the credibility the NPP has taken decades to build. After all, the party needs votes from all people to win election. The indiscipline in the NPP is getting out of hands and itis the duty of the national executives to call party members to order regardless of their status. How on earth can regional and some
national executives and sadly MPs who are expected to know better openly declare support for certain candidates in clear violation of the NPPconstitution?

Supporters of the NPP ought to focus on the biggest event on the party’s calendar this year which is the election of a flag bearer. The party should not forget that there is a big gap between them and the NDC in Parliament.

The NDC has an incumbency advantage and if the gas project and other major projects embarked on by the NDC begin to yield dividends or signs of dividends by early 2016, the NPP may need a miracle to win the elections. A word to the wise we have long been told is enough.

BY GEORGE ASEKERE, A JOURNALIST