Platform For Concerned Ghanaians In Ireland

Dear High Commissioner,

Platform For Concerned Ghanaians In IRELAND PETITION FOR URGENT ALLEVIATION OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS AND POLITICAL STABILITY IN GHANA

PREAMBLE:

We the above named Group of Concerned Ghanaians living on the Island of Ireland are respectfully appealing to you in your capacity as the Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom to make known to the President of the Republic of Ghana-H.E. John Dramani Mahama, the above underlined subject which is of prime concern to us and indeed, many other Ghanaians living in Republic of Ireland.

Sir, our democratic cause and for that matter, this Petition has primarily been motivated by a number of burning issues confronting our country lately, chief of which includes but not limited to the ones we have stated below. To wit, judging from history and past experiences as a continent, we are of the unshakable opinion that failure to address these pressing matters in a timely manner will, in the long run, undermine the stability of Ghana, touted by the International Community as one of the few success stories in a continent often plagued by socio-political instability and internecine warfare.

To begin with, it has come to our express notice that the socio-economic conditions of the average or ordinary Ghanaian have worsened in recent times. In particular, we learn of the chronic nationwide power outages and water shortages; bleak situations that have given rise to hopelessness, disillusionment, socio-economic instability and above all, mental stress as encapsulated by a Chief psychiatrist, Dr. Akwasie Osei when he said “There is a lot of pressure in society, and we must make a lot of effort to remove that stress”. Suffice it to say, Sir, that these twin burning issues have not only negatively impacted on our local businesses but again, grossly reduced the much needed Foreign Direct Investment in Ghana. This situation has been exacerbated, by arguably, the country’s most threatening industrial strikes in history. That Doctors, Government Hospital Pharmacists as well as Teachers and Educational Workers are embarking on nationwide strikes while others such as the Judicial Council of Ghana, Nurses, Parliamentary Workers and Ghana National Fire Service are threatening to follow suit only goes to buttress the point that Ghana’s Labour Sector is indeed “falling apart and the center cannot hold” any longer. And if, again, Dr. Akwasie Osei’s assertion that the “Current streak of labour disturbances in Ghana is a manifestation of mental disorder on a national scale” especially when public sector workers and the government are not able to “sit down to resolve our differences”, then, PLATFORM FOR CONCERNED GHANAIANS IN IRELAND can only conclude that there is something fundamentally wrong with our current crop of leadership. Sir, you will agree with us in toto that whiles the Public Sector is virtually on its knees with its attendant social implications owing to the ongoing strikes, precious and innocent lives are being lost on daily basis as a direct result of the government of Ghana’s refusal to meet striking Medical Doctors half-way or accede to their legitimate demands. Needless to say, these unprecedented labour agitations have the real potential to undermine the internationally acclaimed socio-political stability our dear country has enjoyed for decades. Mr. High Commissioner, that the agitations on the labour front have become so entrenched to the extent where pleadings from a highly respected statesman like Mr. Kofi Annan and former Nigerian President, General Olusegun Obasanjo have failed to assuage mattrers clearly attests the stability of Ghana is in question.

In addition, Sir, we equally wish to express our grave concern about the snail’s pace execution of the landmark Supreme Court case challenging the legitimacy of the President’s incumbency; which case if not expeditiously dealt with and in a fair manner could, we opine, tilt Ghana towards civil war. As your office is already aware, following the conduct of our General Elections last December, Messrs Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, all representing the opposition New Patriotic Party are praying the Highest Court of the Land should annul the results returned from 11, 138 polling stations out of the overall 26,002 polling stations, citing alleged electoral fraud. Consequently, the legitimacy of Mr. John Dramani Mahama’s declaration as President by the Electoral Commission is in dispute. Sir, judging from the timely manner in which a similar case was prosecuted in Kenya, following Messrs Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga’s electoral impasse recently, there is a strong feeling in Ghana today that the aforementioned Supreme Court proceedings are being unnecessarily or deliberately delayed. As already stated, this unfortunate development is gradually grinding businesses and economic potentials in Ghana to a halt. More so, the situation has grossly affected the national coffers and equally deprived the average Ghanaian, the basic essentials and comforts in life. More importantly, the slow pace that continues to dictate the Supreme Court proceedings has sharply polarised the country on tribal and political lines, further undermining the relative political stability that Ghana previously enjoyed. That Ghana’s Minister for Defence had had to issue a public statement to allay fears of a looming political instability amply drums home the point that Ghana is hanging on tenterhooks. As Concerned Citizens living domiciling on the Island of Ireland, we are of the strong opinion that if justice is delayed for far too long as we are witnessing in the said Supreme Court case, our dear nation may soon find itself engulfed in a similar politically motivated civil conflicts that once plagued Rwanda, Congo, Kenya and lately, Ivory Coast, among others.

