In Support of Shadow Governments

America’s democracy and economy are fully mature so it makes sense that they to take detours into personalities, racial/tribal divisions, abortion and homosexuality as issues upon which voters decide the future leaders of the country. We in Ghana don’t have that luxury. However, our politics and the hot plate issues of the days increasingly appeal to the base elements of our culture and society and the fringe element of the two major political parties at the expense of substantive issues that affect the welfare of Ghanaians.

As an avid listener of Ghanaian online radio (shout out to Adom FM’s Abieku Santana, Joy FM and Citi FM’s Shamima Muslim!), I am growing impatient with the kind of issues that make news and are discussed daily by political pundits and national media outlets. Here’s a sampling of recent news headlines that have caught the attention of most of the national media over the last month alone:


1. There are Homosexuals in Ghana’s Parliament – Derrick Adjei – Ghanaweb September 13, 2010
2. NPP-UK, Ireland are illiterates - Boakye Gyan- Myjoyonline
3. J J must be arrested - Francess Essiam - Ghanaweb September 22, 2010
4. Kufuor Is A Pathological Liar –Rawlings - Ghanaweb September 20, 2010
5. Nana Addo is no drug dealer – Myjoyonline
6. Nana Addo was too short, his entourage reeked of alcohol – Myjoyonline
7. Only mad people speak 'tongues' - Tony Aidoo – Myjoyonline

Fellow blogger Abena “the Rambling Procastinator” Serwaa has also raised the issues of the preponderance of ridiculousness in Ghanaian political discourse.

In light of all these recent happenings, I was elated when the CPP came up with the concept of the shadow government this week. Here’s the news item:

“The Convention People's Party (CPP) yesterday made a resounding statement of its united front and readiness to govern the country, if given the opportunity, with the announcement of a 15-member shadow cabinet....The shadow cabinet will hold weekly activities, including press conferences, issuing of statements that will focus on each sector of the government, explaining the basis of CPP's vision and its proposals on credible, achievable, cost-effective and human-centered alternatives for the way forward…He said the party would not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with anyone who had not been accredited to speak on its behalf and attempted to do that in any part of the country.”

True to their word the CPP went out the next day and executed on this concept with the Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum questioning the NDC government on the relevance of the “Better Ghana” agenda .

Where is the largest opposition party NPP on this issue? Why don’t they have a shadow government? All major political parties in opposition should be required to have a shadow government so the national media don’t defer to out-of-touch ex-Presidents or “foot soldiers” (who incite violence) for the party’s official position on key issues affecting the future of the country.