Enough of the partisanship - Let the systems work

In the past couple of weeks, the airwaves have been dominated by the conversation about the sale of five million litres of off-spec or contaminated fuel at the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited.

Ever since this story hit the front pages and headlines of media houses, there have been accusations and counter accusations from various angles.

I do not intend to worry readers with facts that are already known about the BOST off-spec brouhaha. However, it is important to highlight some key positions that have been taken concerning the issue at hand.

For instance,  the Minority in Parliament has fingered the Managing Director (MD) of BOST, Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng, as having been deeply involved in what it has described as impropriety that has caused financial loss to the country, for which reason they are calling for his head.

The crux

Some top-notch members of the ruling party have also launched a staunch defence of the BOST MD, arguing that there have been a more gargantuan sale of off-spec fuel at BOST under the watch of the former MD, Mr Kwame Awuah Darko.

In the midst of the brouhaha, the state regulator, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), established that the two companies that bought the contaminated fuel, Movenpiina and Zup Oil, did not meet the legal requirement to trade in fuel.

Even before the committee set up by the Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko, to unravel the mystery surrounding the sale of the contaminated fuel will begin its work, the minister announced that a Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) investigation had exonerated Mr Obeng of any wrongdoing.

This announcement by the minister has further muddied the waters as far as the search for the facts of the saga is concerned.

Many individuals and civil society organisations (CSOs), including IMANI Africa, have raised eyebrows about the turn of events, insisting that the call by the BNI for the committee, set up by Mr Agyarko to be dissolved is unacceptable.

My worry

My worry as a citizen is the extent to which partisan politics has permeated every aspect of our national life such that issues are looked at not on their merit but by political colours.

The effect of this development is that people are able to outsmart the system and lick the national coffers dry because they are sure to seek refuge from political Goliaths.

Another worrying trend is the rate at which people are losing confidence in our state institutions because of the seeming politicisation of bread and butter issues.

If President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s declaration to weed out corruption in the country is anything to go by, then there ought to be clear action to that effect.

The systems must be allowed to work efficiently and transparently no matter whose ox is gored. After all, the country is like a boat; it sinks with all the people in it.

Email: ngnenbetimothy@gmail.com