AM News ||The Fourth Republic: Ghana's political landscape a merry-go-round of miracles - Nsarkoh
AM News with Benjamin Akakpo on Joy News (26-7-23)
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00:00 Welcome to the News Belt on the AM show. Now in our first story, former executive
00:05 vice president of Unilever Yower Nsako has delivered a scathing verdict on
00:10 Ghana's fourth republic and its democracy, labeling it a miracle that led
00:15 nowhere. In his paper titled "Towards a Mindset Revolution, Ghana Beyond
00:20 Neoliberal Capitalism" he questions whether the fourth republic has truly
00:25 delivered on its promises. Mr. Nsako characterizes the country's
00:31 political landscape as a merry-go-round of miracles that lacks substantive
00:36 progress with politicians taking advantage of a seemingly disengaged
00:40 population. He challenges the existing democratic system insinuating that it
00:45 falls short on delivering real change.
00:50 The fourth republic, established in 1992, emerged as a beacon of democratic hope in West Africa.
00:56 After years of political turbulence and military rule, the country embraced a
01:01 multi-party system and elected its leaders through peaceful transitions. The
01:06 fourth republic has seen significant progress in various sectors but it has
01:10 also faced its share of challenges and criticisms. Former executive vice
01:15 president of Unilever Yower Nsako in his paper titled "Towards a Mindset
01:20 Revolution, Ghana Beyond Neoliberal Capitalism" questioned whether the fourth
01:25 republic has truly delivered on its promises. According to him, a meticulous
01:30 examination of the nation's development reveals a sluggish pace of progress with
01:34 numerous indicators pointing to marginal net growth that has left many more
01:38 Ghanaians impoverished. In Ghana, 68% of the population, 23 million people, belong
01:46 to low-income families. Interestingly, though many Ghanaians think of our
01:52 nation as a bread-eating nation, only 45% of this segment can afford it now.
01:58 Ominously, of Ghanaians who retire at 60 years of age, 60% die by their 65th
02:07 birthday. In Mr. Nsako's estimation, the political parties, especially MPP and
02:13 NDC, have largely failed, emphasizing on sloganeering and promising miracles. Yet,
02:20 we are still here watching both MPP and NDC leaders through the years blame the
02:25 international environment, external shocks, and whatever new vocabulary they
02:29 produce from time to time. Neoliberals, which is what both the NDC and MPP have
02:35 become, are generally good poets, it seems. They have catchy slogans to promise
02:40 miracles that lead nowhere and felicitous faces to explain away non-delivery.
02:46 Democracy was once heralded as the beacon of hope for the ordinary Ghanaian.
02:51 Mr. Nsako believes, after three decades, the very system that was meant to
02:56 empower the people is now draining the very lifeblood it was meant to nurture.
03:01 It is not difficult to see that the sort of democracy we practice, a Santa Claus
03:07 democracy, has brought us here. The politicians are always giving out money
03:11 to political party delegates and whoever else as bribes. Then no questions are
03:17 asked about sources of funds for party financiers. As the gods of West Africa
03:22 say, "Jinyi beye!" We were promised transparency and accountability in the
03:29 Fourth Republic. Rather, this is where we are. The metropolitan elites, the lumpen
03:35 bourgeoisie, to use Andre Gunda Frank's expression, have fashioned out a system
03:39 where ordinary people cannot track the creation and distribution of loot. A
03:43 dense and opaque conspiracy for extraction of loot hangs above our heads.
03:49 This is an existential risk to our country. We will become a narco-state at
03:54 this rate.
03:58 Now some NDC MPs say the ever-changing date for the media budget review
04:04 presentation is due to Finance Minister Ken Ufuri-Ate's inability to massage
04:09 the figures to suit a certain narrative. The IMF has assigned a resident
04:14 supervisor to the Bank of Ghana as part of its deal with the country. Now the
04:18 media budget review was originally scheduled for Thursday the 27th of July.
04:23 It was then shifted forward to today or yesterday I should say, but has been
04:28 moved again to Monday the 31st of July. Some NDC MPs who woke to Joy News say
04:35 the continuous change in the date is untenable.
04:40 Kojo Poku, an energy expert with over 25 years of working experience, is a
04:52 relatively unknown figure when it comes to his political activism in the MPP.
04:57 Despite being new to politics, he has now decided to contest the presidential
05:02 elections. What has influenced his decision to do so, considering it is his
05:07 first political contest. KMP Kojo Poku is known as the voice of the youth. My
05:14 submission of this form to the party is a signal to all the youth in this
05:18 country that yes you can do it. It is a signal for everybody to aspire to be
05:25 able to do something like this. Most of the times when I started this process I
05:31 was told that well he can't pick a form. Oh when he go don't give him the form.