Last but not the least, as a sequel to the ongoing Election Petition case in the Supreme Court, we courteously wish to express the opinion that though the parties in dispute have pledged their commitment to peace before, during and after the last December’s General Elections under the “Kumasi Declaration or Accord”, there is still a popular perception that should justice seen not to be done, Ghana could descend into a state of lawlessness, anarchy and even, civil war. This general perception has been heightened by the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Mr. Mornah’s case; which ruling has created the impression that there is an “invisible hand” at work in the whole judicial process. Accordingly, the mood in the country has been characterised by simmering tension, heightened anxiety and rumours of a nation that is not at peace with itself as citizens can not predict what the future holds for them in terms of security and socio-political stability.

Sir, as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and by extension, Republic of Ireland, PLATFORM FOR CONCERNED GHANAIANS IN IRELAND prays you use your good offices to convey this message of national interest to President John Dramani Mahama on our behalf and with the following pertinent requests as well.

a. That the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama should, as a matter of urgency and in the supreme interest of the welfare and security of the citizens of Ghana, do everything possible to immediately arrest both the social and economic hardships confronting our country today.

b. That the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama must, as a matter of duty, immediately bring to a peaceful end, the unprecedented Labour Agitations that have taken Ghana and its people to ransom since he assumed office, noting that these strikes does not only present a multiple security and socio-economic risks to our dear country, but equally, it tarnishes our international image as well.

c. That the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, a government auxiliary that is at the heart of these Labour Unrests takes all immediate and necessary steps possible to deal with the anomalies involved in the Single Spine Salary Structure and other related demands by government paid workers so that Public Sector institutions that have been severely crippled by the on-going labour strikes can begin to render the much needed services to the good people of Ghana.

d. That it is not in the best interest of the striking Medical Doctors and that of the government of Ghana alike to post three hundred and fifty Cuban Medical Doctors to our shores with the view to solving the deep Labour Front-Government of Ghana impasse. To us, it only aggravates the situation which will have dire consequences for the entire country in future. We trust, the most reliable way forward is dialogue and compromises involving both sides.

e. That there should be a moratorium on salary increment and emoluments for Government Ministers, their Agencies and Members of Parliament forthwith until the harsh economic conditions in the country have been brought under control or to the barest minimum. We believe, given the intolerable levels of hardship that the struggling masses had had to contend with and need to urgently ease that yoke, this ethical request is not only a necessary step for the government to take, but also, the right thing to do.

f. That the ongoing Supreme Court case be acted on expeditiously to avoid the long-held perception that the process is being manipulated in favour of the sitting government. Besides, we trust, acting on this landmark case as swiftly as practicable will allow Ghana to move on after gruelling months of social, economic and political stalemate uncertainties.

g. Last but not the least, we humbly petition that the parties in the General Elections dispute, starting from the President of the Republic of Ghana (to set a good example) must make public commitment or pledge to accept the outcome of the Supreme Court Verdict. This public pledge has become even more crucial after the Mornah case which case, broadly speaking, could do more harm to our budding democracy than the good the justices who ruled on it envisaged.

Sir, we hope our grave concerns and urgent petition will be relayed to the appropriate quarters and practical steps taken to address them in a timely fashion. We would continue to monitor events and be in contact with your office should the need arise.

Thank you very much for your kind attention and we hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.

Signed: PLATFORM FOR CONCERNED GHANAIANS IN IRELAND E-MAIL: platformforghanaiansireland@yahoo.ie Contact: 087-2607019/087-6295755