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President of Groupe Nduom, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, has bemoaned the magnitude of political intolerance creeping into the body politic of this country.

He wondered why only political parties with representatives in Parliament would be recognised in the country.

According to Dr. Nduom, that situation portends danger that has the tendency to promote illegality in the country’s democratic dispensation and the public discourse.

And that, he intimated, must be cured.

“Parties with representation in Parliament. What is that?” he asked.

“There is a creeping illegality in our body politic and public discourse that must be cured,” Dr. Nduom indicated.

Dr. Nduom was continuing his weekend programme on national issues on Ghana, Great and Strong, a non-partisan programme, which is broadcast every Saturday from 7:00 P.M., to 8:00P.M., on the Ghana’s premier internet-based radio—www.hedjorleonlineradio.com. The programme is carried on several radio stations in all the ten regions and on ATV, BTA, FTV all affiliated with First Digital TV.

And at the weekend on the programme, he interacted with listeners and viewers via text messages and telephone calls on the ongoing political party discrimination in the country without recourse to the 1992 Constitution and the Political Parties’ Law.

He blamed some media practitioners for justifying discrimination against political parties by denying them participation in political programmes they run.

For instance, Dr. Nduom recounted about a week ago how a host of a morning show of one of the radio stations in Accra virtually dismissed the Convention People’s Party (CPP) almost with disdain.

He indicated that the attitude of the said radio host towards the CPP concerning a demonstration it had planned to embark on that morning in a discussion with one of the party’s [CPP’s] leading members was one of “who are you?” and “why should anyone even pay attention to you?

Dr. Nduom, who was the 2012 flag-bearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP,) could not understand why for a moment, the radio host could forget that the CPP even had one seat in Parliament.

The fact that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have had the opportunity to “manage” this country since the inception of the Fourth Republic, Dr. Nduom explained, did not mean they were the only political parties in the country.

“He (referring to the said radio morning host) had even “forgotten” that the CPP had one seat in Parliament. It was as if, outside the NPP and the NDC, no one even had the right to belong to any other party,” he stated.

“This phrase has been tossed about by some media practitioners to justify discrimination against political parties by denying them participation in political programmes they run regularly. I will not mention names – they know who they are and what motivates them to do this,” Dr. Nduom asserted.

One reason for Dr. Nduom’s worry is the reported refusal by Parliament to invite some political parties including the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) to last Thursday, February 26, 2015 State of the Nation Address.
To him, the 1992 Constitution enjoins all registered political parties to participate in such national events.

In the opinion of Dr. Nduom, he was not only worried about the PPP’s denial at this year’s State of the Nation Address but the way and manner the country‘s democracy was being ran.

“We cannot develop as a country and make it strong and prosperous without recognition of all the registered political parties,” he underscored.

The renowned entrepreneur cited other institutions for fuelling political party discrimination in the country including the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

He cited the IEA, which is a long-standing think-thank, for denying some presidential candidates and political parties participation in presidential debates during elections in the 4th Republic.

But, Dr. Nduom gave examples of some of the oldest democracies where apart from the so-called big political parties, the smaller ones were also recognised.

For instance, he mentioned that in the United Kingdom apart from the Conservative and Labour Parties other “smaller” parties like the Liberal Democrats and UK IP were always given recognition through their contributions.

According to him, the 1992 Constitution of Ghana makes it clear for every legally registered political party to operate without fear or favour.

He quoted Chapter One (Article 3) of the constitution that states: “Parliament shall have no power to enact a law establishing a one-party. Any activity of a person or group of persons which suppresses or seeks to suppress the lawful political activity of any other person or any class of persons, or persons generally is unlawful.”

And by the virtue of this express provision in the constitution, Dr. Nduom stressed that it would be wrong for anybody or group of persons or institutions to cow any political party into submission.

What the leadership should know, Dr. Nduom said, was that the system of government being practised in Ghana was not the parliamentary type rather the presidential and executive type where the president wields more powers.

To this end, he submitted that it was wrong to use parliamentary representation alone to determine the relevance of a political party. The 1992 Constitution allows Independent Candidates to contest both Parliamentary and Presidential elections. Where do they fit in under “parties with representation in parliament” scenario? A candidate does not need to have one seat in Parliament to become President. “If 50% plus one of voters decide that I should become President of this Republic, I will be President.”