Feature Article of Sunday, 25 March 2012Columnist: Jackson, Margaret By Margaret Jackson
“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That fact is attitude.†– William James
Politics is about consensus which is why political parties normally go with majority decisions. Even though there may be dissenting voices, once a political party decides on certain key issues, they become the official party line. Therefore, whether you like it or not, once a majority decision is taken, by virtue of being a member of that political party you have to go with that decision.
For the overall good of the party, when your party tows a certain political line and you believe in your party, you’ve got to warm yourself towards that decision. You do not go out of the line and make disparaging comments about a decision taken by your party. If you do that, you either become Mr. Kow Nkensen Arkaah or Kofi Adams. You are considered out of the official line if you do that.
Ghanaians have been hit with series of big news this week. Apart from the suspension of “Political Traitor†Kofi Adams as the Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), over his conversation with Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the one-man think-tank of the so-called Danquah Institute, on how he Adams would work hard to ensure the defeat of President Mills in the up-coming December 7 elections, another big news has got to do with NDC’s decision to boycott all programs run by the Multimedia Group Limited MGL).
The decision by the NDC government to boycott all programs run by the MGL, which comprises Joy FM, Adom FM, Asempa FM and Multi TV among others, stems from what the government consider as lack of objectivity and neutrality and open bias by MGL against the NDC and the Mills’ Administration. This boycott decision taken by the NDC government was not an impulse decision, since the NDC enumerated a lot of instances to buttress its point. And since a statement was also issued to support the government’s position, it becomes the party’s official position which every member of the NDC is supposed to go with it. Therefore, it is very disheartening and insulting for the Central Regional Communications Director of the NDC, Mr. Bernard Allotey Jacobs to go and sit on Peace FM’s Kokorokoo Morning Show to condemn the decision.
Allotey Jacobs has no business condemning the NDC government on air for taken such a decision. And even if he disagrees with that position, there are better avenues for him to air his views. What was Allotey Jacobs seeking to achieve when he condemned his own party which feels that there is a grand standing design by the MGL to distort information concerning the NDC government?
I may ‘hate’ the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for many reasons, but I bet, you would hardly see such irresponsible comments or behaviour from NPP folks when the party tows a certain line of action to either protect or project its image. One of the biggest problems confronting the NDC today is the tendency whereby every member of the party jumps on air to comment about any issue under the sun, when in most cases most of them do not have any idea about what they are talking about. This situation has many times resulted in series of embarrassment to the NDC government because of different answers provided by some NDC folks on certain issues that pop up.
Allotey Jacobs may not like the decision by the NDC government to boycott the programs of the MGL. That is his right as a Ghanaian and a member of the NDC. He may even have better ideas on how to handle the situation. But Allotey Jacobs goes out of the line, when he does not seek counsel with the NDC party leadership to voice his concerns, but rather goes on air to lambast the party. This unruly behaviour by some NDC men/women has to stop. It always creates the impression that there are cracks within the party.
Allotey Jacobs should know that he is serving at the pleasure of the party. And when you serve at the pleasure of any party you can be hired or fired at the pleasure of the party. Your position is not guaranteed permanently. Therefore, you cannot go out of your way to make unguarded statements at the detriment of your party.
As the NDC is currently in shock over the behaviour of Kofi Adams, the party should try and institute some measures in ensuring that members who have not been authorized to comment on certain key issues affecting the party, do not do so. This attitude has been the bane of the NDC since it came to power in 2009. Many members who do not know anything about certain issues are ever happy to jump on air to say anything to the discomfiture of the party. Therefore, I am asking Allotey Jacobs to shut up and allow those who better know the reasons why the NDC has boycotted the MGL to deal with the situation.
But before I sign off, I would like my readers to ponder over these words by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.†Please keep pondering over these words till you read my next article. God Richly Stay With You!
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