By Abdul Majeed Sesay
What is the Agenda for Prosperity (A4P) in layman language? It is good roads, regular tap water supply & electricity, medical supplies and free health care for pregnant women and children under five years. There are also fantastic salary increases for teachers and most government workers. What about the average worker who makes up the bulk and base of our voting public?
The A4P is good but then I think it is way ahead of its time for good reason because the economy is good and has been doing well for the past several years. Some have called the A4P many things but this is what I think so as to salvage its name and reputation because for the most part societies like ours sprung from struggle-growth/development-prosperity-luxury-decline. Now that it has been proclaimed, the leadership cannot and must not fail on such a paramount and defining issue. What happens if a decision is made quickly to give Le100,000 to all 2.6 million registered voters in Sierra Leone at the end this month? That is Le 260 billion Leones, which is about $60 million, which voters can use to open savings accounts, spend as they see fit, and stimulate the local economy. We can call this trickle-down Koromanomics or better still Prosperinomics for obvious reasons. I say so because there are grumblings around the country that there is no money around to buy the most basic necessities. Markets and businesses are empty. This leadership may be the first in Africa to share the country's wealth directly with its voters. If this is done now with the New Year just having kicked in, the 2017 election is a foregone conclusion. No other politician in Sierra Leone would match this anytime soon. The next time there is a registration drive, 18-year-olds and above would line up to register because there may be another giveaway in the future.
What are the political consequences for such a bold and creative strategic initiative by the rulers? Although controversial and political to its opponents, there would be positive reviews to the rank and file and the average person in the street of all political make-up would welcome this, don’t you think? This can be checked and tested through a survey and see if it is popular or tested through a panoply of focus groups on radio and television and see if it resonates with the voting public. This can be either disregarded offhand or given a serious look for consideration and implementation. You cannot defeat an idea. Ever hear the phrase, "it is easier to change minds than hearts"? This may be one way to change hearts positively for the A4P.
I would like to share some LAWS OF POLITICS after reviewing the memoirs of famous political leaders.
1. In politics things are never final. Some things get changed, rewritten, revised, scrapped, reviewed, revisited, undone, and unfunded. These are often called the priorities of the elected party or the entrenched power of the majority. This is precisely the suffocating power of the majority that some democracies feared and created a series of checks and balances to make the minority credible enough without allowing the majority to rubberstamp all types of rules, laws, and regulations in government. The leadership should try very hard to instil on itself the rule of consensus and compromise to leave a lasting legacy of accomplishment that can never be stopped or undone. The winner-takes-all is what we have in Sierra Leone but making lasting legislation without any nod and tacit support from the opposition (no matter how slim) may be undone in the future, no matter how long it takes. Believe it.
2. Politics is always short-term. Decisions made without the benefit of hindsight always appear to be a good policy. But in the long-term those decisions may be proved to have been wrong. The judgment of history and historians for that decision is left to posterity. This is why landmark decision-setting precedents should have true majorities and wide margins of support on both sides of the political divide. This is so because the political musical chairs may sit a new person in the not-too-distant future with different priorities who will undo the decision of the predecessor.
3. Be mean, tough, aggressive, and relentless in pushing your message and agenda and in reporting and presentation of facts. But do not be acrimonious and fanatically bent on the personal destruction of opponents through omission, distortion, and character smears that are fruitless and heartless in regard to political decorum and fair play. Non-political actors often forget this and in the heat of the moment become partial to one group or ideology and take sides (often) without meaning to. If you have to exercise your right to free speech and expression, please do so in an opinion or editorial piece without distorting the facts, merits, and demerits of an issue.
4. The job of a politician is to play politics and capture the limelight and the political theatre. What they often forget is that their power and mandate is subject to the people's consent which can be withdrawn at any time for any reason. The disunited public sometimes unites and takes control of the power button to stop the music when their vested interests are threatened and not served and then, BINGO! There are new players in town.
The future so far looks bright, thanks to the leadership of a transcending figure at the helm that respects and acknowledges the national tapestry of all Sierra Leoneans. One concern though is that although there are advertisements for jobs in all newspapers most people still have to tap the patronage of powerful supporters in parties and in government to get any job. This is sad and it is one reason why one must not be a coward in seeking your interest. Don’t stop until they are met because Sierra Leone belongs to all of us and we must have equal opportunity. A professor once told me that life for the most part boils down to one thing or the other. You can be ignorant and happy or wise and sad. I, for one, aspire to be wise in the ways of the world, but I refuse to be sad especially when I have the capability to change the status quo in a reasonable and very respectful low-key manner.
This brings me to the vexed issue of Reverend George, a good friend and mentor to many, who recently asked me if southerners can really make it in the APC party with some few exceptions of course. He said he had been patiently knocking APC doors for years but they appeared to be shut and guarded. His six-year patience is nearly at boiling point and plans to leave the party soon. I told him, "welcome to the club" because there are also northerners who have not been given jobs with all types of academic qualifications at a time when jobs are aplenty.
This would be a major topic for another publication. Anyone in the party wishing to refute Rev George’s assertion can reach him at 077-204-339. Reverend George is a mentor and a man of great intellect who has travelled widely. He would be a great asset in any boardroom setting providing moral and ethical guidance with a passion for compassion in doing the right thing.
Note To Whom It May Concern: listen to the people and take note that you cannot defeat all the opposing, competing, and entrenched interests that oppose you. Believe it. There are about 200 weeks to November 2017. You may think it is a long time from now but it’s not. In political speak it is an infinity due to the shifting sandstorms of political alliances.
Before I close, let me share a story with you that Rev Christian George told me about a historical figure in the Bible named blind Batimus. He was eager to tap into the bags of prosperity that Jesus was carrying but had no access. One day when Jesus was passing, he started shouting ‘Jesus, Jesus’. The more he shouted the more the people close to Jesus told him to keep quite. He continued to shout Jesus’ name because of his frustration, he wanted to tap into the bags of prosperity so badly until Jesus finally turned to him and asked what he wanted.
The author is a member of the Ohio Chapter of the All People's Congress party who is now based in Lungi, northern Sierra Leone. His email is <sesaymajeed@gmail.com> and his telephone is 088-222-901.
(C) Politico 21/01/14
