First Published on December 12, 2016

Last week, on December 7, 2016, the people of Ghana voted to elect a new leader. As a young fellow, this will be the first election since I began to make sense of policies and governance issues. So I observed keenly. 

They say my country is the beacon of hope for African democracy. This might be true only because the standard set for Africa is low. The December 7 election was an eye-opener.

Trivial politics is the kind that thrives in my country, such as promising to build a factory in each of the 216 districts without specifying what or how. Promising to give each of the 275 constituencies a million dollars, what form will this fund take? They dididn’tay. Those were some of the promises made by the opposition leader, now the president-elect.  

 

The incumbent, who will soon be the ex-president, characterized his regime as marked by corruption and mismanagement. He invested heavily in infrastructure, which was misplaced in some cases, and did too little to improve the nation’s economy. It led to a hike in prices and left many mouths hungry, so when someone promises food, they need not ask how it will be prepared to accept.

The majority of the people who elect leaders in my country have little education, sometimes none. Also, the colonial system, which established the educational system, doesn’t handle it well. They needed some guidance. This is where our elites and the media failed. 

 

Amid the trivia, a third force discussed fundamental issues and practical ways for the public and private sectors to partner, fostering growth in agriculture and manufacturing. Practical ways to cut government expenditure by reducing ministerial positions and striking out some miscellaneous items in governance. Was it just a political talk? We don’t know, but at least he brought real issues to the table.  

The media and our elites slept on these issues, failed to compare and contrast them with what the big two were preaching, and allowed them to use gimmicks, religion, and tribalism to appeal to the emotions of the people, thus winning their votes. They overlooked the fact that the two leaders refused to grant interviews to the media and did not attend presidential debates to test their policies and promises like the others. 

The media’s role in governance is crucial, but unfortunately, in my country, it serves the powerful rather than the people. They’ll be a mouthpiece for political leaders rather than watchdogs. The under-skilled nature of our journalists is also an issue, clearly reflected in the coverage of our elections.  

 

Most of the correspondents from the various news media were terrible, and our institutions’ training of them required significantly more effort. In a society where our educational system is not helping much, the few enlightened must use the media to inform the masses. That is the only way we can have a functioning society that can elect leaders based on issues and hold them accountable.

To the third force and those who wish to try out a fundamental change in our politics, the work must begin now. You don’t have to wait for a campaign season to start informing the people on issues. Start now. You must help the people hold the government accountable and explain the consequences of their actions and policies in a manner they can understand. 

The media, please, please, and please, you have a lot of power, and you must use it to enlighten our people. Instead of wasting airtime on unethical, biased, and arrogant party-spoke persons, do some research on your own, involve outspoken resource people, grow some balls, and be creative with your reportage to make a better understanding.