More political engagements good for nation building

The leadership of six political parties last Friday met President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to discuss further measures to deal with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

At the invitation of President Akufo-Addo, representatives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the People’s National Convention (PNC), the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the National Democratic Party (NDP), attended the meeting, the first this year.

The President did not hesitate in pointing out that defeating COVID-19 called for solidarity among all stakeholders because the global pandemic did not know any political colour.

Indeed, to control, contain and finally eradicate the COVID-19 scare requires that all community and political leaders collectively find ways to defeat the pandemic.

For us, the all-important, high-level meeting among our political leaders to jaw-jaw and find a quick fix to our health management crisis is a step in the right direction and needs to be sustained regularly.

The Daily Graphic could not agree more with the President, not only for calling the timely meeting but also seeking their input and support in the fight against COVID-19.

Fortunately, the representatives of the political parties also agreed to the suggestions of the President and even went further to make some critical recommendations for the consideration of the government.

This is what the Daily Graphic believes should be the focus of our national discourse and development agenda henceforth.

It is our conviction that being political opponents does not mean we are enemies. Our political differences and ideologies are only a means to an end, which ultimately must be in the national interest.

We must always find grounds to build consensus on national issues, however divergent our views or doctrines might be.

We can differ on the way things should be done or the approaches to execute policies but we can agree on the same issue.

After all Ghana is bigger than all of us and we must humble ourselves and unite for the common good of all.

We therefore entreat Ghanaians to learn from our leaders and engage in useful discourse at all times; not insults and things that will divide and take us back in our forward march to progress.

Indeed, the initiative by our President to engage the leadership of our major political parties is commendable and we believe that this should not be a one-off event but a process.

The President’s humility in acknowledging that he had learnt new things means no one is the sole repository of knowledge or wisdom.

Ghana will be the winner if we continue to build consensus and bridges of peace in such a manner to help shape the policy direction of our dear nation.

The Daily Graphic, therefore, calls for more of such gathering of all political groupings to enhance politics of consultations and consensus on national issues.

It is our view that such gatherings should be devoid of hard stance, confrontation, bickering, insults and scoring of cheap political points by all the stakeholders.

We must be mindful of the fact that Ghana belongs to all of us and that Corporate Ghana must be the focus in such discussions.

Ghanaians must appreciate the fact that the country is confronted with the same enemy of unemployment, poverty and disease, including COVID-19, among other challenges, for which we must all unite to deal with.