Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1959-05-02
Ghana Appraised
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luton; the pride of liberals in and
out Of the Colonial Service who
did perhaps as much as Mr.. Nkru-
NAH himself to hasten independ-
ence. Now, two years later, Ghana
is second only to South Africa as
q commonwealth country for which
British liberals apologize.
The term guided democracy"
has been adopted by apologists
and the debate over whether po-
litical opposition is either feas-
IDLE or useful in a newly indie
pendent country has grown in
large measure out of Ghana's rapid
evolution toward one-party state.
What has been called "Ghana-
ian McCarthyism" began soon
after it gained independence with
the deportation of "undesirables
and subversives." Ghanian citizen
ship is conferred not by birth here,
but by at least partial Ghanaian
ancestry. Under the law one OPP
position politician, a 40-year-old
African born and reared here, was
deported as an alien.
In another case, man who was
about to be deported sought to
prove his citizenship in court.
While judgement was pending, Kro-
DO Edusei, Minister of the Interior,
put the fallen" in question on a
plane and shipped him to Nigeria.
The minister was found guilty of
contempt and the court gave him
forty-eight hours to purge him
self. In response, the Government
called an emergency meeting Of
Parliament and in a half hour
passed an exceptional act indemni-
flying the minister against any
penalty for contempt. The deport-
ed man has never returned and
judgment has never been rendered
on his citizenship.
Weak and rather inept, the OPP
position boycotted elections for
the Regional Assemblies because
they did not have sufficient local
powers to satisfy federal prin-
ciples. Consequently, Mr.. Nkru-
mah's party won control of them
all. Thus he was able to change
the Constitution so that it can be
amended by a simple majority of
Parliament without reference to
the regions. Then the Govern
ment abolished the Regional As
semblies. Altogether. Before the
changes amendment Of the Con-
stitution had required support OF
a two-thirds majority of Parlia-
ment and four of the five Regional
Assemblies.
Ako Adjei, Minister of Labor.
said in a recent public speech that
it was nonsense" to make any
distinction between the ruling Con-
vention Peoples party and the
Government.
Finally, late last fall, the Pre-
ventive Detention Act gave the
Government the right to arrest
and imprison for up to five years
without trial any person viewed by
the Cabinet as dangerous to the
security of the state.
Prime Minister Nkrumah has
now stopped seeing visiting for
eign newspaper men, and has del
egated the job Of answering ques-
tions to Kobi Baao, Minister OF
Information.
Here is what Mr.. Baao had to
say about what he called the
"strong government"
1--WE have done nothing that is
not done in Britain.
1.-THE Opposition has INDUCED in
threats, violence, meances to min
listers. We are going to do things
our own way and the world will
soon see there is no better democ-
racy anywhere than in Ghana.
"If . person is acquitted in
court, that does not mean he is
innocent. Witnesses are afraid.
They may tell q lie. The Gov
eminent Is in q better position to
Judge than the courts. We have
full confidence in the courts, but
we also have full confidence in