By Kwesi Yankah
Our Parliament is quietly gaining notoriety for welcoming Christmases with fisticuffs; which is surprising for a House that by definition should thrive rather on speaking. As things stand now it is tempting to adjourn for Xmas with a new maxim: fisticuffs speak louder than words. It happened in December 2021 at the inauguration of the 8th Parliament, when there were riots in the election of Mr Speaker, and one MP ‘Carlously’ snatched ballot papers and took to his heels only to be arrested by legislators with bigger biceps.
That was followed in 2024, when a hung parliament with equal numbers, was at the point of turning a majority to minority, and temporarily gave Ghana a legislature with two majority leaders, Ato and Alex, who almost ran a double track. The open stampede for seats on the right hand of God the Speaker, found one lady MP claiming her certified seat, by sitting squarely on the lap of a male usurper, at considerable risk! It took the Supreme Court to resolve the stalemate, once again affirming an emerging maxim: if blows fail use the Constitution. Not to talk of the brawl at a historic ministerial vetting early this year, where MPs with bicep deficits sought cover under parliamentary tables and allied furniture.
Then comes this Kpandai horror story currently loading, where the Majority seeks to pull out a minority legislator in the shortest possible time, to create room for an abnormal re-run election; not partial but complete! Ghana is now so immersed in gold we can afford to splash money on complete elections even where only 41 polling stations are in dispute. All this while a judiciary looks on. This is of course, a pre-fab Ananse poll which, like the peace of God, ‘passeth’ all understanding. Meanwhile a dispirited minority looks on in anguish seeing their numbers whittled by the day, with DRIP equipment their own government imported. A bulldozing majority now hints that the next excavator stop after Kpandaiis is Nsawam-Adoagyiri, the seat of the formidable Minority Chief Whip. The demolition map then expands by the day: Ablekuma North, Akwatia, Kpandai, Adoagyiri. Should Bantama decide to cough today with or without COVID symptoms, standby excavators may move into action and beloved Asenso Boakye, proud son of a konkonte seller could overnight be appointed an ex-member of parliament.
The agenda behind the stampede now becomes clearer and clearer. With each electoral victory, fair or foul, comes the refrain: JM’s THIRD TERM AHEAD: NO TIME TO WASTE.
Whatever this means, requires a clear parliamentary majority to start the journey. A green parliament should be loud enough to drown all voices and say, ‘JM, Oh what a miracle in only 12 months;’ ‘see the low prices of goods ahead of xmas; falling kenkey prices, the sudden strength of the cedi, ‘even the IMF confesses we are the fastest growing economy in the world.’ Voices from parliament would then join a chorus of prophets, diviners, pollsters, galamsey merchants, and party ‘plebians,’ all pushing for a constitutional amendment. They would thereafter plead with an unwilling JM to brace for a cumulative 12 year presidential term.
That way Ghana would not simply say JM, toa so; the breaking news would fit squarely in the pedestrian rhetoric of Nkrumah’s Krobo Edusei who boasted that there was nothing the CPP dominated parliament could not do ‘except turn a man into a woman.’ Of course, what the CPP could not do early 1960s is now possible 2025 where the power of LGBTQ can easily turn a man into a woman.
Already the 3rd Term chorus has been started, and denied, then started and denied with a vehement ‘God forbid.’ But that is the normal trend. One prominent man of God, has however publicly put his church on the line threatening to burn his Temple, should the third term agenda fail. Many more comical threats of suicide are of course underway; and generous philanthropists are prepared to mercifully assist those who cannot afford combustible ingredients to fulfil their mission. Except that such pastors and Men of God from past experience often find themselves out of coverage area on the D-Day, perhaps pleading with the Fire Service. At best, temples meant to be set on fire turn out to be primary school shelters rented for Sunday prayers. Never a majestic temple on the Spintex Road!
But such suicide arsonists often know the truth that, JM’s first year miracle of overnight national prosperity and praise-singing choirs are brilliant comedies. Actors, in strict accordance with scripts pretend not to know of Ghana’s recent history. Nana Akufo Addo, Addo Guy Guy from 2017 to 2019 was the toast of the IMF. In Nana’s early years as President, Ghana was touted ‘as the fastest growing economy in the world!’ Did that trigger a change in constitution to perpetuate Nana Addo? In our little economy, everybody’s World Bank resides in their own pocket, not Bretton Woods, and its spirit invoked at elections not midstream.
The whole truth about the third term comedy is simply that J M’s second and final term has frustrated late starters who had preferred to ‘drink deep or taste not.’ Tasting a 4 year appetizer with no opportunities for the main event could leave a messy aftermath: a spectacle of ill-digested booty, unpaid debts, unroofed skyscrapers, and even more painfully, unsuccessful potbellies.
But hear the mother of all indictment: here comes the incoming Chairman of the African Union, who seeks a Third term so other countries can follow.
Kwesiyankahwrites.com
