A lead convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, says some people have sworn to make life unbearable for him due to claims that he wants to become a president.
According to him, there is a seeming attempt to court disaffection for him and other like-minded individuals who are poised to raise a new generation of young leaders for the country’s democratic growth.
“It doesn’t matter how many times I make it clear I am not interested in political office, they will rather Ghana burns if it’s just to make sure I don’t go any closer to their imagined fixation with the Presidency,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday, July 3.
He noted that the future of the country is bleak if people purpose in their hearts to restrict and oppose youth activism.
Mr Bakrer-Vormawor added that political parties have broken down the activist infrastructure that holds governments accountable.
“We must build them up or our politics won’t transform us. There is no messiah that will come to save us – we must be our own messiahs; we are all osagyefos. That’s the perspective we are missing.
“Guys, if we continue like this, we might not have a country and all you think about is who might get elected to preside over the rot. Activism needs you and your support to succeed,” he stated.
“Please know that power will seek to restrict or distract us all the way. We just wake up to that threat or we will lose ground or even perish. The enemy comes only to sow discord and disaffection [but] always question power and doubt its motives.”
Oliver Barker-Vormawor said in his post that he is committed to funding a new vision of Ghana where electoral politics will not be the priority.
He, however, called for support and company from others interested in joining the cause.
“No donor will give FixTheCountry money to protest Western mining interests, which have decimated communities like Obuasi. To change our society, our rich must support a different vision; they must will their properties to charity as those in the west do often.
“We must, ourselves, fund homegrown activism if not the issues they focus on and their priorities will reflect those of the western taxpayers who fund us through their donor agencies,” he wrote.
#FixTheCountry Movement has created organisational structures like the Democracy Hub targeted at creating a new generation of leaders.
Also, it has a Democratic Accountability Lab structured like the American Civil Liberties Union to tackle issues of political brutality and extra-judicial killings.
“It will operate as a legal wing to support activists and protestors whenever they come under persecution from the government. It will be the lead vehicle for our right to information projects and going to Court to compel government to disclose information,” Barker-Vormawor explained.
source myjoyonline
