‘He has been consistent’ – Leader of Economic Fighters’ League gets bi-partisan applause on social media

In Ghana’s tightly bi-partisan space, opinions of political activists are often pigeon holed into the camps of New Patriotic Party (NPP) or the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Since 1992, Ghana has been governed by either of the two parties, despite having more than 20 political parties.

The dominance of the two parties has led many to believe that the status quo is set to remain. Some believe that perceived independent political activists secretly do the bidding of either the NPP or NDC.

But this routine suffered a difficulty when political activists on both sides began sizing up leader of the Economic Fighters League, Ernesto Yeboah.

 

Desmond Tutu, an NPP political activist, in a Facebook post partially revealed his own difficulties in placing Mr. Yeboah’s political loyalties.

He urged him to quickly come clean on his allegiances because he personally felt Ernesto Yeboah’s political rhetoric makes him more likely to be pro-NDC.

The post quickly racked up a long thread as many of his former colleagues at the University of Ghana delivered their verdict on him, more than a decade after leaving school.

Political activists even a soft spot for the governing NPP and those with the NDC appeared to agree, the man described as EFL’s ‘commander-in-chief’ has been consistent in maintaining an independent-minded political career.

Credit: Facebook/Desmond Tutu

Joining Mr. Koomson’s comment, a former Commonwealth Hall student leader Sammy Yeboah-Larbi Jnr, believes the EFF leader has gone too far in laying all his ideological cards on the table to ever take a different turn.

Another, Dua Fordjour, cast Mr. Yeboah in the frame of African great, Patrice Lumumba whose pan-africanist and socialist political ideology led to his assassination in the Congo.

Another, Sulemana Mohammed noted the politicians from the Nkrumahist stock often became NDC sell-outs but he vouched for Mr. Ernesto Yeboah.

Deputy NDC General Secretary Peter Otokunor also joined to praise Mr. Yeboah for staying true to his political beliefs.

Desmond Tutu’s view that independent-minded political commentators eventually drift to either NDC or NPP is not without basis.

The late anti-corruption campaigner Daniel Batidam became an advisor to President Mahama between 2012 and 2016.

Founder of the West African Network for Peace-Building (WANEP), Emmanuel Bombande, known for non-partisan political contributions also became a deputy Foreign Minister under the Mahama government.

The list of non-partisan or independents joining either the NPP or NDC has been endless, since Ghana returned to democratic rule in 1992.

But perhaps the biggest jumps to the NPP or NDC has come from the Convention Peoples’ Party, a dying legacy of Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Prominent party members such as Freddie Blay left to join the NPP and is now chairman of the governing party.  Kweku Baako whose father was a minister under the CPP government is a veteran journalist and the governing party’s most respected defender and communicator.

His colleague, Kwesi Pratt, is pro-NDC.

Desmond Tutu who began the discussion on Ernesto Yeboah was also a CPP activist before joining the NPP as the Nkrumahist party sunk deeper and deeper into oblivion.

Ernesto Yeboah was also the National Youth Organiser of the CPP before a grand scheme to oust him was hatched within the party.

But unlike many before him, he has refused to join the establishment, forming the Economic Fighters League in 2016 with an avowed aim of achieving economic freedom by “bringing down the system where our collective wealth is used to serve the luxuries of the few rather than the necessities of all.”

The political movement has been urging Ghana’s youth to challenge the political status quo.

Ernesto Yeboah played a leading role in a campaign against Parliament’s plan to construct a new legislative chamber. The plan, widely unpopular on social media, was dropped after he caused a scene in parliament and was arrested.

The Fighters have been campaigning against the introduction of Genetically Modified Foods.

The EFL believes Ghana’s democracy is flawed and has called for the replacement of Ghana’s 1992 constitution with one that among other things allow for proportional representation system of elections.

In October 2019, pan-African news portal, face2faceafrica.com named Ghana’s EFL leader among five charismatic young Africans leading the charge for government accountability.

The list included South Africa’s firebrand Julius Malema.

But in January 2020, Ernesto Yeboah, rejected a nomination for the most influential young Ghanaian award.

Economic Fighters League prides itself for its humanitarian bent. The Fighters’ occasionally organise blood donation exercises to support the Korle-Bu Blood bank.

A member of the EFL leadership, Commander Abeku Adams, was nominated in the 2019 edition of MTN Heroes of Change, a program that recognises selfless service.

Guided by its Pan-African convictions the Fighters movement has gone beyond the borders of Ghana, recently appointing Ugandan Namata Serumaga-Musisi as Commander of Creative Arts and Advocacy.

She is also the Diaspora Coordinator for Bobi Wine’s People Power movement in Ghana. With Fighters, she has been instrumental in food distribution efforts in Greater Accra, Central and Eastern Regions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, a partnership with Food For All Africa.

Head of Programs and Projects, Commander Regina Amegah, who was one of the few to pass the controversial Ghana Law school exams in 2019 was one of the core leaders in organising and leading the protest for legal education reforms in Ghana.