President John Evans Attah Mills, in his UN Assembly address promised the international community of his desire to conduct free and fair elections come 2012. He also stressed how he has plans to hand over a peaceful Ghana like the one he met in 2009. The promise is very welcome and pleasant especially to the parties in opposition and peace-loving Ghanaians in general. However elections so far conducted under the watch of Prof Mills led NDC leaves so much space for doubts and fears. Not just that, promises are taken serious based on some factors. Chief among those factors is trust based on past experience concerning the person making the promise. Considering the track record of the president in promises and the conduct of the Akwatia, Chiriponi and Atiwa bye-elections and the Assembly elections, the question I asked upon hearing the promise is; Should I Trust You Mr President.
Please pardon me if you think am being judgmental, Mr Preaident. The question concerning a promise of free fair and transparent election has been raised on different platforms in recent days without an answer from you, Mr President. The only time you reserved a short time for the question was when you were in E P Church in Ho. To the dismay of many Ghanaians, you on that faithful day promised to handover power only in 2017. A self declaration that did not go down well with many including me. It sounded dictating and entrenched to me, howbeit, you have not retracted it. Which one should I take, the Ho declaration or the UN Assembly one. At Ho, were you not able to say what was on your heart of hearts because of the enthusiastic crowd in your stronghold? At New York was it not for fear of those dignitaries there like the signature you appended in Abuja and denied same in Accra? Should I trust you?
Well said Mr President, but are the measures in place to win my heart. Measures to prevent Anita Dessosu from running over mobs with her four wheel drive and still mention a ministerial appointment. Measures to stop Baba Jamal from declaring another Jihad. Measures that will not let go foot sodiers who killed the three people at Agbogbloshie and went free from occurring again. What have you done so far to let me forget about the free human butchers of Chiriponi. Are the gun wielding NDC youth in Tamale and Bawkwu not still roaming the streets. Can you tell me why those opposition boys are still lavishing in jail without conviction? What has been done so far about Hajia Salima whose husband was killed in broad day light and their house burnt to ashes whilst she escaped bleeding from cutlass wounds? Please tell me, should I trust you?
Is Anyidoho really speaking for you? Did you hear him or as usual you pretend not to hear when your fellow statesmen are ridiculed? Did you hear him say you are not going to handover to drug barons. Is there any party called drug barons. And if your presidency know of some drug barons why not arrest them? As you still condone insults and pretend to hate the culture, can I take you serious when you promise. Last year I remember you said you have instructed for the street lights in Accra to be fixed before Christmass. Am still wondering which Christmass you were pointing to because most streets are still dark at night. Should I trust you?
Mr President, how different are your instructions now? How different are they from the one you gave to your ministers concerning the declaration of their assets in two weeks which they never carried out? How different is this one from your directive that all your appointees and Ministers should undergo the drug scan which have been flauted with gross impunity? Can I trust you this time round.
Mr President, should I forget about all these and still go ahead trusting you. The one time premium on NHIS you promised me is still beyond reach. Am still waiting to spit on the murderers of my King. Am still not sure if you are yet to reduce the taxes and fuel prices. When will SADA begin existing in reality?
Truly speaking, I wish I could believe this promise but Abuja and "Dzi Wo Fie Asem" is giving me caution. I will advise all stakeholders in the up coming elections to take every needed caution. Promise, seem to have a new meaning now. It will be risky to relax based on promises. Election 2012 should be free, fair and above all peaceful. It will take all of us and especially the EC and all the political parties to ensure that Ghana makes another stride worthy of emulation in democracy.
Mr President, am watching but for now am just asking if I should trust you.
