If I Were President Mahama (2)

Fellow Ghanaians, brothers and sisters, I send you warm greetings from the cozy but hot seat of Government. I presume by now most of you are wondering what I’ve been up to since I returned from my three day working visit to the Ashanti region.

Well, you all know the awful economic turbulence we find ourselves isn’t over, so since I returned to Accra, aside the good local meals I’ve been enjoying from Mama Lordina’s kitchen, I’ve not had rest. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking - though many of you think I don’t; attending meetings with big men and women and sourcing for ways to tackle the daunting challenges facing our motherland.

As I’ve promised you before, I’ll provide the most transparent government and one of the modes I intend doing it is by addressing you through this medium.

I read and enjoyed all the messages some of you sent me on my last address to you in the May 06, 2014 edition of The aL-hAJJ. All I can say is that God bless and keep you safe and continue to join me swallow my Finance Minister’s bitter pills in the name of ‘home-grown’ measures while we await economic liberation.

Just when I was preparing to share with you what in my view were topical issues making headlines today, a thought came to mind that I address you on some seemingly mundane and inconsequential matters that caught my attention during my “yentie obiaa” tour of the Ashanti region.

During my tour of the most populous region in Ghana last week, I noticed the filth on the streets is no different from Accra. But because I didn’t want to spark another ‘verbal war’ like the Kyebi episode when I described the Abuakwa south capital as the “Headquarters of Galamsey”, I would have christened Kumasi as the “Headquarters of Filth.”

I didn’t also attempt doing that because of the volumes of filth on the street of the Accra. To be fair to the people of the Ashanti region, particularly; Oseikrom, I thought that title be better reserved for Accra.

Due to the effect indiscriminate littering of our streets has on the fortunes of the nation, I want to dwell on it for some time and later talk about my subjects for today.

I know some of you have already started murmuring “what is he coming to tell us again…, yatiaa abre?” For the avoidance of doubt, I’m not going to engage in my usual long and winding ‘sweet talks’, what I intend doing today is to share with you my thoughts on the raging debate on the Heritage Fund and briefly touch on the uproar my ‘yentie obiaa’ jargon has generated.

Even though I would love my name is written in Ghana’s history book of gold by tackling big problem areas like infrastructure development, education, health, security, manufacturing, agriculture, manpower development etc., getting the seemingly trifling issue of littering of our streets right; would make the serious matters to fall in place naturally.

The distasteful practice of dropping waste on our streets pisses me off, yes, I meant it. As President, sometimes I fill like all of us should go on hunger strike and prevail on Satan to do the honorable thing by apologizing to Jesus Christ for his unguided and highly reprehensible behavior so we could all go back to the Garden of Eden. In that case, I don’t think any of you will find any street, let alone, to liter. The practice is an eyesore and I hate it, I swear!

Those who don’t understand the psychology of social epidemics would sneer “Is that our major problem.” But those who are discerning would tell you big problems usually stem from little causes. I’ll tell you why we need to fight this canker.

When someone drinks water and flings the bottle or sachet out of the car window or drops it on the street (if he is a pedestrian), ordinarily it looks like a case of dirty habit. But it goes beyond that. Most likely, the person is not a dirty person. Look at him, you would see that he is neatly dressed; the interior and exterior of his car or environment is clean; and his home may be tidy too, if visited.

But, if that same person drinks that same water in his sitting room, he would not drop the bottle or sachet on the floor. To him, the sitting room is “my sitting room”, but the street is “their street”, do you get the drift?

It shows us two different cases of ownership. What such a person is saying is: “The Street is already dirty. Dropping this on it will not make it any worse. The street is not mine. And nobody cares how it really looks. No punishment will come to me for dropping this. My car/bag is too clean to hold this bottle or sachet. It is not my business whatever happens to the environment as long as my own portion of the country is okay.”

