National Women’s Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba has advised President Mahama to suspend his current world tour and focus on addressing the harsh economic hardship Ghanaians are going through, arguing, that the current economic crisis facing the country have been brought about because of Mahama’s incompetent governance, and not external forces.
According to Otiko Djaba, it is not right for President Mahama to desert his people in these hard times and go world junketing, under the guise of seeking foreign assistance, when the solution to the current economic mess is right here at home. “We elect a President to solve our problems and not to run away from the problem when the kitchen gets too hot," she said.
Speaking on Adom TV’s, magazine programme, “Pampaso”, the NPP Women’s Organiser said Ghana’s current economic woes have come about not because the international business community is not cooperating with us, but rather, because the government of President Mahama has refused to fight the issue of corruption head-on, which has led to a lot of leakages in the country’s financial set-up. This according to her has offered government officials and NDC Party cronies to suck the country dry.
According to Madam Otiko Djaba, it’s time for President Mahama to put his backside to his seat at home, and find solutions to the current national economic mess.
She described as totally unnecessary, the recent trips of President Mahama to neighbouring West African countries under the guise of Ebola, Cholera, or the Burkina Faso political debacle, and finally to the Vatican to visit the Pope, arguing that while it is important for President Mahama to keep a close and cordial relationship with his neighbours and other world leaders, this was not the time for him to go on a world tour to show off as President of Ghana.
President John Dramani Mahama is currently out of the country on a visit to the Vatican to see Pope Francis, while his Vice, H.E. Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur is in far away India, hunting down foreign investors.
But according to Otiko Djaba, the current situation where both the President and his Vice vacate their positions at the same time to go world junketing cannot be in the interest of the State. She posited that there is currently a leadership crisis in the NDC, with the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Doe Adjaho making subtle attempts to hijack the Presidency.
“The absence of the President and his Vice from the country at the same time cannot be a good thing. “It creates a serious political vacuum and can easily lead to social instability. At the moment, Ghana is flying on auto-pilot”, she said.
The NPP Women’s Organiser pointed to the recent importation of tables and chairs worth over Gh?22million from China to furnish Parliament, as an indictment on the President’s capability to carry through, his promise of shoring up patronage of Made-in-Ghana goods. She said President Mahama’s weak leadership had emboldened his members in Parliament to act contrary to his wish.
According to her, that singular act by Parliament of which the Mahama-led NDC Party is in the majority, had dealt a serious credibility blow to the President. She stated that the decision by the NDC majority in Parliament to import furniture from China rather than sourcing the contract to local carpenters had exposed the President to the public, as one who did not have the clout and testicular fortitude to walk the talk. “Already, it is the same Chinese who have been awarded contracts to supply school uniforms to our kids, and now tables and chairs to Parliament too?” she asked.
The NPP National Women’s Organiser said President Mahama has proven over the years that his actions belie his words. She recalled how as Vice-President, Mr. Mahama went to source for the bogus STX housing deal from Korea, while local Contractors were available. “Even when STX did not succeed, Mr. Mahama went hunting for Guma Construction in South Africa, to do the job. Yet it is this same guy who makes noise about patronizing made-in-Ghana goods”.
Madam Otiko Djaba also wondered why President Mahama, who is a member of the Assemblies of God Church, had now turned his attention to Pope Francis for prayers, asking whether the President had lost faith in his home-religion too”. “When it’s holidays, he goes to Dubai instead of Akosombo or Peduase Lodge; when it’s contracts to supply furniture and school uniforms, he goes to China instead of Timber Market or Anloga; now it’s about religion and prayer, and he has gone to the Vatican instead of his own Assemblies of God?” Otiko chided.
The NPP National Women’s Organiser challenged President Mahama to stop running from the myriad of problems being faced by his citizens and come home to face the challenge.
She warned that Ghanaians were fast losing confidence in a President who could neither keep his word in the area of regular electricity supply or protection of local industries, stating that as President, John Mahama must go beyond expressing his intentions, to making those intentions a reality.
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