Make sincere campaign promises -- Political parties cautioned
With 89 days to the presidential and parliamentary elections, politicians have been cautioned to be truthful to Ghanaians with their campaign promises and do well to honour them when given the nod to govern the people.
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Equally, Ghanaians have been tasked to demand and hold politicians accountable to their promises, as it is the surest way for the nation to reap the dividends of democracy and good governance, as well as ensure improved living conditions for the people.
These were the views of the Chaplain of the St Joseph’s Catholic Hospital in Koforidua, Rev. Father Richmond Sintim Danso; the Eastern Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Yusif Amudeni Sulamani; the Krontihemaa of New Juaben, Nana Ama Serwaa Boatemaa, and the Asomkahene of New Juaben, Nana Adjin Asamoah Kwame.
Town hall meetings
They were speaking to the Daily Graphic on the sidelines of a town hall meeting between political party representatives and stakeholders at the Ascension Presby Hall in Koforidua in the Eastern Region last Wednesday.
The town hall meetings, which are being organised by the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), have already taken place in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region and Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The final meeting will take place in Cape Coast in the Central Region next Wednesday.
The initiative is part of the GCGL’s efforts to help deepen and consolidate multi-party democracy in the country.
It is on the theme: “Good governance: A key to development and growth in Ghana”.
According to the discussants, “politicians must focus on the big issues facing the country which are making life so unbearable”.
They expressed the view that instead of engaging in the politics of vindictiveness, lies and insults, political parties must step up issue-based campaigns which focused on bread and butter matters.
“Our political parties must highlight their well-planned sustainable schemes for health delivery, access to education, job creation, overcoming energy challenges, meeting agricultural as well as housing needs. They must also discuss issues associated with the menace of galamsey and Fulani herdsmen, how to reform the prisons and generally control inflation,” they stressed.
Rev. Father Sintim-Danso
Rev. Father Sintim-Danso, who is also the Chaplain of the Koforidua Prison, said prison inmates, for instance, had to be reformed, as many of them entered prison with the idea that society had rejected them.
“We need to orientate them to the need to change their mentality about life and contribute their quota to nation-building and progress,” he urged.
Rev.Sintim-Danso expressed the view that political parties must share their plans about how they would reform the prisons, saying: “The current situation in our prisons is not the best and must be reviewed.”
Alhaji Yussif Amudani Sulemani (left), Nana Ama Serwaa Boatemaa III (2nd left) and Rev Father Richmond Danso Sintim (3rd left) speaking to the Daily Graphic’s Political Editor, Mr Kobby Asmah, in the Graphic Town Hall meeting in Koforidua
According to him, if prisoners were not well-reformed, they came back to society more hardened and pointed out that “today’s prisoner is tomorrow’s neighbour and so if we do not help them, they will come back to harm us”.
Eastern Regional Chief Imam
Alhaji Sulamani said “as Ghana is free and peaceful, so do we want any government which comes into governance to continue the peace process”.
New Juaben Krontihemaa
For her part, Nana Boatemaa was not impressed by campaign issues which focused on insults and lies.
“I cannot find the issues of development and we need to see and hear specifics from the political parties on their key goals for the country,” she said.
“What I see is that those who have money are getting more money and those who do not have money are being impoverished every day,” Nana Boatemaa added.
Asomkahene
Nana Asamoah Kwame said physical development was good but hunger was more painful, and asked: “If one is hungry but there is physical development, what use will the physical development bring to the hungry person?”
He, therefore, reiterated the need for politicians and political parties to focus on bread and butter issues, so that “we can use physical development for the progress of the nation”.