Election prophecies could plunge Ghana into chaos - CPP

The Convention People's Party (CPP) believes that the rising tide of prophecies in Ghana's 2020 general elections could plunge the country into chaos.

According to the party, as much as Ghanaians are at liberty to exercise their rights to faith, this should not grant religious fanatics the licence to inflame expectations.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday morning [January 8, 2020], the Acting General Secretary of the CPP, Mr James Kwabena Bomfeh, said: "prophecies if anything should be left out of the public discourse especially as not all Ghanaians believe in them."

He pointed out that "faith is personal in our secularity." and "elections are both a process and product. If the process is wrong, the product cannot be right."

The press conference was held to mark the 70th-anniversary celebration of the Positive Action Day, which heralded the independence of Ghana.

Mr Bomfeh said the CPP believes that the importance of the Positive Action Day deserves a place in Ghana's national calendar of sacred days in history.

Mr Bomfeh, said the Positive Action Day "was one of the critical moments where workers, farmers, youth, women, men, chiefs and all sections of the society United in the mobilization against the usurpers and foreign occupiers of our land."

The positive action campaign, which first started on January 8, 1950, was a series of political protests and strikes in pre-independence Ghana launched by the Founder of the CPP, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah based on the Gandhian Philosophy of non-violence positive action.

The weapons used for the PAD were strikes, boycotts, and noncooperation, based upon the principle of non-violence.

Prophecies

Mr Bomfeh Jnr called on all Ghanaian to be wary of prophecies about the 2020 general elections, saying “We call on the citizenry to be wary of cowards who hide their party colours behind the veils of religious prophesying to advance their parochial party agenda. God is God and He loves us all. He rewards our consistent surrender to His will. God will not predict winners and fail to guide their steps.”  

He said “to attempt foisting what one believes to be the revelation of yet to be held elections is a complete abuse of the right to religious exercise and function.”

According to him, “it appears that there have arisen an enterprise in the form of prophesying as a business or agenda setting,” pointing out that "elections are both a process and product. If the process is wrong, the product cannot be right."

Below is the statement

70th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF POSITIVE ACTION DAY, FIRST DECLARED ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 1950 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CONVENTION PEOPLE’S PARTY, CPP.

Madam Chairman and Leader, Chairman of the Council of Elders, Members of the Central Committee, Media Friends, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with elation and great humility that we have met on this important day in the political history of the national liberation struggle. Welcome to the celebration and remembrance of the Positive Action Day, a red letter day and important landmark in the national struggle for independence. This day deserves a place in our national calendar roll of honour for sacred days in the nation’s history. It was one of the critical moments where Workers, Farmers, Youth, Women, Men, Chiefs and all sections of society united in mobilization against the usurpers and foreign occupiers of our land.

Constitution, 1992 Day

Yesterday, as you well know, was marked as Constitution Day. The Constitution, 1992 has been celebrated at the expense of the Republic Day jealously won on July 1, 1960. This Constitution despite being the longest survived Constitution is fraught with many fundamental paradoxes which make any effective function a mirage. Indeed, the Constitutional Review Commission was apt in their suggestion that we must evolve it from a Political to Developmental Constitution. The Fourth Republican Constitution is the most tolerated Constitution since our nation gained independence in 1957. This tolerance, so admirably displayed by Ghanaians should NOT be confused with thinking that the present Constitution is the best for the people of Ghana. Collectively we have worked towards enjoying three regime changes through the ballot box with relative peace and ease at the executive level. But they have not been without skirmishes.

Positives

It is noteworthy that we have some things to be proud of under this constitutional dispensation. We have seen seven successful Parliaments. Committees of Parliament have worked beyond the plenary notably the Public Accounts Committee to the admiration of many. Electricity and Water have been expanded to many areas but we need more efficient supply. The introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme has been a relief to many deprived persons yet there is the need for improvement. We are witnessing a very high intake of students into the second cycle institution under the audacious Free Senior High School policy and quality must be ensured. There has been a proliferation of media houses with the liberalization of the airwaves. It presents the challenge of working on a responsible media. We have an ombudsman, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice successfully prosecute cases against persons in high places. Civil Society Organizations have sprang like never before and they contribute well. There is more to be done. There are challenges.

Challenges

For 26 years, we could have seen the Legislative Arm of Government play a less subservient role to the Executive. For 26 years, we could have seen and observed the Judicial Arm of Government perform its separate function with less traction to the Executive. For 26 years we have seen a multi-party democracy turn into a two-party State with the nation’s founding Party have NO seat in the Legislature. For 26 years we have been exposed to year on year Auditor-General reports revealing rot to no avail in public funds management. Indeed, for 26 years we continue to witness a dysfunctional democracy threatened at each election season with near collapse. It is not working best. This Constitution must give way for a better one.

