FROM THE BATTLE IS OF THE LORD TO THE BATTLE IS OF ECONOMIC ‘POLITRICKS’

FROM THE BATTLE IS OF THE LORD TO THE BATTLE IS OF ECONOMIC ‘POLITRICKS’

‘Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people’ - 2 Timothy 3:5 (NIV).

On the heels of the 2016 General Election in Ghana, one of the political mantras of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was ‘the battle is of the Lord’. This mantra was particularly trumpeted by the current President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. His Excellency and the ruling NPP later added and trumpeted many other mantras including the following:

a. ‘I believe in Ghana’;

b. ‘We have the men’; and 

c. ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’.

Beyond these political mantras, the president also later made a solemn vow to build a National Cathedral to appreciate God for ensuring his election victories. The controversial National Cathedral which was scheduled to be commissioned on 6 March 2024, however, remains at the foundational level because of mounting economic and political challenges.

Ghana was 67 years old on 6 March 2024. The 67th Independence Celebration was held under the theme ‘Our Democracy, Our Pride’. I think Ghanaians would be proud of a democracy that upholds accountability, probity, self-determination, transparency, honesty, development, freedom, justice and decency.  Ghanaians are increasingly becoming apathetic towards any kind of democracy that is just about periodic elections, political speeches, failed promises, corruption and wanton waste of state resources, political chauvinism, and democratic dictatorship. The country will be 70 years in 2027.  Will the 70th Independence Anniversary Celebration of Ghana also be bridled with uninspiring political speeches and political sermons?

Before the 67th Independence Celebration of Ghana, the country has been stirred in relation to the passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act 2024. The  reactions of the His Excellency, the Majority Leader in Parliament and the Ministry of Finance to the yet-to-be assented Act fueled the already charged-atmosphere. Contrary to the provisions of Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, His Excellency on 4th March 2024 chose to address members of the Diplomatic Corps about the proposed legislation. The president sought to allay the anxieties of certain quarters of the diplomatic community about the passage of the proposed legislation which is yet to reach his desk. His Excellency also assured the diplomatic community that Ghana will not take any backsliding step in relations to its human rights records. The president also indicated his awareness of a case filed in the Supreme Court of Ghana to challenge the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. Consequently, His Excellency advised everyone to hold on until the Supreme Court finally determines the case before it. The following rhetorical questions ring bells in relation to His Excellency’s address:

1. Why is the president not holding his breath until the proposed legislation reach his desk to enable him comply with the requirements of Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution?

2. Mr. President, which case had been filed at the Supreme Court at the time of your address?

3. Why was the president so mindful of addressing the concerns and anxieties of some quarters of the diplomatic community about the proposed legislation while ignoring the concerns of majority of Ghanaians about the legislation?

4. Why did the president assent to the Electronic Transfer Levy Act 2022 (Act 1075) although there is a pending suit against its passage at the Supreme Court?

5. Does Mr. President not think that his comment that Ghana will not take backsliding step in relation to the country’s human rights record is prejudicial?

Prior to the president’s address to the diplomatic community, Ghana’s Ministry of Finance issued a brief  on the immediate impact the passage of the proposed legislation on the implementation of the 2024 budget. The ministry estimates that Ghana is likely to lose a total of $3.8 billion World Bank funding over a period of 5 to 6 years. The ministry therefore advised His Excellency to defer the signing of the proposed legislation until the Supreme Court rules on its constitutionality. When did the Ministry of Finance become the legal adviser to His Excellency? How will Ghana deal with any so-called fall in revenue if the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of the legislation? Is it not the time to inject fresh blood into the Ghana Beyond Aid mantra granted that Ghana will indeed lose some donor funding? What has been the real economic impact on any of the Africa countries which have passed Anti-Gay laws within the last decade? Is the Ministry of Finance not playing to the gallery of economic ‘politricks’?

The New Majority Leader in Ghanaian Parliament, Honourable Afenyo Markin, continuous to mount some spirited arguments against the passage of the proposed legislation. One of the key submissions of the Honourable MP is that because of the poor conditions of some Ghanaian prisons, no custodial sentence should be imposed on persons who may be convicted under proposed legislation. Honourable Majority Leader,

1. When did you become aware of the poor state of some of the prisons in Ghana?

2. Is the proposed legislation the only law in Ghana that sanctions custodial sentences?

3. Why have you failed to champion the dignity of the many prisoners who are already serving their prison terms prior to the passage of the proposed legislation.

God cannot be mocked. Neither can He be played. If we are willing to build a National Cathedral to honour God, why are we seemingly seeking to frustrate a law that will enhance Ghanaian families values and decency of Ghanaians? If we  see it necessary to invite God into our political battles, why are we struggling to invite him into our perceived economic battles? Why are we seeking to place the interests of foreigners or the diplomatic community above the interests of majority of Ghanaians?   

Richard Obeng Mensah, author  of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position. The writer is an award-winning prolific author of 8 books and over 250 articles on legal and non-legal themes. He is also a pastor, lawyer, law lecturer, certified life and leadership coach and a blogger.

Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com

Mobile: +233 (0)246 556 774.

Publication History*

Authored on  07/03/2024 and published on 08/03/2024 on the author’s blog and other social media platforms.

*Acknowledgement*

The author appreciates the critiques and valuable comments of his Editorial Team to this write-up.

*References*

1.1992 Constitution of Ghana

2.Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act 2024.

3.Ghanaweb, ‘Anti-LGBT+ Bill: No cause for anxiety-Akufo-Addo assures diplomatic community, others’ [Ghanaweb, 5 March 2024] > https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Anti-LGBT-Bill-No-cause-for-anxiety-Akufo-Addo-assures-diplomatic-community-others-1919980< Accessed 5 March 2024.

4.BBC, ‘Ghana’s finance ministry urges President to sign anti-LGBTQ+ bill’ [BBC News, 4 March 2024]> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-68469613< Accessed 4 March 2024.

5.Ministry of Finance, ‘Passage of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values: Brief on the Immediate Impact on the Implementation of the 2024 Budget’ [Ministry of Finance, March 2024] > https://mofep.gov.gh/< Accessed 4 March 2024.