Many people are shunning politics of insults and name calling. Unfortunately, the trend has become the order of the day and seems deliberate in the political discourse.
As a result of this, men and women of good and upright values are now shying away from politics because they do not want to get involved in the quagmire of mudslinging and insults.
Regrettably, discussing bread and butter issues in the country is largely hinged on all sorts of disparaging comments and lies against political opponents for cheap gains.
Facts are no longer sacred in the political discourse. This trend, if allowed to prevail, will seriously undermine national development.
Akufo-Addo reacts
Last Wednesday, a publication by a newspaper stated that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 2016 flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), murdered his first wife. In his reaction Nana Akufo-Addo described the publication as “false and defamatory” and "nothing but a vile, repugnant and tasteless fabrication".
“The story, whose headline has been written under the guise of a question and allegedly sourced from a non-existent newspaper called the ‘New Patriot’, states emphatically that Nana Akufo-Addo murdered his first wife, Obaa Yaa Nkansah Dwamena, on 17th August, 1993,” his reaction stated.
Similar allegations reared their ugly heads when President J.E.A. Mills died in 2012, with all manner of persons adducing strange reasons as to what led to his demise.
It will be recalled that when Finance Minister Kwadwo Baah Wiredu died in South Africa, the rumour mill was awash with all manner of stories, some putting the blame on President Kufuor’s government.
The situation where lies are told and all sorts of disparaging remarks made against political opponents just to make them look evil in the eyes of the public is unhelpful and does not portray or paint a picture of true democrats.
True democrats, in my view, are sensitive to societal norms, expected to be of fair mind, decorous in character, as well as truthful and tolerant. Using insults, name calling, disparaging remarks and lies against political opponents is not the character of true democrats.
Political mischief
This trend of political mischief, if allowed to persist, will stunt the growth of the nation’s multi-party democracy and could only fan trouble, which could be disastrous. Certainly it is not the path to travel and it must be totally abhorred. Unfortunately, a close look at the political environment depicts that politics of name calling is being encouraged across the political divide, with political leaders themselves seemingly unconcerned while the trend continues.
Efforts to redefine political discourse is being scuttled by some political parties and their supporters and this definitely is not the way to go.
Political parties and their leaders must, therefore, help to redefine political discussion in the country by redirecting them to issues-based ones.
The electorate must engage political parties on their commitments towards peaceful and orderly campaigns, as well as observance of their political party code of conduct.
Food for thought
Every day comes with different issues and problems as Ghanaians inch closer to this year’s general election.
Issues such as demonstrations, labour agitations and partisan politics are common in our everyday engagement.
But more worrying is the issue of name calling and insults in our body politics.
As the 2016 election campaign gathers steam and heats up we must leave no stone unturned in ensuring a responsible conduct – decency and decorum – during political campaigns.
We must all work together to create a healthy political environment to sustain the country’s democracy.
Political parties and their supporters must stop the name calling and insults.
There is the need for cooperation and understanding among political actors to tackle felt needs of the people.
Food for thought
Peace is the bedrock of development; without it we all perish. It is therefore not enough to talk peace. One must believe in it and work at it.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. If we continue to insult each other peace will elude the nation and its consequences unimaginable.
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