Ghana's Day Of Shame: Chinese Introduced At Fetu Afahye

This Saturday Ghana experienced another day of shame when the President His Excellency John Dramani Mahama introduced a dozen Chinese nationals to the chiefs and people of Cape Coast at at a grand durbar to climax the Fetu Afayhe. The durbar which was turned into an NDC rally witnessed the introduction of the Chinese as the advance team to undertake the reconstruction of the Kotokoraba market. The construction of the market is not beyond the expertise and the capability of the Ghanaian and we consider the president's action as undermining Ghanaian enterprise and ingenuity.

The Progressive People's Party is deeply appalled by the spectacle of the Chinese at the festival as another piece of NDC propaganda and lack of confidence in the Ghanaian meant to deceive the people of Cape Coast that something significant was going to happen. The PPP wishes to remind the president that his continuous reliance on foreigners to undertake construction works in Ghana by denying Ghanaians the opportunities to grow is not in the best interest of of this country. Mr. Mahama as vice president led the crusade to give sovereign guarantee to the South Koreans to build affordable houses under the failed the STX deal whilst our real estate industry was suffocating and collapsing from high cost of credit. His lack of confidence in the Ghanaian and unwillingness to give opportunities to Ghanaian businesses gives us cause to worry.

The PPP believes in using the State's purchasing power to create a market for Ghanaian industries and support the expansion of Ghanaian businesses. Ghana belong to Ghanaians and we must be the first beneficiaries of any investment in the construction sub sector.

Whilst we support the immediate reconstruction of the Kotokoraba market, we believe that the reconstruction by the Chinese is out of order.

The PPP wishes to remind the people of Cape Coast and all Ghanaians that President Mahama has nothing to offer apart from engaging in endless propaganda, political gimmick and undermining Ghanaian confidence. We deserve better than this.

For the benefit of President Mahama and the NDC, we reproduce the challenge thrown by Dr. Nduom:

- Introduce amendments to the 1992 Constitution that will make three critical changes for progress in Ghana:

1) prohibit Members of Parliament from being appointed as Minsters of State,

2) return the power to the people for all Ghanaians to directly elect their district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives without any interference from the President and

3) strengthen the office of District Attorney by separating it from the Ministry of Justice;

- Make available to the public asset declarations,

- income tax returns,

- health records and

- sources of campaign funding before the December 7th elections; and

- Conduct a campaign to prove competence and ability to offer solutions to the nation’s numerous problems.

We are Awake!

Kofi Asamoah-Siaw

National Secretary, PPP