05:36 Then I pick the form. Oh he can't file. Today inshallah we have filed. At 49 years old
05:42 Kojo Poku believes that the race for the flag-bearer position in the MPP should
05:48 not be seen as an exclusive domain of long-serving party members but rather as
05:53 a contestation of ideas and vision. I'll be 15 next year I'm 49 but somebody will
05:59 now see that a 49 year old is trying to run for president. By my inspiration and
06:04 my step very soon we'll have a 42 year old trying to do this thing. And that is what I want to set.
06:11 It is not about having to have a gray hair and then try and look for your mom.
06:16 It is not about not going through the ranks. Yes everybody has to do their
06:24 bit in their own form. The Akufodo government has faced accusations of
06:28 economic mismanagement which led to seeking assistance from the IMF. Kojo
06:33 Poku however assessed that his administration will implement strategies
06:38 to save money from the energy sector aiming to transform Ghana's economy
06:42 positively. The only reason that we are in IMF over 17 times is as a country we
06:47 don't save money. Okay in 2010 I said on TV that we have just found oil in 2007
06:52 first production 2011. The money that's gonna come from the oil and gas we
06:56 should save money. We never saved money we went and borrowed ahead of the oil
07:00 receivables. Today we are in IMF we came out in 2018 three years or five years
07:04 later we are back in IMF. Why? Because we don't save money. We need to save money.
07:10 Achieving his ambition of becoming the president of Ghana will require Kojo
07:16 Poku to navigate to the party's superdelegates Congress where the number
07:21 of aspirants including prominent figures like Vice President Dr. Mahmoud
07:25 Baomia, Alan Chamante and Dr. Afriyakoto will be trimmed to five. Subsequently
07:32 the final Congress to elect the MPP's flag bearer scheduled for November will
07:38 be the critical stage of his journey. Samuel Mbura, JOY News.
07:44 Well our apologies that was actually when we threw the spotlight on Kojo
07:56 Poku who is contesting for the flag bearer position of the MPP. Let's now
08:00 take the cue the visuals for our earlier story on the media budget review.
08:07 They are giving us reasons that is not tenable. We believe that they are giving us different
08:14 dates because their figures are not right. We know the economy is sick.
08:18 Things are not right so they have to massage figures and come. So that is why
08:23 we believe that all of this delay is just to you know massage their figures
08:29 and come to tell us what it is. But we all know that economy is sick. It is not
08:34 right for us. They are confused. When they chose the first time being or the first
08:41 date being 27th, the speaker advised that because of impeding other equally
08:50 important engagements he would like that they take it today that is 25th. So we all
08:57 agreed. Now we also heard that it's not going to come off that is going to come
09:02 on off on Thursday as scheduled and we are here prepared for it. I hope you also
09:10 prepared to to come and show to Ghanaians what the minister has. But here we are no
09:16 sure. One thing outstanding in this case is that there are some issues that that
09:25 the World Bank was raising. If you remember that the minority in 2019 raised
09:33 few the same issues. How they were trying to bring different figures. They bring
09:39 different or different figure for Ghanaians to appreciate their international
09:43 community to different figures. Now they are having the World Bank is having one
09:49 of its representatives sitting in the Bank of Ghana. So they can no more massage
09:55 the figures. That is causing the problem. I was very much surprised as well because
09:59 this thing is long overdue. By the normal procedure we should have had this
10:06 thing resulted mid year and this thing have been put on and off on and off. But we
10:13 know there are a lot of uncertainties within the ministry the finance
10:17 ministry. For whatever reasons we'll wait until the first is just next week and
10:23 we'll listen. And we know there's nothing good or no hope there. So because of that
10:28 they think shifting the polls will forever remain there. No we'll get there.
10:32 So we are hoping let's keep our fingers crossed on Monday. It's just an
10:36 embarrassment to the nation as well. I don't know where it's actually coming
10:40 from because originally we were told it was going to be on the 25th. Then we got
10:46 information later it changed to 27th. And only for us to arrive here today and we
10:53 have been told that it's now Monday that we may possibly have the minister here
11:00 to present the mid-year budget review. Already Mr. Speaker has given indication
11:05 we may not be able to sit beyond third of what August. And that according to him
11:10 even the third August date we should be even behind schedule for a particular
11:15 international assignment. So whatever is holding back the presentation I don't
11:20 know. Could possibly be some consideration from the IMF agreement
11:27 that we have that the minister is having challenges meeting. Already we are aware
11:31 that Bank of Ghana in his recent meeting came out with their levels of debt based
11:38 on the involvement of the World Bank and IMF. Certain things are now coming out.
11:43 What we used to talk about as minority and they refuse to listen now is coming
11:47 up and our debt is just ballooning up up up up. And maybe the minister is having
11:54 some challenges balancing his books. Let's stay in Parliament where member of
12:00 Parliament for Ibuakwa South Samuel Atachia will lead a seven member ad hoc
12:05 committee to probe a recently leaked tape which allegedly revealed a
12:09 conspiracy by a senior police officer and a leading member of the governing
12:13 new patriotic party to remove Inspector General of Police Dr. George Ekufu-Dampari
12:19 and rake the 2024 election. Former Deputy Interior Minister and MP for
12:23 Bwilsa North James Agalga will serve as Deputy Chair of the committee.
