A wise saying reminds us that when a government fails, it is the citizens who suffer. This is precisely why we must be vigilant, not just in our prayers for good governance, but in our actions. The most crucial action a citizen can take is to hold those in power accountable for the promises they made to get there.
The relationship between a government and its people is a social contract, built on trust. When politicians make pledges on the campaign trail, they are asking for our faith. When they win power and then renege on those pledges, they don’t just fail a party but they break that sacred trust and breed cynicism that poisons the entire political landscape.
A case study in campaign promises
The recent political history of Ghana offers a stark lesson. Before the 2024 general elections, the then-opposition NDC party passionately championed two key issues:
- The Galamsey Menace: They vociferously called for a state of emergency, citing the environmental devastation. This call resonated with civil society, academia, faith-based organisations, and the general public, successfully piling pressure on the erstwhile NPP administration to take immediate action or face their wrath.
- The Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill: The NDC was a driving force behind this bill, with figures like Hon. Sam Nartey George leading the charge. He and his party argued fervently that the nation’s moral fibre was under threat, convincing the Christian and Muslim communities, and a majority of Ghanaians, to support the bill. They accused the NPP government of hesitancy due to foreign influence and aid dependency.
These stances were not minor footnotes; they were central to the NDC’s campaign narrative. They were presented as matters of national urgency and moral imperative, significantly contributing to the NPP’s loss of power.
The swift shift after victory
However, the transition from opposition to government has been revealing. The very promises that galvanised support are now being treated with puzzling ambiguity.
The government’s self-imposed 120-day deadline to tackle the galamsey menace has elapsed, with the situation reportedly worsening in many areas. Simultaneously, on the LGBTQI+ bill, the government has fallen into a telling silence. Most strikingly, Hon. Sam Nartey George, once the bill’s most prominent evangelist, was recently seen brushing off journalists, telling them to “go and ask them” before walking away.
This is a classic act of political approbation and reprobation, to affirm a position to gain advantage and then disavow it when it becomes inconvenient. It signals a betrayal of the trust bestowed upon them by the electorate.
Why citizen vigilance is non-negotiable
This pattern is why citizen vigilance is not an option but a democratic duty. My fear is that if the NDC government fails to honour these specific promises, the very ones that made the previous government unpopular, it will deeply discourage the citizenry. The damaging message will be that all politicians are the same: they say what they must say to win power, with no intention of following through.
This cynicism is a toxin that erodes the foundation of democracy. When people stop believing in the political process, they disengage, and accountability dies.
As a citizen of Ghana, it is my right, as enshrined in the Constitution, to demand accountability. It is my duty to remind the government of the promises it made. The significant margin by which they won the 2024 election was not a blank cheque; it was a mandate based on specific commitments.
A call to action
We must not be silent. We must exert consistent, peaceful pressure on the NDC government to:
- Act decisively on the galamsey crisis as they promised.
- Break their silence and clarify their position on the Anti-LBGTQI+ Bill they so passionately advocated for.
Holding a government accountable is not an act of hostility; it is the highest form of patriotism and a path every democrat must chart. It is the mechanism that ensures the government’s success is aligned with the people’s welfare. For when a government is kept honest, it is the entire nation that succeeds. Let us not wait for failure; let us demand the fulfilment of promises, for the sake of our present and our future.
After all, the NDC was not under duress to make such promises; they made them to Ghanaians, hence nothing should prevent them from honouring these promises they have made to Ghanaians.
Finally, NDC must know that it is not going to be like the mantra by President John Dramani Mahama that Ghanaians have short memories, hence they will quickly forget because their memories are short. They must be reminded that our memories are as sharp as hyperthymesiac.
By Adjei Worlanyo Frank
