Mahama’s leadership is “dum so, dum so” – NPP MP

New Patriotic Party’s Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin has described the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama as “dum so dum so”.

He adduces that the president has consistently demonstrated that he is indecisive.

Mr Afenyo-Markin was speaking on TV3’s weekend news analysis programme Headlines on Saturday, August 3, 2013 when he made this attribution. “Dum so” is a Twi phrase for erratic power supply.

However, the legal practitioner believes the manner in which President Mahama has tackled corruption issues within his government, particularly the recent one on the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), has confirmed that the president is not up to task.

The member of the Finance Committee of Parliament argues that the president should have immediately dealt with all cited persons in the GYEEDA report and so to constitute another committee to review the report smacks of indecision, according to the NPP MP.

“We all know [President Mahama] has been president for five years and he should know of all these,” he stated, adding that a committed president to fight corruption will not relax over such a report.

A member of the National Democratic Congress’ Legal Team, Abraham Amaliba, who was also on the programme, however, dismissed Mr Afenyo-Markin’s assertions, saying it takes a decisive president to solve issues.

“Look at the way [President Mahama] has solved this same “dum so, dum so” in the country,” Mr Amaliba said of the energy problems that rocked the country for over a year.

He pointed out that it is credit for President Mahama to make an attempt to fight corruption in his government unlike former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who failed to prosecute his corrupt ministers for fear that his government will be unpopular, Mr Amaliba alleged.

He said the NDC government will not be ‘moved’ by the caprices of the opposition NPP.

“This government has been voted for by the people of Ghana and it will be accountable to the people of Ghana,” he stressed.

According to him, the president has never said anywhere that the content of the GYEEDA report will not be made known.

“[Just that] before he makes [the report] public he must let his advisors advise him. He has not breached any law.”

He corrected perceptions that the five-man investigative committee was set up by the president.

“It was set up by the Minister of Youth and Sports,” he emphasized.

“I can assure you the president will crack the whip where it is necessary.”