Positive Action Day

But today, marks the 70th anniversary of the seminal stroke of Positive Action declared to formalize all the preceding attempts to demand self-government NOW! 70 years ago, the nation’s founder, the indomitable and sagacious Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory shook the colonial territories with the Gandhian Philosophy of Non-Violence Positive Action. As he explained later, Positive Action meant the “application of constitutional and legitimate means to cripple the imperialist forces in the country.” The weapons used were “strikes, boycotts, and noncooperation, based upon the principle of non-violence.” They won the battle in the end because there was ORGANIZATION.

Today, organization is missing in our Partisan and National lives and in its place disorganized chaos appear to be taking us hostage. We must evolve a new dynamic People’s Party. A People’s Party that is conscious of the needs and aspirations of her people and diligently works to meet them. A People’s Party that connects with progressive forces within and without the homeland to resist and trounce the evils of poverty, disease, unemployment, crime, illiteracy and uncultured habits. Once the

Convention People’s Party gets its axes together, there is no force that can remain insurmountable.

CPP Organization

The CPP must redefine itself to the exigencies of our time. The CPP must renew its outlook to be attractive to the teeming youth and first time voters who constitute the bulk of the electorate. The CPP must reposition in a realignment exercise that will show its readiness to serve the interest of the suffering masses of our people as it did in times of yore. That way, the CPP may recapture power to redeem this great nation and continent to offer hope to progressive people around the globe. Let the study groups begin in the Polling Stations, Electoral Areas and Constituencies. Let the outreach activities take centre stage in the life of each member. Let the slogan of the crusade be; Each Member, an Organizer and Mobilizer!

Corruption in Ghana

In this election year, the CPP is declaring positive action against corruption in Ghana. Generally, our thinking is warped, corrupted and deeply immersed in unbridled and unrestrained selfishness. Personal and parochial Party interest have overshadowed National Interest which should be informing our personal and party interests. If, as individuals we shall each exhibit attitudes of non-cooperation, intolerance, abhorrence, disgust and opprobrium to corrupt practices, no matter how pervasive or endemic they may be, we shall succeed. Once we uproot corruption from our daily lives, we shall experience fearless honest lives the national anthem invites us to.

Elections and Prophecies

Of serious concern also is the rising tide of prophecies and soothsaying in yet to be held elections. As much we are at liberty to exercise our individual rights to faith, we should not and cannot in the exercise of that right plunge the nation into chaos through unmeasured flaming of expectations. Elections are both a process and product. If the process is wrong, the product cannot be right. The conduct and management of elections include more than the Election Management Body. The citizenry, the active participants in the electoral process are key stakeholders who cannot be left out. Therefore how their expectations are micro managed is of key importance. Prophecies if anything, should be left out of the public discourse especially as not all Ghanaians believe in them. Faith is personal in our secularity.

Elections are an expression of the free will of the people through the ballot. The expression of this will is individual and personal. Whatever the Spirits tell anyone as the likely consequence or outcome of the expression of the People’s Power must also be treated as personal and individual. To attempt foisting what one believes to be the revelation of yet to be held elections is a complete abuse of the right to religious exercise and function. It appears that there have arisen an enterprise in the form of prophesying as a business or agenda setting. In the process, expectations are raised beyond reasonable ends. We are also warned in the good book against false prophesies in Matthew 24:11. We call on the citizenry to be wary of cowards who hide their party colours behind the veils of religious prophesying to advance their parochial  party agenda. God is God and He loves us all. He rewards our consistent surrender to His will. God will not predict winners and fail to guide their steps.

Secession

Secessionist attempts by some persons in and around the Volta region and some parts of the Bono East, Northern and Savannah regions is a matter of interest to the CPP. It would be recalled that it was the CPP led campaign that carved the Volta Region, then known as Trans Volta Togoland held under UN trusteeship to become part of the emerging independent Ghana against the wish of the opposition parties later called the United Party. When the plebiscite was held, the people in the region were unequivocal in their endorsement of the desire to be part of this country. Nothing has changed. If there are concerns of neglect, insensitivity to their plight, or abandonment of any kind as it is being alleged, the answer lie in using constitutional and legitimate means to register grievances. It could be Positive Action but certainly NOT secession.

National Duty

In as much as this matter has been constructed as a security matter, we hold that the best security is the security that come from the broad masses of the people. As the People’s Party, we condemn in no uncertain terms the attempts at secession and invite other political parties to join in instructing our people to stand against any secessionist agenda. Ghana needs unity – a unity of purpose that subdues all differences whatever they may be. Let Civil Society Organizations, the Trades Union Congress, Religious Bodies, Progressive Organizations and Student Unions rise to the occasion to be counted in this crucial time.

God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong. Thank you for coming and stay alert.