GRASSROOTS PEOPLE TOO DESERVE TO ELECT THEIR OWN LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS!

Opanin, democracy is about the competition of ideas in the public domain: pertaining to the nature of the society we want to see established in our country, is it not - so why must we get diverted by talk of "polarisation": simply because we want democracy for grassroots people, too?

With respect, Massa, we do not want our political parties to become mutual admiration societies - so let them fight each other in the arena of the market-place for competitive ideas, openly.

That is not "polarisation", Massa - that is democracy as a way of life. We must not just think that democracy is only about institutions, as most educated folk seem to think in this country, sadly.

Please, let us not keep on implying that somehow grassroots people are not nearly as intelligent as our educated urban elites are - because they are incredibly intelligent people, too, Massa.

Above all, do not forget that they have fed the people of Ghana for centuries, and provided the bulk of Ghana's foreign exchange since we gained our independence: by growing cocoa.

They deserve to be given the opportunity to practise democracy too - by electing those whose actions at the district level has the greatest impact on their daily lives - so that when those at the helm of affairs at the national level fail them, they will at least have some control over those in charge of local government, Massa.

We must make DCE's and district assembly members, do the bidding of grassroots people, if we want the roots of democracy to deepen in our country, Opanin. For example, I recall the arrogance displayed by a DCE I once had the misfortune of interacting with, years ago, on a community-based eco-tourism project.

That sly and deceitful man, does not deserve to be a DCE - but he was, and still is: because he is the lackey of those who now rule Ghana. No doubt, other equally unsavoury characters, who were also equally undeserving of serving as DCE's too, did so, in the previous regime, I am sure. How can that be, Opanin?

We either believe in democracy - or we do not. We cannot sit on the fence in a matter like this - and pretend that that somehow is a position that is supportive of freedom: for it is not.

We must elect all DCE's and district assembly members, too: in order to make this a true democracy - not the present kleptocratic two-party oligarchy, and elected dictatorship, which our country has now sadly become, if truth be told, Massa.

For those of us who think independently on issues in the public domain that affect our nation, and who are not the "My-party-my-tribe-right-or-wrong" myrmidon-types (who wear blinkers, 24/7), that is the unfortunate reality, today, of the country we all love so dearly: our homeland Ghana. Pity.

So, let us change that unfair and iniquitous situation: by giving grassroots people the right to choose those rule them at the local level, as DCE's and district assembly members. Period.

Hmmm, Ghana - eyeasem oo: asem ebaba deba debi ankasa! May God bless and protect our homeland , always. Long live freedom! Long live Ghana!