NDC must improve economy - governance expert

A governance analyst with the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) says the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) must see the challenge to improve the general economic conditions of Ghanaians. Kojo Asante said the NDC, which currently faces the pressure of incumbency – as party foot soldiers demand their share of the benefits associated with political power – must ensure that it creates opportunities into which all can tap. The analyst’s comments follow reports of foot soldiers of the ruling party mounting pressure on government to provide them jobs party supporters were promised during the electioneering campaigns. Reports of such demands have generated headlines but have been met with a swift backlash from officials of the NDC who have described the attitude of such supporters as pure ignorance. Whilst some disgruntled youth of Ashaiman were reported to have seized a public toilet in the town being run by perceived opposition sympathisers, officials of the Metro Mass Transport Company in Tamale allegedly had keys to buses of the company snatched by loyalists of the NDC. Mr Asante called for a national debate on the subject of political patronage, which he says threatens the country’s democracy. He described as unacceptable the situation where party supporters "blackmail" the government in a bid to secure political favours. The governance expert also criticised politicians for entrenching patronage in the Ghanaian body politic with unrealistic promises that then become the bases for party supporters to make demands of government once the party wins power. He said it is time for political parties to join forces to find a common national solution to the problem. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Joy News *Evans Mensah contributed reporting