Veep And Ministers Failed To Address Concerns Of Ghanaians In UK.

Last Friday, the 9th of July, The Vice –President, Mr John Mahama led a team of NDC Ministers to meet a cross section of Ghanaians in what was termed a “forum” to brief us about the NDC government achievements. Indeed the so called forum was as contrived as the NDC manifesto and the meeting itself turned out to be a late starting fiasco. Our advice the Vice President and his team is that they must treat Ghanaians with a bit more respect when they come into London in future. For a meeting that was supposed to start at 6.30, the Vice President did not turn up till 8.00pm and there was no sign of remorse from him.

Mr John Mahama could have informed Ghanaians who turned up to listen why he was here in London. After all for a social democrat he stayed in one of the most expensive hotels in London, the Landmark Hotel at the expense of the Ghanaian tax payer. This is the same hotel the NDC vehemently criticised ex-President Kufuor for lodging even though it was at the expense of the British taxpayer because he was being hosted by the British government while on a state visit to celebrate Ghana @ 50 in March 2007. Since Mr. Mahama failed to tell us why he was in UK we would like to ask him to explain why he came to UK, if only indeed he came to answer only four questions and the justification for spending hundreds of thousands of tax payers money in the Landmark Hotel. Our sources inform us that he was on a wild goose chase for investors but the leanings and the attitude of the NDC are off putting for investors and therefore went home empty handed.

At the meeting, participants were told that only four (4) questions could be asked. The participants disagreed after all it wasn’t their fault the Vice President was late.

Critical questions were asked ranging from the state of the economy, the mining disaster in which galamsey miners lost their lives, the debacle at our ports, the huge electricity and water tariffs and the reasons behind the sacking of Dr. Ampofo from Tema Oil refinery. Even though we did not get any tangible answers from any of these questions, we thank the Vice President for at least telling us what the Transport Minister had denied all along in the past, that is, all main roads linking our towns throughout the country will be tolled and taxed. A simple question was asked on how Ghanaians are going to pay for these tolls when real incomes have decreased as much as 40% and the Vice president rambled on with incoherent answers.

We were astonished by the Vice President’s response to the deaths of “galamsey” miners who died in a pit; that not all those died were Ghanaians thus it was not an issue to worry about!!! We would like to remind the Vice President that as a member of ECOWAS, Africa Union and even as human beings we owe a duty of care and protection to everybody who lives and works on the soil of Ghana. Such are the rules of international law and International humanity. In the same vein the government of Gambia could have argued that they did not invite our nationals who unfortunately lost their lives there and yet we have managed to get compensation for their families which his government is covering up.

A lady also asked about the mismanagement going on at our ports, the delay in clearing goods and whether Carl Wilson the Chairman of the Vehicle Assets Confiscation Committee was still at post. We got a curious answer; Carl Wilson will soon be put on trial to answer allegations against him, but some of us are aware he is still sitting in an office in the Castle.

We did not get any comfort in the answers regarding the delay of goods at the ports, a critical issue that affects thousands of Ghanaians in the United Kingdom. The answer we got is “we are working on it”.

A gentleman also asked a question about events at the Tema Oil Refinery and the dismissal of Dr Ampofo. At this stage, a member of the NDC organising team got aggressive and said “we are not here to answer these kind of questions”, the microphone was snatched from him and it fell on the floor. So much for probity and accountability!!!

The Vice President told Ghanaians that the STX Housing deal was a good deal and that the opposition NPP always saw everything negative in what the government was trying to do. He said the cost of the houses at 50,000 dollars included provision of light, water, sanitary facilities land price thus it was affordable!!!! This is in stark contrast to what is stated in the agreement. Curiously he was silent about the Ghana government guarantee of the loan from Woori bank for STX Korea and the fact that the agreement states that the Ghana government will irrevocably waive its sovereign immunity.

We wanted to ask the Vice President if he knew what the future price of oil would be for us to mortgage our crude oil to pay for these houses and why hedging is going to cost Ghana 66 million dollars a year. We also wanted to ask if President Mills his boss had even read the off-taker agreement since sources close to the castle indicated he had not but we never got the chance.

I would take this opportunity to appeal to Ghana High Commission to organise forums in the Northern and Eastern Parts of London as majority of Ghanaians live in these areas. We have heard from sources close to the High Commission and the Ghana Union, who claim to represent Ghanaians in the United Kingdom (this is debatable as there are 101 other Ghanaian Associations), that they are reluctant to organise forums in these areas because most Ghanaians who live in these areas are pro NPP thus they don’t want any tough questioning. Where you organised this meeting with the Vice President, in a church hall in an obscure part of South East London, with no proper transport links created the impression you are hiding from scrutiny. It is sad to see the NDC and its agents still engaging in these cat and mouse games with Ghanaians in the UK.

Our leaders must understand that being in government is to serve the people and that the cagey and aggressive attitude displayed by some members of the Vice President’s entourage and elements of the NDC is unacceptable, After all it is our tax payers’ money they are enjoying.

Ghanaians really deserve better!!!!

Nana Yaw Sarpong

Communications Officer-NPP UK and Ireland

Chairman, NPP UK and Ireland Media/Publicity Committee