Former President, John Dramani Mahama
Whichever way you may view the issue under discussion, it is, indeed, ironic that despite all the harsh economic conditions amidst corruption allegations (Bus branding, Brazil World Cup, SADA, SUBA, GYEEDA, SSNIT, NCA, Ford Expedition Vehicle amongst others), Ex-President Mahama can still go ahead and aim accusing fingers at his opponents of promising the electorates the moon which led to his humiliating 2016 election defeat.
I read with irreversible incredulity the excerpts of Ex-President Mahama’s speech at the NDC’s 6th unity health walk at Somanya in the Eastern Region on Saturday 24th February 2018(See: NPP promised the moon but are yet to deliver the clouds-Mahama; citifmonline.com/ghanaweb.com, 24/02/2018).
“Former President John Dramani Mahama has lashed out at the government for what he describes as the slow pace of development, saying the government has failed on a majority of its promises to the citizenry.
“Addressing a gathering of NDC members at Somanya after the party’s 6th unity walk aimed at reorganizing the party ahead of the 2020 elections, the former President said the government had failed in fulfilling its promises on many levels, including paying road contractors working on various projects across the country.
“NPP promised the moon but has not even delivered clouds and so it makes your goodwill dwindle so fast …I know that when we were here, we were working on asphalt upgrading roads in Somanya and Odumase. I saw the contractor’s asphalt plants parked by the roadside and you will be surprised that for nearly two years the contractors have not been paid their money and so the work has come to a standstill, .”
Well, the NPP government could not have paid the contractors arrears when people we entrusted with the national purse abhorrently inflated contracts to the tune of over GH 5.4 billion.
Delightfully, however, despite the massive economic mess created by the outgone NDC government amid huge puzzling arrears, Akufo-Addo’s government has managed to settle some of the arrears to the delight of the contractors.
“Government has paid over one billion Ghana cedis within the past 11 months to road contractors as outstanding arrears for work executed during the previous government’s era, Mr Kwesi Amoako-Atta, the Minister of Roads and Highways, has disclosed.
“He said the Road Fund, which was supposed to receive an average between GHC70 to GHC 80 million every month, had not gotten the required amount due to a loan the previous government contracted from the United Bank of Africa (UBA).
“The Minister said the Government is currently paying GHC 67million every month to the UBA to service the loan at an interest rate of 30 per cent, which would be completed by the end of August next year, therefore GHC 37 million was left in the Fund every month (Source: omanfm1071.com, 29/12/2017).”
It is worth noting that since assuming power, the Akufo-Addo’s government has taken commendable strides to improve the social mobility through implementation of poverty reduction policies such as free SHS, one district one factory, one million dollars per constituency, tax reductions, a dam per village in the northern part of Ghana, among others.
Admirably, despite the huge economic mess created by the outgone Mahama’s government amid stunted economic growth, Akufo-Addo’s government has efficiently raised the economic growth from a disappointing 3.5 per cent as of December 2016 to over 7 per cent within a short space of time.
Besides, the NPP government has dramatically reversed the inflation rate to a little over 11 per cent from a little over 15 per cent as of December 2016 (GSS 2017).
It is also gratifying to note that President Akufo-Addo has honoured his promise of Free SHS to the delight of discerning Ghanaians.
Believe it or not, Akufo-Addo’s government is tackling the erstwhile Mahama’s government economic mess head-on. Take, for example, a few months ago, the finance minister presented the 2018 budget, against the backdrop of an improving macroeconomic performance and falling inflation.
It is, therefore, somewhat dreary to continue reading and listening to the baseless claims from the sore losers, given the economic hardships the same people willfully imposed on the good people of Ghana.
Tell me, my dearest reader, if this is not a sheer political gimmick, what would then drive a former president who presided over so much sleazes and corruption which culminated in Ghana’s economic downslide to accuse his opponents of slow pace of development?
I have always maintained that whenever the experienced politicians like former President Mahama keep holding on to vague rhetoric and political insobriety with a view to misinforming the unsuspecting public, it gives some of us the energy and reason to confute the apparent misconception.
With all due respect and no intention to be condescending on this occasion, former President Mahama must accept the fact that his woeful errors in judgement which sent Ghana’s economy deeply into the mire to some large extent, cost him the presidency, and not any juicy promises by his political opponents.
Let us however admit, despite the apparent economic downslide back then, President Mahama and his apologists kept trumpeting their vague rhetoric , political insobriety and meaningless slogans-‘Mahama Tuaso’; ‘We care for you’; ‘people matter, you matter’; ‘we are transforming lives’.
The discerning Ghanaians therefore decided to put their trust in NPP to set them free from the Mahama government’s ostensive economic enslavement.And, rightly so, the good people of Ghana embraced NPP’s advantageous policies such as one district one factory, one constituency one million dollars, one village one dam, free SHS, tax deductions and many others.
Suffice it to state that if President Akufo-Addo and his government managed to fulfill all those promises, trust me, it would be an illustrative case of “heaven on earth”
Incredibly, back then, whenever the suffering Ghanaians complained about the economic hardships, former President Mahama and his appointees would ungraciously chastise the same people who gave them the electoral mandate.
Believe it or not, the NDC’s ‘Babies with sharp teeth’ would insult every Ghanaian that would dare complain about their laissez faire style of leadership.
The discourteous NDC brats did not even spare their party founder, Rawlings, for voicing his opinion over the rampant sleaze and corruption in the NDC administration.Yes, the ill-bred apologists kept castigating their founder, Rawlings, for expressing his arousing disgust over the rot in his party.
Besides, the NDC’s Babies with sharp teeth disgustingly abused the then flagbearer of the NPP Party and the current President Nana Akufo-Addo day in and day out.
The brats spewed all sort of lies about the eminent lawyer. The good people of Ghana somehow became fed-up with the needless abuse the NDC apologists were directing towards the unwearied Nana Akufo-Addo.
Ironically, back then, President Mahama claimed to be a humble leader, a very patient leader, a tolerant leader. Yet it was the same President Mahama who lividly told Dr Bawumia, the NPP’s presidential running mate for 2016 general election and now the vice president of Ghana to shut up and cease criticizing him (Mahama) because he (Bawumia) had not been a president before.
Strangely, however, the much touted humble, patient and tolerant President Mahama was reported to have told the people of Ashanti Region that they are ungrateful and would never be appreciative even if all their roads are constructed with gold.
Again, President Mahama, a humble leader, a very patient leader, a tolerant leader,was reported to have referred to Asantes as useless lots who are incapable of pronouncing words that have letters ‘L and R. The people of Ashanti Region ineffaceably stenciled such unnecessary comment at the back of their minds and waited for an appropriate time to express their arousing disgust.
Unsurprisingly, therefore, on 7th December 2016, the good people of Ghana remembered the day when the humble, patient and tolerant President Mahama told them to cease their useless discussions over the suitable burial place of our departed former President Mills.
And what is more, whenever the good people of Ghana expressed their doubts over the much touted numerous infrastructural projects, the humble, patient and tolerant President Mahama and his vociferous communicators would reply: “It is only those that are blind that do not see the good work of the NDC government.”
As a matter of fact, the good people of Ghana stenciled the needless attacks on their mental sheets and waited for an opportune time to teach the clamorous NDC ‘Babies with sharp teeth’ a great lesson.
And, who said that 7th December 2016 was not the right time for the good people of Ghana to vent their spleen on the disrespectful and power intoxicated brats?
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