As a normal routine, every Tuesday of the week which is a market day at the Korle-Gonno Tuesday Market in Accra in my vicinity, I never missed going there myself as a bachelor to buy my assorted fruits such as oranges, water melon, pineapples, sugarcane, apples, mangoes among others which I normally relied upon to keep my body fresh, lively and active.  Trust me, ever since I started consuming these fruits, I hardly complained of sickness, even though I regularly visited my health providers for routine check-ups.

SHORTAGE OF FOOD ITEMS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO GHANAIANS

The last time I went to this market to buy my fruits, I had the shock of my life, as this market which was normally booming with fruits, foodstuffs and other assorted wares, was completely short of these items with some market women around, complaining bitterly about how things were negatively going on in this country and how their families were affected in their daily living conditions.

Being a senior and experienced journalist who was curious to know more, I spoke to a few of them around to know what had necessitated the shortage of these items on the market this time round.  As if they were trained economists, they told me bluntly that the general bad economic conditions that had affected petroleum products, had prevented most of the people who transported these foodstuffs and other food items from the hinterland to the marketing centres for sale to consumers.  It will interest my readers to know that I spent thrice more than what I normally used, to purchase these fruits which were dear to me in my routine daily meal. I can tell you that the situation I met at the Korle-Gonno Tuesday Market, will definitely cut across the various markets in most cities of the country.

RELATING THE EMPTY MARKET TO THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY

Such is the terrible economic challenges in which Ghanaians find themselves at the moment with the terrible high cost of living, shortage of goods, services and food items, constant depreciation of the cedi against the dollar, high inflation, excessive borrowing and spending, debt ratio escalating, opulence and extravagant way of living by government appointees among others.  No doubt we are in difficult times in the history of our country and we have to run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to seek a bailout.  But all is not lost yet, with the Almighty God on our side, we have to fight and extricate ourselves from these economic challenges and together, help build our dear nation into a formidable force for generation unborn.

I have decided to deviate a bit from the topic I have chosen to write on just to let my readers understand the arduous task ahead of the new national executives elected by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are expected to be in office for the next four years to help the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo/Alhaji Mahammadu Bawumia administration to move the country out of the present economic challenges in order to position the party to fight for the next election to fulfil the party’s much touted agenda, “Breaking the Eight”.

The NPP on Saturday, July 16, 2022. came out from a successful National Delegates Conference at the Accra Sports Stadium which saw the party electing a new crop of officers to steer it affairs for the next four years.  God being so good, there was no nasty incident to mar the beauty of the conference which was attended by delegates drawn from all over the 16 regions of the country.  It was a nice display of party paraphernalia with President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Alhaji Bawumia in attendance.

NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVES OF NPP

By midnight, the over 6,000 delegates had cast their ballots to elect new executives they think can help propel the party to greater heights.  Those elected are, Mr Stephen Ntim, National Chairman, Mr Danquah Smith Buttey, First Vice Chairman, Madam Rita Asobayire, Second Vice Chairperson, Alhaji Masawudu Osman, Third Vice Chairman, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Koduah, General Secretary, Lawyer Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), National Organizer, Ms Kate Gyamfua, Women Organiser, Abdul Aziz Haruna Futah, Nasara Coordinator, Mr Salam Mohammed Mustafa, Youth Organizer and Dr. Charles Dwamena, Treasurer.

It was a tough contest, especially, in the case of the national chairman and the general secretary positions. Mr. Stephen Ntim, after five attempts within 20 years has finally won the chairmanship, having defeated strong contenders such as Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Mr Kwabena Abankwa-Yeboah among others.  The former General Secretary, Mr John Buadu, who was tipped to retain his position, lost painfully to Lawyer Justin Frimpong Koduah.

AMENDING THE CRACKS AND DIVISIONS WITHIN THE PARTY

Now that the elections are over and the executives have been sworn-in, it is the wish and desire of many Ghanaians and, indeed, the ardent supporters of the NPP that the cracks and divisions that have been created as a result of the elections which did not favour supporters of some of the contestants, will be amended to unite the rank and file of members to prosecute the agenda the party has set for itself.  It is so painful to lose your candidate considering the amount of campaign you have put in for that person.  However, in every election, there is bound to be a winner and a loser and that has been the beauty of the game.  No one can cry over spilt milk and in every human institution, there are some of these infractions that is why the losers must quickly put the past behind them and team up with the winners for the progress of the party.

It is a fact that the new executives have a difficult task of healing the wounds created as a result of this election by uniting the rank and file of the party members and supporters alike.  They have to support the government to put in place sound and pragmatic economic policies within the shortest possible time to restore the loss of confidence most Ghanaians have developed for the Akufo-Addo- led administration as the country prepare for the 2024 general election.  The government is also expected to open its doors to the new executives for dialogue and consultation because they are on the ground and, therefore, feel the pulses of the grassroots who will in the future, determine the fate of the party come 2024.

ENSURING THAT THE RIGHT LEADER IS CHOSEN

It is also a paramount duty of the new executives to ensure that the right of person is chosen to lead the party in the 2024 presidential election.  Already, names are being bandied around for the leadership position.   That is very important because any attempt to compromise their position on the flagbearer, will deepen the woes of the party and affect it badly in the next election.  They have to ensure a fair playing ground in the parliamentary primaries to choose competent and well- groomed candidates for the general election in 2024.

The year 2024, is a bit far from now to assess the chances of any political party in the upcoming election, but the various afrobarometer surveys by research institutions and pollsters so far conducted across the country, indicated that the majority of Ghanaians were not comfortable with the ruling NPP when it came to the next election.  According to findings from some of these researches, “the economy is not moving in the right direction, hence the high cost of living and general economic hardships among the people.”  They claimed the fact that we had run to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout, clearly indicated that the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia-led administration had disappointed Ghanaians and that they could not manage the country well.  To the majority of Ghanaians, if election is to be conducted today or anytime soon, the NPP will lose massively.

AFROBAROMETER REPORT AND REACTION FROM PRESIDENT

However, President Akufo-Addo in his address to the NPP National Delegates Conference, dispelled the claim that the party was not doing well.  According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine accounted for the present economic challenges in the country. He said the party was going to negotiate a good deal with the IMF,a deal that would allow the government to build a sound economy that would take the country out of the difficult economic challenges.

Time is, indeed, running fast and we are just a little over two years to our next general election to elect a new President since the mandate of President Akufo-Addo is coming to an end. He has a difficult task to leave a good and sound legacy to his successor in view of the present state of the economy.  However, we hope that things will change rapidly in the shortest possible time.

BY CHARLES NEEQUAYE

Contact email/WhatsApp of author:

ataani2000@yahoo.com

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