This week has been a bit odd, to be honest. Let's start with the NPP. It seems the new thing they're doing now is promising to share all our national resources according to geographical areas. So first, there was 1 District, 1 Factory, then there was 1 Northern Village 1 Dam, and then just 2 days ago the third sequel was released: 1 District, 1 Million Dollars. Next up, 1 Region, 1 Oil Rig? I'm sure we won't have to wait too long to find out.

So anyway, we interrogated the 1 Northern Village 1 Dam promise, and discovered that, not only did the NPP's leading Agricultural expert have no clue how many villages there are in Northern Ghana, he didn't actually think it mattered. Also, as it turns out, when the NPP said Dam, they meant Borehole. Easy mistake to make, I guess, since they both have something to do with water. Just like how one might easily mistake Akua Donkor for Queen Elizabeth, because they both breathe oxygen.

Then the leading opposition party followed it up with 1 village, 1Million Dollars, an initiative which is designed to take just over $200m and distribute it amongst constituencies. This will amount to about 1 million dollars per constituency, which can then be spent on whatever infrastructure project the constituents choose. So yesterday, we asked Nana Akomea to share the details of how this promise would be fulfilled. He told us that the money would be managed and disbersed through the existing channels - which would mean, either at the District level, or by the MPs.

Later in the day though, he called me with an update. The committee working on the manifesto had decided that the funds should be managed and disbursed by the various developmet commissions. So Sada, CEDECOM, the Zongo Development Commission, the Coastal Development Commission… and so forth. Yes. I know. But I promise you, that's what they're saying now.

Although, there's something else I'm not entirely sure of with this 1Constituency $1m proposal. You see, our current laws and local government structure doesn't include a constituency level governance body. So the NPP proposes the creation of a new body  comprising the Assemblymen, Unit Committee members, and the odd traditional leader, who will decide on behalf of constituents what infrastructural  the $1m is to be spent on.

Now, here's the problem: In order for such a body to be able to make legally binding decisions on how to spend $1m every year, it must be established and backed by law. No such law exists, so if the NPP wins the election, they would have to take a bill before a newly formed Parliament and hope it will be passed So since they can't possibly know what the new parliament will think of their little million-dollar idea, how can they present it as a promise to voters? Just a thought…

Then the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana decided on his way out of office to Bie Gya in a rather dramatic way, claiming that politicians of a major party offered him an envelope with $100,000, and a 4x4 vehicle, which he says he turned down in a puff of righteous indignation. If only he'd had a pack of dogs to set on the impudent politicos… But he didn't, and so poor Rev. Dr. Martey did nothing.

And then the former PRO of the Presbyterian Church, who was sacked for fraud in 2012 suddenly turned up with an accusation of his own, that Rev Prof Martey called him to the home of "a leading opposition party's flagbearer@ where he, Prof Martey was holding an envelope with $100,000. He, the former PRO was offered an envelope with $50, 000 in it. He counted the money "for evidence purposes", and then refused it. He claims he told Rev, Prof. Martey that he would help them with whatever plot they were hatching, but his conscience wouldn't allow him to take money for it. (Must be a new, modified sort of conscience that can allow one to do the wrong thing as long as you don't get paid for it…)

Anyway, apart from the small detail of why on earth the Moderator would have invited him to share a bribe in a politician's house ONE WHOLE YEAR AFTER THE SAME MODERATOR HAD SACKED HIM FOR FRAUD AND MISREPRESENTATION, the PRO has been sticking to his story all week. Rev. Dr. Martey has not responded to the accusation. Neither has the "leading opposition party's flag bearer".

The NDC on the other hand, hasn't shut up about it for one moment. I've been sent voice clips of radio show panellists - including national party executives - calling Rev Prof. Martey all sorts of horrible names. It seems they took his comments rather personally. Does anyone know why? Because I'm not quite sure myself.

But weird as the week has been so far, I'm afraid it's about to end on the weirdest note yet. Why on earth did the minority in parliament file a motion to request a bi-partisan committee investigation into the Ford Expedition saga? Did they actually think the Majority would vote in favour of it? And why didn't the majority jump at an opportunity to exert their oversight authority over the executive? Don't they want parliament to be more powerful? Let's see if today's show brings us any answers to these and other pressing questions. Do stick around.

My name is Kojo Yankson, and it's been a week of Not So Promising Promises and Not So Moderate Moderators.

 

GOOD MORNING, GHANAFO