Former President Kufuor has spoken, but with numerous contradictions and inconsistencies. He said Ghanaians should vote for individuals who can unite the country, not those who cater only to certain groups.

However, the former president's illustration and admonition seem to reflect the behaviour of the current Vice President, Dr Bawumia, and his boss, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Everyone is aware that Dr Bawumia is one of the individuals deeply dividing Ghana along delicate religious lines, and this has been evident during the ongoing election campaign. Whenever Dr Bawumia takes the campaign platform, many well-meaning Ghanaians, including the respected senior journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr, have spoken against such tactics, warning that this type of campaigning could plunge Ghana into chaos if not addressed immediately.

When money takes centre stage and dominates our governance, integrity disappears, thereby jeopardising our young democracy. Patriotism should guide us as leaders, and we must always uphold leadership based on principles, irrespective of our tribe, religion, or political allegiance.

I fail to understand why former President Kufuor would support the current government, which has been allegedly embroiled in numerous corruption scandals and a love for money, and yet go on to urge Ghanaians to vote for the Vice President and NPP flagbearer, Dr Bawumia, who has overseen these issues. Dr Bawumia is the same individual whom the majority of Ghanaians have struggled to trust, as he has failed to deliver on many of his promises.

The current Dr Bawumia and Akufo-Addo-led NPP government does not seem to care about the security and welfare of Ghanaians. There has been no comment from these leaders regarding those who were killed in Techiman South under the supervision of both the Vice President, as the chairman of the Police Council, and H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Moreover, in the realm of the country's economy, Dr Bawumia is the only Vice President who has supervised and continues to oversee an economy plagued by high inflation, a severely devalued cedi, and the highest cost of goods and services since 1992.

So, is Former President Kufuor suggesting that Ghanaians should once again vote for someone he has previously warned us against?

I believe that, with all due respect, Former President Kufuor should spare Ghanaians from his paradoxical advice. J.A. Kufuor should show more compassion towards Ghanaians and join the crusaders who are committed to seeing Ghana develop, where the youth will have opportunities to work and fulfil their hopes and aspirations.

Mr J.A. Kufuor should be reminded that the unemployment rate has currently risen to 14% as opposed to 7% under the leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama.

Former President John Dramani Mahama and his predecessor, J.E.A. Mills, were peaceful men who chose to forgive the massive corruption that occurred under former President Kufuor. We can fairly say that the Mahama and Atta Mills administrations were not vindictive, unfriendly, or antagonistic towards opposition parties, unlike the Kufuor administration, which, during his eight years in power, exemplified such behaviour — as seen in the unfortunate cases of Lawyer Tsatu Tsikata and Hon. Dan Kwasi Abodakpi.

As I mentioned earlier, when money takes centre stage and governs our actions, integrity vanishes, thus jeopardising our democracy. Patriotism should always guide our leadership, and we must uphold principles at all times, regardless of our tribe, religion, or political affiliations.

Currently, our water bodies have been devastated by illegal mining activities, members of the current government included, putting the lives of many innocent Ghanaians, along with animals and plants, at serious risk. Our judiciary, which should be the pillar of unity and promote good governance through the law, is now seen issuing absurd rulings, further increasing confusion and uncertainty in the country rather than fostering the peace and tranquillity we all desire.

Thankfully, the tolerance level of Ghanaians has helped maintain the stability of the country to date, and we must applaud ourselves for this achievement, which has prevented Ghana from joining the ranks of ousted governments in the sub-region.

I believe that statements on national discourse, especially at this crucial moment while we await the all-important 2024 general elections, should help save Ghanaians from the grief of this economic quagmire.

Former President Kufuor is a citizen of Ghana and, as such, is entitled to his opinion, just as I am, especially when looking at issues through the lens of the principles of good governance and democracy. However, our opinions should give hope to Ghanaians, not deepen their wounds.

Before I conclude, let me take the opportunity to advise the key stakeholders in the upcoming 2024 general elections, especially the Electoral Commission, to avoid any actions that do not adhere to a free, fair, and transparent election process, as this could lead to chaos, as we saw during the 2020 elections.

To the broader Ghanaian public, voting is merely an expression of ideas in selecting those we believe will improve our quality of life. It is a bread-and-butter issue, and should not result in violence at polling stations.

The security sector, particularly the police service, should be in charge of elections, not the military. They must demonstrate professionalism and impartiality during the upcoming elections, keeping in mind that they belong to the state, not any specific political party, and should not show favouritism.

To the election observers, both local and international, I urge you to be impartial during the elections. Your actions, if not well-considered, may inadvertently harm our democracy, which has been enviably protected since 1992.

The writer of this article, Francis Ahovi, is the Executive Secretary of Global Security for Africa Research and Good Governance (GLOSARGG), an Accra-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advocating for peace.