President Rawlings Is My Man Of The Moment

“Win Or Lose, Head Or Tail”, President Rawlings Is My Man Of The Moment

“Open your eyes, be careful and beware of the greedy bastards”, was the admonition from former President Jerry John Rawlings to current President John Evans Atta Mills.

As usual and characteristics of every word that comes from his mouth, he was vilified, insulted by the young men in Atta Mill’s government, whiles the older and more experienced men and women who served under him looked unconcerned.

It is even rumoured that anybody who could insult the former President readily got appointments and was hailed by those who are afraid of the truth.

He came from nowhere and made history by being the youngest man to ever a lead a revolution in this country. He made history by successfully running the affairs of this country for 19 years, with its attendant up’s and down’s.

We are where we are today as a nation, because against all odds and the trappings of power, he (Rawlings) chose to relinquish power for democracy to thrive.

Before his triumphant and miraculous entry into our body politic, this country was reeling under corruption, the state of the economy was in an intensive care unit, and Ghana was to many economists and political watchers a failed state.

Confidence in the public sector had waned so bad that there was no hope. The can-do-spirit of our people was completely lost. Ghanaians lived as though tomorrow would never come.

Prayers in the churches, the mosques, temples were answered by God, who like the Israelites in Egypt, never forsake them, he answered our prayers and brought onto us, a man who understood the feelings of the people, shared in the experiences of many, a man who could easily identify with the common man, to redeem his people and take us to the land of milk and honey.

For 19 years all he did was to make sure the people got what they deserved, he laid his life down for us, so that my generation and the generations yet unborn would feel a sense of belonging, would have the peace of mind to grow this country and most importantly have a divine gift that says man was born free. His gift did not come with a price tag, but a selfless dedication to the realization of a dream of our founding fathers.

Gone were the days when Ghanaians only felt more like numbers than people. He re-ignited the spirit of nationalism. Mr. Rawlings came in as a poor and modest man and left as such. If he had stolen like ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor did, he would still have being calling the shots in NDC, and would still be considered a king maker.

On the other hand, the actions and inactions of Mr. Kufuor, for the entire eight years (2001-2008) that he ruled Ghana, brought so much pain, deceit, suffering, hardship, poverty, misery, national shame, and embarrassment to the good people of this country.

Corruption was institutionalized by the Commander in Thief, himself, (Ex-President Kufuor) It is said that, what an old man would see sitting, a child would not see standing. When the NDC assumed the reigns of office in 2009, former President Rawlings, the John the Baptist of our time, saw what was coming when officials and members of the NDC were falling over each to feed themselves fat. He sounded the alarm bell, telling them ‘hey, we chased the crazy elephant into the bush on corruption’.

It is true that President John Evans Atta Mills is incorruptible; it is true that he lives above reproach; it is true that he is a man of integrity; it is true that he is a God fearing man; it is true that he is a father for all, and this virtues and attributes are what every nation needs, which is why when the NPP presented the Nana ‘naughty by nature’ Akufo-Addo, and the NDC presented President Mills, they chose him above Nana Addo, who was the overwhelming favorite, at least going by the opinion polls and money to throw around.

Leadership is also about decisiveness, is about taking right decisions at the right time, and exerting your authority where necessary, but if a vacuum is created, every Tom Dick and Harry would take advantage of it.

I don’t presume we can safely say, what is happening in government is a reflection of lack of leadership. Because of the government’s handling of the issue of the judgment debt, suddenly Ex-President Kufuor and the erstwhile NPP government look like saints, because government officials were sleeping on the job.

Suddenly, no one remembers anymore that ex-President Kufuor’s eight years of fighting corruption cloned more corrupt cows into our midst than has been the case in recent times.

No one remembers that Ghana’s properties and public lands were auctioned off to his (Kufuor’s) friends and cronies under the ruse of re-zoning.

No one remembers today that ex-President Kufuor was a failure both in terms and fact. No one remembers today that Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor was a globetrotter in chief.

No one remembers that Kufuor jailed Tsatsu Tsikata, Victor Selormey, Ibrahim Adam, Kwame Peprah etc, to terrorize his opponents.

No one remembers that Kufuor inaugurated a dubiety in public life that transcends that of Mobutu Seseko of Zaire’s monumental thievery.

No remembers today that former President Kufuor made mincemeat of our institutions. No one remembers today that former President Kufuor was famed to be a sex addict.

I harbour no personal grudges against this monumental wrecker of Ghana, but justice requires just recompense for such cosmic crimes. But who am I to suggest to the gods. They seem to know best in such matters.

It is not too late for President John Mills and the NDC, it is said better late than never. Time is of the essence as in politics, a day is a long time, to try and mend all the fences.

Confronted with this debacle of judgment debt, that is refusing to go and a divided house, the only option is for everybody to put away their egos and look at the picture.

The project called Ghana cannot and should not be left in the hands and care of this certified NPP thieves. Their desperations know no bound.

Finally, I am amazed and shocked that the NDC does not see how delicate and difficult this year’s election is going to be.

Please, members and foot soldiers as well as well-meaning Ghanaians if they knew President Mills was only looking forward to being a one-time President, I don’t think they would have voted for him. They didn’t bargain for this.

Like Dr. Kwabena Adjei, The National Chairman of the NDC, did, some people must eat their humble pie, and go back to the former President Jerry John Rawlings, if not the worst is yet to come.