100 Days Of A Better Ghana

- “For Better For Worse” Experience Gape

By: Michael A. K. Ellimah

100 Days Of A Better Ghana- “For Better For Worse” Experience Gape Those of us who lived and witnessed the wedding ceremony between Ghanaians and the then NDC’s presidential candidate Professor John Evans Attah Mills were privileged to share in one of the momentous periods of the ceremony - the exchange of vows! His Excellency the President promised among others: to rid off the filth that engulfed the capital city, take measures to effect change and reduce the tariffs and taxes on petroleum products, ensure the full implementation of the disability act and many broad promises of interest. As expected we responded Yes I Do by voting for the NDC based on these promises. The marriage was finally consummated on the seventh day of January, two thousand and nine (07/01/09) in the year of our Lord, commencing the walk to the “Hundred Days of a Better Ghana” in the journey of a 4-year marriage contract. A new social order was born, it was an exciting event filled with hope and of course suspicion. The witnesses of the ceremony begun to gape to see and experience the fulfillment of the terms of the contract particularly the hundred days of the presidents’ administration. The question of whether the president has reneged in the fulfillment of the hundred days promises has been widely discussed and I do not intend to belabour the argument. Without confusing the four year pledges and the hundred days promises, in my estimation and thinking about ninety percent of the hundred days promises have been fulfilled and the evidence are there for everybody to see. I must emphasis however, that not only can the evidence of the fulfillment of the Better Ghana promises be boldly seen but the obvious worse parts innocuously or perniciously accompanied the fulfillment of the promises and no one must be flippant about it.

There are those who would contend that the ghastly conditions that have characterize their daily living in these hundred days of honeymooning must also be mentioned for prompt attention. They may be justified to argue that the rhythmic beat of the deep rumblings of discontent from Bawku, Tamale, the rising cost of living, erratic water supply, the strength of the Cedi that has plummeted to major international trading currencies, increase in price of petroleum products, high inflationary rate, indiscipline and what have you are all indicative of the deep and tragic midnight which encompassed our honeymoon. Moving through the latitudes of Paga to Axim and Longitudes of Aplao to Elubo of the country people are not taciturn of their cringing economic lives these hundred days of “a Better Ghana” have meted out to them. A few snapshots of Tamale conflict, disaster at the Babayara Sports Stadium, the soaring state of road carnage, seizure of toilet keys and cars are pinpointing facts that the hundred days have not been that rosy. I must admit though, that the gamut of these experiences may not wholly be attributable to policies implemented by the present Government within the “hundred days of a better Ghana” However, a vivid and comprehensive explanation of how the nation arrived at this destination and the way out of these myriad of challenges will assuage the anxieties and skepticism of Ghanaians in the days ahead. Indeed, beyond the hundred days of our four years marriage contract with president Mills lies, some true challenges; First, we are challenged to rise above the narrow confines of our individualistic and partisan concerns to the broader concerns of all. This means that no political party, tribe, ethnic group or individual can live alone and therefore we must learn to live together or we will be forced to die together as a nation. We should all come to a lucid understanding of our involvement in a single process of finding a panacea to the enormity of challenges confronting the mass of our people. Whatever affects one indirectly affects all of us. I do not intend to suggest that we should all belong to one political party, one ethnic group or religion but by cooperation, cohesion and constructive criticism we can push this nation to the pinnacle of hope for posterity.

A second challenge that stands before us is that of entering the new direction of moving forward with understanding goodwill for the present government, members of the past government and to one another. This simply means that the virtues of honesty, love, mercy and forgiveness should stand at the center of our lives. There is the danger that the expectations of people who have longed lived under the yoke of economic exploitation and those who have had to stand amid the ravages of injustice and indignities with impunity will enter the days ahead with hatred and bitterness. Nonetheless, all persons found to have conducted themselves in a manner injurious to the health of the economy, laws of the land and the faith and will of the people of Ghana must be brought to justice or justice be brought to them to serve as a deterrent to all and members the present administration.

Another challenge that we must embrace in deed and not only in words in the coming days is the development and commitment of selfless, honest, courageous and dedicated leadership. Leadership committed to the plight of the people, leadership dedicated to show the way and go the way, leadership committed to do away with obscene ostentation, leadership not only obsessed with their own comfort. This and many of such qualities is one of the pressing needs of the days ahead. In this period of moving forward in a different direction of change there is a dire need of leaders who are calm and yet positive, leaders who avoid extreme “hot headedness” The urgency of our development calls for leaders of wise judgment and sound integrity- leaders not in love with money but in love with hard work; leaders not in love with publicity and cheap recognition but in love with the community; leaders whom the lust of office does not kill, and leaders; who have honor and leaders who will not lie in public duty and private thinking.

The final challenge that the years ahead of us brings is that of achieving excellence in our various ways of doing things. In the coming years the blessings of oil is going to open many doors to the nation and that the great challenge that we confront is to be prepared as a people to tap these blessings and not make them a curse. Let us all do our work with diligence, excellence and tactfulness. Let us all eschew lateness, absenteeism, loitering and laziness and work hard for “a better Ghana”. Whatever your life’s work is, do it well. Even if it does not fall in the category of one of the so called big professions, do it well.

It is both historically and biologically true that there can be no growth without growing pains. Whenever the emergence of the new is imminent we confront the inertia of the old and thus the writings on the walls of the “hundred days for a better Ghana” are copious evidence of mixed times of challenging and better days ahead of the four years marriage contract. “FOR BETTER FOR WORSE” Indeed!!!

The writer is the Leader and Spokesperson for the

Movement of Social Change and Development - MOSCAD

Email: michaelkwamek@yahoo.com