In my candid opinion, majority of Africans are wallowing in abject poverty not because Africa does not have enough resources to help majority of her children enjoy moderate comfort; but because, Africa is operating a system of government that does not financially benefit majority of Africans. In fact, we have more than enough resources.
Indeed, majority of Africans are wallowing in abject poverty simply because the said system rather financially benefits a few privileged people.
One may ask what this system is, and who are the few privileged people that the system in question is financially benefiting to the detriment of the majority poor? The system in question is, Multi-party Democracy or partisan politics.
Now let’s consider this scenario: if those who want to win political power, use their own money to embark on extravagant political campaigns, and manage to get the mandate of the electorates to rule us; will they recoup the money that they used for the said campaigns? If yes, how will they recoup the money?
There is no doubt in my mind that they will recoup the money by lobbying for very fat salaries and other financial privileges. They will embark on this aggressive “State Money Hunt” in order to get the needed money to pay for their campaign debts, and also make sure that they do not go “home” empty –handed.
In view of this aggressive “State Money Hunt,” when it is said that the GDP is growing very well, it does not really grow very well into the pockets of the majority poor, but that of the few privileged people.
The few privileged people are our political leaders who have been entrusted with the resources of the state. It is even alleged that civil servants in our various state ministries who managed to rob the state of huge sums of money and went scot-free, did so with the support of political leaders who were in-charge of them; and this is the more reason why, for many years, many governments have never had the political will, to seriously take action on the yearly financial report of the Auditor General.
If the said allegation is anything to go by, then I can sincerely say that if the said system is not changed, the numerous taxes that are collected for the state will not financially benefit majority of Africans.
The question we need to ask is, can we blame our political leaders for the said aggressive “State Money Hunt” to pay for their political campaign debts? Probably no, because someone has to pay for the campaign expenses. The other question is, who should pay for the political campaign debts?
I strongly believe that our culture and mentality are such that the best thing Africans can do to do away with this aggressive “State Money Hunt” that causes majority of Africans to wallow in abject poverty is developing an African democracy that is devoid of partisan politics.
This is the more reason why for the past twenty (20) years, I have been advocating for Theocracy, a system of government that is devoid of partisan politics and political campaigns, a system of government whereby, the people of a state surrender their rights to exercise their fundamental franchise to God and allow Him to choose their political leaders for them, because it is only God who can judge people from within and knows human beings through and through. Human beings see the appearance, but God looks into the hearts (1 Samuel 16:6-7, Acts 1:15-26).
Since the new paradigm I am advocating for Africa would be managed by human beings, we may not be able to achieve hundred (100) percent of our expectations, but I believe that ninety-nine (99) percent of our expectations will be met. I am very sure at least, the following will be achieved:
1. We will no more experience all the terrible appendages of multi-party democracy. Africa will have the most peaceful system of electing her political leaders, and that will be the most peaceful continent in the world as far as political elections are concerned.
2. We shall have ninety –nine (99) percent of our political leaders being selfless and God –fearing, and the excessive selfishness and greed that multi-party democracy breeds in Africa, will be brought to the barest minimum, to enable the masses of our continent have access to at least, the basic necessities of life.
3. In Theocracy, the electorates will not vote through the ballot box, therefore, huge sums of money that political office seekers, use for vote “buying” and rigging, which eventually lead to aggressive “state money hunt”, will be saved. Also, the huge sums of money that the electoral commission uses to run our elections will be saved. I believe that such savings can go a long way to help the state solve the huge unemployment problem that has afflicted our continent, causing so many brain drains in Africa.
4. Deceptive and unreasonable demands and pressure that the main opposition party and their collaborators sometimes exert on the ruling government, in order to score cheap political points, and to make the ruling government unpopular in the eyes of the public, will be a thing of the past. The unnecessary political tension that the said exertion creates in the state will be no more.
5. The cycle of a ruling government, terminating the appointment of technocrats working for the state, because they were appointed by the previous government or because of the suspicion that they will sabotage the efforts of the ruling government in moving the state forward, will also be a thing of the past.
6. Former government functionaries, who go at every length to do everything possible to sabotage the efforts of the ruling government, in order to make it fail in its efforts to move the country forward will be no more.
7. Unnecessary and unreasonable political pressure that some political party “foot soldiers” sometimes put on their party in government, in order to receive some favors, will be no more, and thus the problem of putting round pegs in square holes, because of political affiliations, connections and loyalty, will also be a thing of the past.
8. Ninety-nine (99) percent of national appointments will be based on professional competence and this would enable our various ministries to provide excellent services to uplift the image of our continent.
9. When partisan politics is no more, it will be very easy to dismiss all those who hide behind the veil of political party affiliations, connections and loyalty and engage in bureaucratic activities that cause unnecessary delays in signing genuine government contracts, processing promotion of civil servants and the new salaries that go with their promotions; as well as the processing of the salaries of newly trained nurses, teachers, etc. will be easier and fast tracked.
10. There will be no election dispute in our court to cause uneasiness in the state.
As highly indebted poor continent (HIPC), let us believe and accept the fact that, having access to at least the basic necessities of life, is far more important than exercising our franchise through the ballot box, which financially benefits only a few privileged people in Africa.
The main purpose of going to the polls to vote on Election Day is to get political leaders to manage our resources in such a way that, at least, majority of our people will have access to the basic necessities of life. If the system we are using to get our political leaders is causing majority of Africans to wallow in abject poverty, why should we continue to use the said system to elect our political leaders?
If it is possible for at least, majority of Africans to have access to the basic necessities of life or moderate comfort without the electorates going to the polls to vote on an election day, then there is no sense at all in practicing partisan politics that financially benefits only a few privileged people, and that there is no sense at all in allowing majority of the electorates go through the untold hardships that partisan politics generates.
If the electorates do not go to the polls to vote on an election day, but rather allow God to choose our political leaders for us, we will never be less human being. Rather we shall later on be seen as the wisest people on earth because of the huge benefits that will be derived from practicing Theocracy. Indeed we shall be teaching the rest of the continents, a better way of doing politics.
I would like to assure all Africans that, the new paradigm that I am proposing for the consideration of Africa, is not a system that will encourage killing or dehumanizing human beings in the name of God.
Since freedom is a birthright for all the children of God, freedom of religion and speech that goes with responsibility, will be highly encouraged in practicing Theocracy.
Women will never be seen as inferior in the practice of Theocracy, since we are all equal in the eyes of God. Women will be encouraged very much to do whatever they are capable of doing for the state, as long as it does not go against the will of God and humanity. All forms of abuses against women and children will be eradicated without delays.
Even though freedom of religion will be very much encouraged in the practice of Theocracy, the worship of the devil in any form will not be encouraged in any way, since the devil is our archenemy, our number one enemy. An enemy who is always doing everything possible to trap us into shame and disgrace. An enemy who would want to do everything for humanity with the sole intention to cause us to lose our dignity as children of God and also lose God as well as our eternal happiness with God. Those who do not know God will be assisted to know, love and worship Him through persuasive evangelization.
In all humanity, and with great courage, let us accept the truth that, partisan politics has failed most Africans miserably, simply because it is alien to our rich culture and has worsened in most parts, our social and economic expectations. Therefore, let us take bold steps and change it by replacing it with Theocracy without any guilt, shame and fear in our hearts and minds, for Africa is God’s continent.
A politico-religious book about the new paradigm that I am proposing for the consideration of Africa, and which I would like to dedicate to mother Africa, will be out very soon, so be looking forward to it.
Written by Rev. Fr. Ignatius Amponsah
e-mail: [email protected]