Togo on the Brink: How Faure Gnassingbé’s Regime Thrives on Deception and Denial

Bad faith, this willingness to deny the obvious, to hide truths, and to refuse to face the truth, is a constant that plagues governance in Togo. There are many examples of this attitude which distorts public debate and delays social and economic progress.

A detailed analysis of the facts and practices of those in power reveals a worrying gap between official speeches and the reality experienced by the majority of Togolese. How can we explain this disconnect between the rhetoric of the state and the daily life of people who suffer?

Undoubtedly, one of the most striking symptoms of this bad faith is the manipulation of international positions to hide the harshness of citizens’ living conditions. Togo often finds itself at the top of some flatter development indicators, according to reports commissioned or influenced by the government.

However, on the ground, the population continues to suffer precarious living conditions: the majority struggle to adequately feed themselves, access quality healthcare or provide their children with a good education. These flatter sites are just smokescreens hiding a frightening reality.

Instead of putting pressure on themselves, priority should be given to those in power to recognize failures and work on concrete solutions.

In the north of Togo, especially the Savanes region, we see a constant deterioration of the security situation due to the activities of armed groups. Despite repeated warnings about the seriousness of the situation, the government continues to highlight the “successes” of the Emergency Program for the Savanes Region (PURS) as a miracle solution.

However, the reality on the ground is quite different: populations displaced, villages prey to terror, and a looming humanitarian crisis. Instead of being transparent and treating this crisis with the necessary seriousness, the focus is on communication measures, making people believe that everything is fine.

Another clear example of this bad faith: the state of the markets. The cost of food is increasing exponentially, and the purchasing power of the overwhelming majority of Togolese people is plummeting. Here again, official speeches continue to praise the government’s “stability” and “efforts” to limit inflation.

Meanwhile, households are struggling to meet their basic needs. This reality is not the result of “external manipulation” as the government likes to suggest, but rather the result of poorly calibrated economic management that only benefits a handful of elites.

At the political level, bad faith takes on a worrying dimension. Although the vast majority of Togolese say they are tired of the current regime, he has won an unprecedented majority in parliament, in elections widely criticized for their lack of transparency.

How to understand this paradox? Rejection of the system is evident in the streets, yet those in power welcome it. Instead of acknowledging this rejection and participating in a sincere dialogue, the government chooses self-satisfaction, congratulating itself on victories that in no way reflect the popular will.

One of the biggest ironies of this bad faith is seeing the party in power, which holds all the cards to promote development, accusing the opposition of its own lack of action.

Indeed, party leaders regularly justify the absence of profound reforms or social progress by the lack of action of an opposition party which they themselves prevent from organizing and carrying out political activities.

The truth is that this opposition is deliberately stifled by anti-democratic practices that aim to marginalize it, while accusing it of not playing its role. This art of blaming others for failures that are the responsibility of those in power is a striking example of the bad faith that fuels stagnation.

The contradictions do not end there. While the ruling party activists publicly announce that all is going well in the best possible world, it is common for deep disputes to undermine even the ruling circles.

Internal conflicts, rivalries and internal hatreds are very real, but everything is done to hide these fractures under a facade of unity. Here again, the art of denial is practiced, and the Togolese are the first victims of these excuses.

Through these various examples, it is clear that bad faith, whether intentional or unintentional, is a major obstacle to progress in Togo. Instead of facing reality and providing appropriate responses, the government revels in a kind of fiction that allows it to justify its inaction and ineffectiveness.

However, good faith, on the contrary, means admitting failures and making decisions based on facts. It is by acting in good faith, by acknowledging painful truths, that we can establish a true democracy, where the well-being of the citizen is central to concerns.

Source: alternative.info