Ghanaians gasping for air under Nana Addo’s first 100 days in office

I have to state with great pain and sorrow that there is no better critical indicator that the future of Ghana is bright under the Nana Addo led NPP government. Having followed closely events surrounding the 100 Days old Presidency of HE Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo and its effect on Ghanaians, I have to say without any shred of doubt that the first hundred days has only been a reign of lawlessness, lies, vindictiveness, terror, hopelessness and total disaster.

The achievements claimed to have been chalked in the first 100 days by the NPP is far from the truth. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia should be serious for once and tell Ghanaians the bitter truth. A good leader is one who appreciates his challenges, speaks to the challenges as they are and look for innovative ideas to fixing those challenges. But to tow the path of vile propaganda and deceive Ghanaians in believing that some significant gains has been made in your first 100 days is highly unfortunate. Yes, I agree to some extent with Dr. Bawumia who said "Ghanaians overwhelmingly voted for change and did so for a number of good reasons” but I have to tell him plainly that Ghanaians are very discerning and their sense of reasoning cannot be taken for granted.

It is very shocking and disheartening for Dr. Bawumia to claim the NPP have fulfilled 103 of its campaign promises. Were we not in this country when the NPP made a lot of noise about free SHS? But what did the Finance Minister told Ghanaians when he presented the 419 budget? During the presentation of their so called ASEMPA budget, the NPP government made a sudden U-turn that only first year students of SHS will benefit from the highly touted educational package. Were we not told the teacher and nursing trainee allowances will be restored in March 2017, but why is the restoration date shifted to September?

Again, this government promised Ghanaians that there will be significant reduction in electricity tariffs and transportation fares through the removal of the energy sector levy, removal of import duties on raw materials and machinery for production, reduction in Drivers’ Insurance Levies and cost of license but can same be said of the “419” budget presented by the Hon. Finance Minister? Have they abolished the tax on financial services as promised?

Is the 15% increment in transport fares significant achievement by the NPP government or what? Is the 110 ministers and deputy ministers appointed by Akufo Addo an achievement to be proud of? Is the $3BN borrowed in less than 100 days what is being touted as achievements?

Is the unprovoked attacks on Ghanaians and government officials by NPP’s own blood-thirsty vigilante groups what Dr. Bawumia claimed to be significant achievements? Is the post-election thuggery, terrorism, unlawful dismissals and intimidation perpetrated by the NPP is what Dr. Bawumia has described as achievement? Is the $2.25BN bond issued by the finance minister, Hon. Ofori Atta to his close friend, Trevor Trefgarne who is a Director of Franklin Templeton without due process is what Dr. Bawumia called achievements? I feel pity for Bawumia for allowing himself to be continuously used by NPP to spew lies in an attempt to score cheap political points. One will wonder if the man does not have people around to advise him on what to speak on when and how?

Liars they say; “need to have good memories” Dr. Bawumia and his Boss Nana Addo must have good memories of what they promised Ghanaians, the President must have good memories of what he promised the illegal miners in Obuasi. Ghanaians should recall that during one of Nana Addo’s campaign tours in Obuasi he assured the illicit miners that “I was here in Obuasi to say that galamsey, which I prefer to call small-scale mining, will be regularized, to ensure that the youth all find work to do. Shortly afterwards, Mahama also came here to tell you that I was lying, and that an Akufo-Addo government will rather sack everyone involved in galamsey.”

The above statement made by Nana Addo is a clear-cut indication of his avowed commitment to promote galamsey in the country. So how can the Chinese government take the president serious as someone who wants to fight the galamsey menace? This should also tell Ghanaians why John Peter Amewu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, was pleading with the Chinese Ambassador during their recent engagement. The blatant truth is that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does not have the guts and the bravado to fight illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in the country because some of his financiers are directly involved the business.

For the records, I have to state unequivocally that there is no significant achievement for Ghanaians to be proud of in the first 100 days of the NPP administration. Their 100 days has only been characterized with broken promises and lawlessness leaving Ghanaians in a state of fear and panic. The fact is that you cannot scratch the face of problems faced by the Ghanaian people and equate that to the fulfilment of unattainable campaign promises you made to Ghanaians. The monumental achievement Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia claimed to have been chalked by his party is a mirage and a joke of the century. This again vindicates me that the man does not know what is meant by impact assessment.

By this release, I want to bring to the attention of the president of the republic that the ordinary Ghanaians who voted for him are gasping for air under his watch and there is an urgent need for him to show leadership and get to work in order to fix the myriad of problems facing Ghanaians for the talk shows by his government cannot take us anywhere as a country.

...signed... Victor Quarshie Adonoo (NDC Greater Accra Regional Secretary) 0243603147