‘It’s good to talk’

This past week, two significant events took place on the political landscape which should give us some joy, as the much-awaited, but also somewhat dreaded Verdict Day draws nearer and nearer.  

Last Thursday, August 15, the chairmen of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held talks with the National Security Coordinator (NSC), Lt.-Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, reportedly the first of such a meeting.

Media  reports said that the NSC invited the NDC’s Dr Kwabena Adjei and the NPP’s Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey to discuss ways of ensuring peace after the Supreme Court gives its verdict next Thursday, August 29, on the Election 2012 Petition filed by three NPP leaders.  

The petition is challenging the declaration by the Electoral Commissioner Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, that the NDC candidate, Mr John Mahama, was winner of the 2012 Presidential election. The petitioners’ case is that the NPP presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, was the winner. The petitioners are: Mr Akufo-Addo; his Vice-Presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey.

It is heartening that the chairs of the two political rivals can sit and talk at this crucial time when there is some anxiety over possible negative response to the verdict.  
Prior to the NSC’s commendable initiative, on August 13, the general secretaries of four political parties had made headlines by organising a joint press conference, showing a rare side of themselves as united on one issue – albeit in their own interest.

As reported, the general secretaries of the four parties with representation in Parliament – the NDC, the NPP, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) – held the press conference to vehemently protest a survey’s findings that political parties are seen as the second most corrupt institution in Ghana. (For the record, the first position in that survey was given to the police – who vehemently protested it as unfair.)  

The 2013 ‘Corruption Perception Index’ survey, whose results were released on July 9, was inaugurated by the Ghana Integrity Initiative, the local chapter of Transparency International.

Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the CPP, reading the parties’ statement, pointed out that: “Political parties are separate entities governed by the laws of Ghana in general and the political parties’ law in particular. We fail to see how alleged perceived corruption of a handful of individuals can be misinterpreted in such a way as to taint the administration of our respective organisations.”

Apart from the statement, Mr Greenstreet, the NDC’s Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NPP’s Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie and the PNC’s Bernard Mornah were also captured by cameras, all smiles and fraternising, demonstrating that they are on very good terms – contrary to the general perception that they are antagonistic towards one another.  

The unusual joint press conference presented a very refreshing picture of cordiality to the public. Whether people believe their assertion that political parties are not corrupt is, of course, another matter!

If the political leaders could exhibit more of such camaraderie, the country would not be experiencing the deep polarisation that is a source of concern. Noticeably, there is a growing campaign for a review of the ‘winner-takes-all’ system in place which is viewed as the albatross against national progress.

It does not need a seer to prophesy that more talking and interaction among the political leaders will impact positively on the behaviour of their members and the civility levels on the political scene will rise.     

There’s an incident that I often refer to in relation to mending the political divide: Years ago, I happened to be present at a ceremony in the Akosombo area where an NPP Member of Parliament and then Minister of Agriculture was one of the speakers. Before that event, there had been a conflict among the youth of the opposing parties in the area and so the minister took the opportunity to give them some advice.

The Minister, Mr Ernest Debrah, advised them not to see supporters of other political parties as enemies.

Memorably, he told the young people, amid laughter and prolonged applause from the crowd: “You are here fighting with your peers because they belong to another political party. Come to Parliament House and you will see me drinking tea with John Mahama of the NDC!”  

Political party leaders need to show by example that a political opponent is not a mortal enemy. However, evidently their example will only be followed if it is deemed genuine. The grass roots are usually very perceptive and quick to spot what is faked or merely opportunistic.

And surely even when there are problems, these can only be solved through talking. As the old British Telecom award-winning, brilliantly simple slogan put it years ago: “It’s good to talk”.

All over the world evidence abounds of the terrible consequences when people are not able to sit together and talk to solve common problems. Conflict is part of human life, but when conflict erupts it is the willingness of the parties involved to talk and agree on solutions that make the difference. When that does not happen, often the result is mayhem and in the view of many international observers that is the cause of the tragedy taking place in Egypt, with hundreds of innocent lives lost.

One German envoy speaking on BBC last week, who clearly sounded frustrated, said “the problem in Egypt arises from the refusal of both sides to talk, to listen to each other and arrive at solutions for the benefit of their country.”

Even on an interpersonal level, it is when there is no dialogue, especially between couples, that the problems start or worsen beyond repair.

This is why the NDC-NPP talks hosted by the National Security Coordinator, as well as the parties’ joint press conference should give all of us hope. After all, the political opponents, hitherto seen as enemies, are talking! And when even perceived enemies can sit together and talk, surely the most intractable barriers can be overcome.

Furthermore, even where the most sophisticated weapons are being used in conflicts, eventually it is talking that leads to peace.

Therefore, long may the talks among the political opponents continue because: “it’s good to talk.”

By Ajoa Yeboah-Afari

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