Politics of unbridled pessimism and cynicism

I have a problem with the politics of this country. The problem lies in the politicisation of issues and the unbridled pessimism and cynicism that have characterised our political discourse.

These issues have become so pervasive that even projects that are expected to benefit the nation and its people are affected.

Moments after the President performed the ceremonial sod-cutting for work to start on the Komenda Sugar factory recently, some politicians went ballistic, predicting doom and gloom for the project.

Others gave cynical interpretations to the symbolic sod-cutting.

 I personally heard on radio some leading politicians opposed to the ruling party, arguing that once similar sod-cutting ceremonies had been performed by the President in the past but the projects became stillborn, there was every indication that the Komenda plant would not see the light of day.

One of them, speaking to Afia Pokuaa on Adom FM's Burning Issues on Thursday evening, made a pessimistic prediction that no miracle could see the Komenda project come to fruition. How sad I became.

Is this the country we are trying to build as a people?

But, on the other hand, I was not too much surprised for the situation has persisted since the birth of the Fourth Republic.

A country where people arrive at decisions depending on the political lenses they wear can be said to be politically sick.

This development has contributed to undermining our democracy and development.

When you have politicians, some in respectable positions in their parties, trying to downplay important development projects because the projects are coming from the other side, you tend to ask yourself where our politics is drifting to?

I agree perfectly with Winston Churchill when he said, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

How true this is in the current circumstances of our nation.

Optimist

President Mahama surely is the optimist here. He is seeking all means to find a way out of the economic difficulties to fulfil some of the promises he made to better the lives of Ghanaians.

I did not have the opportunity to travel to Komenda for the ceremonial sod-cutting for the Komenda Sugar Factory due to ill-health.

However, television footage and newspaper reports, as well as verbal accounts by some of my colleagues depicted an elated Komenda community.

They were eager to see the rebirth of the once upon a time factory that brought life to the Central Regional town.

Komenda is synonymous with sugar, and rightly so because the economic development of the area in the past depended much on the factory.

Originally founded by Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the factory served as a major source of employment for the people of Komenda and indeed the entire Central Region until it folded up in the 1980s due to mismanagement and operational challenges.

The situation contributed to worsening poverty in the Central Region and today, the region is ranked among the poorest in Ghana.

Consequently, the move by the government to bring the project back on board must be welcomed.

Funding for the project has already been secured. The Indian Government is supporting the project with $35 million, while the government of Ghana has made a counterpart funding of $1.5 million through the Export Development and Agriculture Fund (EDAIF).

Hope

The nation’s economy is not in great shape, but there is a glimmer of hope once the government makes moves to get some major projects going and re-engineer the economic fundamentals.

To stimulate growth, the government must embark on specific projects that will bring employment to the millions of youth who have no jobs.

It is, therefore, the responsibility of every Ghanaian to support the President to deliver. After all, all benefits will go to Ghanaians.

That is why it is unfortunate that at the time that the President is showing semblance of willpower to push through some of his promises, others are hoping to see the vehicle in reverse gear.

As a Nigerian Professor once said, "Nigeria can work if only Nigerians work.”

Here in Ghana, the country can only work if Ghanaians work.