12:27 Parliamentary Affairs Correspondent Kwikwa Asante now reports. The delay in
12:32 this committee commencing work was due to the delay on the part of leadership
12:36 on both sides to submit the names of the members of this committee to the speaker.
12:41 With that out of the way now the speaker announced the composition of this
12:45 committee to the house.
12:47 This special committee will be chaired by Honorable Atachia.
12:56 And with him on the majority side are Honorable Yao Buama and Honorable Ophelia Mensah.
13:08 On the minority side we have the Vice Chair Honorable James Agalga and with him
13:23 Honorable Eric Opoku and Honorable Peter Lanchine Tugwu.
13:31 The technical person is a lawyer, a human rights expert in the name of Dr. Isaac Lati-Annan.
13:53 Given that time is of the essence in this matter leadership on both sides
13:57 haggled on the time frame needed for this work.
14:01 On the face of it, given the gravity of the issue as it is, I would suggest that
14:09 one week may not be adequate. So let's give them sufficient time to work on it.
14:18 And report to us maybe when we should.
14:23 I think the one week is a bit too short. I know the one week could have met what is left for us in this period.
14:34 But then it will surely be too short to deal with Mr. Speaker.
14:39 Speaker of Parliament Alban Bergwende ruled that the work must be completed by 10th September 2023.
14:47 We could call on the committee to do a thorough job and report when we return before the end of September.
15:06 So I would specifically state that the committee should submit a report by 10th September.
15:19 At the time the Speaker of Parliament admitted that request by the minority to investigate the leaked tape
15:26 some sort of terms of reference was agreed on about six of them mainly to inquire into the authenticity
15:33 to make suggestions for punishment for the persons involved on that leaked tape.
15:39 But it appears both leaders agreed that some new terms of reference must be worked on
15:45 and it is expected that by the close of day today, that terms of reference would have been agreed on
15:50 between the new members of this committee, the leadership and the Speaker on the other hand
15:55 so that the committee can get to work expeditiously.
15:58 We await for the committee to first meet, decide the modalities of their sittings
16:03 the kinds of persons they would want to invite to serve as witnesses to the committee
16:08 and also quite importantly whether or not this sitting will be in public
16:12 because the public is really interested in this matter
16:15 and expect to hear exactly what the witnesses will tell the committee.
16:19 And so we expect that since the Speaker of Parliament has given the committee up to the 10th of September
16:25 to bring his reports to the House, this committee will work expeditiously to do this.
16:30 Reporting for JOY News, Kwiku Asante, Parliament House, Accra.
16:35 In the near future, it will be possible to access the internet in Ghana's trains
16:41 according to one of the inventors of fibre optics, Dr. Thomas Mensah.
16:46 He says plans are far advanced to install fibre optics at the Buankra Inland Port
16:51 to ease internet accessibility.
16:55 Now he was speaking ahead of Tech Invasion, an event which will bring together technology stakeholders
17:00 to find ways of pushing Africa's technological development.
17:04 Because Buankra is part of the bullet train project
17:09 because he spoke eloquently last time on how the Buankra Inland Port
17:17 is going to be used, how we can finance it. So he will speak on that.
17:21 But this is so serious. But what we are doing, Emmanuel,
17:25 we are putting fibre optics along the lines of the railway.
17:30 So every place that the railway will reach, all the towns, all the stations,
17:35 they will be fibre optics.
17:37 You can have internet cafes, you can have all these things, like they have in America.
17:42 So this is serious. That is going to transform, if you will,
17:46 the internet. It will bring internet prices down.
17:49 You know what internet prices are. So it will bring it down.
17:53 But that fibre optics allows us to do innovative things even in the fast train.
17:59 As a matter of fact, you will be shocked because you can take your phone
18:05 when you go to the train station and the QR code over there at the train station
18:11 will allow you to get onto the train.
18:14 I assure you, you just take your cell phone and the QR code,
18:18 it lets you enter and turn onto the train.
18:21 Of course, you can be using your laptops in the train,
18:25 just like the Kenyans are doing right now.
18:27 Kenya already has the fast train. Can you believe it?
18:30 They built it already, since I started talking about it.
18:34 Kenya has it. Right now, Mombasa, when you're going from Kenya,
18:43 when you're travelling to Mombasa, the port, can you believe you cannot even get a seat
18:49 on the train for three months? You've got to wait for three months.
18:52 So if you're enjoying it, we should have it here.
18:55 We've got to push to have it here.
18:57 And the Minister of Railway and all, they'll be at this conference.
19:00 They've got to explain how we're going to get there.
19:03 And that's the note, that technological note on which we cap off the news this morning.
19:09 But stay with us. Right up next is the news review.
19:13 (Music)