Few weeks after his outdooring as the Running Mate of the Afrafranto Movement for change, Mr Kwame Owusu Danso (KOD) has placed the duopoly of Ghanaian politics at the doorsteps of the Ghanaian media.
“The duopolistic political system dominated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has impoverished the nation, and the media, which should act as the gatekeepers of democracy, has become complicit in perpetuating this imbalance”.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra after his Caravan Campaign Tour in the Central Region, Mr Danso expressed concern over the state of Ghana’s political system, which he said was partly spearheaded by some media organisaions and practitioners.
“For the past 32 years, Ghana’s political space has been hijacked by two parties. “Whatever has happened to this country – whether good or bad – is the cumulative effect of what these two parties have done. We are so blessed in human and natural resources, yet we are still poor. At the last count, this was the 17th time we have had to go begging at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to survive. We cannot be the number one producer of gold in Africa and still be poor. This paradox is inexcusable.”
KOD, who is also a member of the media fraternity, was emotional as he blamed the country’s plight not on a lack of resources, but on a broken system. “It is sad,” he stated. “We have all the quality human and natural resources we need, and yet we are still struggling. Our problem isn’t what we have; it’s the system some of us have intentionally created. Any system that doesn’t make use of its finest talents and minds cannot be called a sustainable system. For the last 32 years, we have been practising a system that only benefits a few while impoverishing the majority.”
KOD singled out the media as one of the key drivers of this system, accusing them of perpetuating an “eight-year cycle of state capture” between the NPP and the NDC.
“The media has unintentionally – or maybe even intentionally – set the stage for this political duopoly to continue, possibly in perpetuity. Just listen to the discussions on our radio and television stations and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. They’ve shut the door on the idea of an independent president or any alternative third force, even though our constitution clearly makes room for it.”
The Journalist did not hold back, criticizing the narrow lens through which the media viewed political leadership in Ghana.
“It seems that no matter how intelligent, competent, visionary, or credible a person is, they can never lead this country unless they contest on the ticket of either of the two main political parties. How can that be a sustainable system?”
KOD said the problem extended beyond politics, pointing out that some of the brightest minds and talents in Ghana remained outside the political sphere due to the narrowness of the current system. “Our finest and brightest talents are obviously outside the political space,” he said. “Until we get a system that allows us to fully harness their talents and minds for development, we will be running in circles, going nowhere.”
On the consequences of the entrenched duopoly, KOD did not mince words. “We have created a winner-takes-all system that has fostered state capture between these two parties. Every eight years, we alternate power between the NDC and NPP, while the majority of Ghanaians remain in poverty. Meanwhile, the media keeps fueling this unfortunate situation, perhaps without even realizing it.”
“We cannot continue like this. The media must take its role as the fourth estate seriously and stop enabling the status quo. If we don’t break this cycle, Ghana will never rise to its full potential. We owe it to the people to change this narrative. The time to change it is now”
Mr Danso said a nation that boasted of democracy should ggo beyond the confines of the two parties and aligned with new policies and ideas to grow.
“Until we create a system that allows all of Ghana’s best minds to lead and contribute, we will remain trapped in this vicious cycle of poverty and underdevelopment.”
KOD, a few weeks ago was unveiled as the Vice Presidential candidate of Mr Alan Kyeramaten and has since hit the ground running by campaigning across the country to convince the youth especially with their transformative agenda.
GNA