Are You Moving Forward Mr.President?

From: Stephen A.Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

NINE O’CLOCK in the morning exactly Ghana time of the year of our lord two thousand and eleven, the president of Ghana Professor John Evans Atta Mills, will be sitting together with other dignitaries on the dais drape with the national colours of the country red, gold, green with the shining black star to officially mark 54TH independence anniversary.

He will be officially sitting down quietly to observe proceedings including the provision of sweet brass band music from the security services that will make him tap his feet according to the beat. He will also show his admiration to these officers and men for putting out good performances at the independence square by clapping.

Trust me as it has always been so it will surely be this morning where the officers and men from the police, military, fire, customs, immigration and prisons will put up smart performance by exhibiting calculated footsteps, nice swing of arms and a delightful display of weapons at the parade grounds where the march past would be conducted. But as they move forward in well calculated footsteps in the march past the dais where the president will be sitting quietly or stand to take the salute, there might be other issues boggling his mind at that time which will result in asking himself a simple question. The simple issue that might be boggling the mind of the president which only he can answer will be,” am I moving forward the way I promised to in executing my better Ghana agenda like the way these contingents are moving forward in their march past?”

It is sad for the country to observe such a great day in the annals of struggle for freedom without the presence of our teachers who have served notice of their absence as a way of fighting for their salary adjustment.

Anyway the president must flog his sector ministers for allowing the issue to reach a heightening stage to cause him such a disgrace and for that matter the whole country earning a bad name in such times.

My good friend Mr. Stephen Balado Menu, will tell you when you see the problem coming you must first of all draft a solution to it before it consumes you. So here the ministers should have drawn the stake holders to a round table and negotiated with them to bring calm and sanity in the system instead of allowing the situation to get out of hand.

Aside the teachers issue anyway, the president might still be having issues boggling his mind as to whether he has been moving forward as far as running the country is in his hands.

He will be asking himself this question the NDC campaign slogan for 2008 general election which won him more votes was simple and clear,” WE ARE MOVING FORWARD”. During the campaign time he was moving forward.

When he assumed the reins of power he made it clear that he was moving forward. So we have to still ask him whether he is moving forward now looking at turn of events which seem not to be good for his administration. Filth is engulfing the country resulting in outbreak of certain diseases such as cholera, the single spine salary structure suppose to be giving more support to civil servants is rather breaking their already spines, his failure to acknowledge his former president and other dignitaries at his state of the nation address has resulted in both majority and minority fighting in the law making house instead of making laws for the country.

“We are moving forward. When elected as the president I will uproot corruption from the system. If someone told me that CEPS officers were collecting bribe I would not have believed it but I saw it with my naked eyes” he said during the campaign season and aftermath of Anas Aremeyaw Anas tape at Tema Harbour. Chiefs and their subjects believed him of his “we are moving forward “promises but now are complaining why? The road constructions are not coming; the employment opportunities are no where.

The money is not filling the empty pockets, the ministers and party faithful are grabbing properties left and right, insulting the intelligence of the people least they are angry, the free school uniforms as they were made to believe are not being supplied so Mr. President are you moving forward?

As we wait for your answer, it is very clear that you will be taking the salute at the independence square as the officers and men from our various security services as well as students and organized groups march past the dais. Mr. President, will you take the salute from your “we are moving forward” foot soldiers when you see them marching past the dais? No but let us ask this question because it is possible since they stormed the parliament house a couple of weeks ago scrambling for food reserved for parliamentarians and dignitaries .Adequate security must be made at the district and regional levels because these irate foot soldiers may visit a mayhem this morning.

More than twelve months remaining to realize achievement of “we are moving forward” promises are enough so good people of Ghana exercise patience strategists of the tax professor assures all of us that he will surely deliver. All said and done, whiles reflecting on your “we are moving forward” programme Ghanaians will like to wish you happy 54TH Independence Anniversary. All that we hope for you is that the good God should grant you good health and wisdom that surpasses all man understanding to run the country that will move forward more than this. Happy Anniversary.

End.