That mindset affects the way the person relates to other bigger issues. Pervasive corruption in public office, which we’ve all been lamenting about, has its roots in such a mindset: “Let me grab as much as I can to ensure that my family is well off. The nation is not mine. Whatever happens to the state or nation is not my business..., 3ny3 aban di3?

After all, everybody is stealing. Whether I steal or not, the money will still be stolen. And most importantly, nobody will catch me.”

There is absolutely no reason for a sane person to drop a used container or sachet on the street. The container does not stink; it does not stain the interior of a car (private or public) or a bag; it will not remain in the vehicle or bag for long.

Some people may even argue that if the streets are not dirtied, those hired to clean them will be out of job. What a warp and lame thinking? Our country is dusty and sandy; we have trees in many places shedding off leaves that ordinary provide enough work for the cleaners.

Plastic waste materials are even the worst and most dangerous. They don’t decompose and subsequently block drains leading to flooding, destroying properties and possibly lives.

Besides, the people who labour to sweep these streets are like our loved ones. We deserve to appreciate their work and show them some respect.

Anyway that was just by the way. Now back to the main topic. I mentioned earlier that I’ll talk briefly about the latest Akan phrase in town, “yentie obiaa”. I’m elated it is making waves as I wished. One of my aides told me my detractors are jabbing me for releasing that ‘hot’ punch line.

I was informed it dominated discussions on all the major media platforms. That was exactly what I was looking for. But that is not to say I enjoy needless controversies. I deliberately used that word. As for the portion of my statement they are trying to pitch me against Ashantis, I wish them well in that endeavor. I don’t want to comment on it for personal reasons.

You know what? I said Yentie Obiaa not because I enjoy controversy. I said it because I thought the Tweaa DCE man had enjoyed much popularity and it was time I take over. When I landed on the Yentie Obiaa phrase which was culled from a song by one of Ghana’s finest highlife artist, Charles Kwadwo Fosu aka Daddy Lumba, who composed a hit campaign song for my fiercest opponent in the 2008 elections… I knew it will catch wild fire and eventually replace “Tweaa”.

When the phrase was first suggested to me by one of my aides, I thought of something very funny but at the same time serious, especially considering the composer of the song. I don’t have any problem with the song, but I have some few issues with the copyright owner.

I will be surprised if Daddy Lumba voted the NDC in the 2008 and 2012 elections. He was the lead musician who thrilled supporters of the NPP at various rallies with his “Nana Ye Winner” campaign song in 2008.

Even with his heat song which was also repeated in 2012, which also became Nana Akufo-Addo’s anthem, he lost the 2008 election to my former boss the late Prof Mills.

Even after the death of Prof Mills when the NPP thought they could win the election, the repeated the same song and I used only three months to whip Nana Akufo-Addo who has been campaigning to be elected president since the 90s.

Mama Lordina told me if I adopt the words in Daddy Lumba’s song, he will abandon the good old Nana Akufo-Addo and quickly run to me demanding some coins. Voila! As if Mama Lordina was a prophet, when I got to Kumasi and I dropped the first punch line, Daddy Lumba hurriedly rushed to me for reasons best known to the two of us.

He was sheepishly following around throughout my tour in the Ashanti region. He would not allow me breathing space. Even when I want to pass urine, he still followed me. I told myself “Nana Akufo-Addo must have really suffered financially when he engaged his service.”

I now understand why Nana Akufo-Addo had to sell almost all his Dad’s properties both home and abroad to finance his 2008 and 2012 campaigns.

My brothers and sisters, I can assure you that though I used words in Daddy Lumba’s song, I don’t intend carrying it into the 2016 elections or even engage him to compose a campaign song for me.

Even if he does it for free, I’ll reject it. I don’t what to suffer similar fate as Nana Akufo-Addo. I don’t need Daddy Lumba’s song; I’m convinced enough that his songs are synonymous with defeat in elections. Those close to him should advise him to end his relationship with me. I don’t need him. I’ll need his vote though in 2016, but not a song.

The public uproar “yentie obiaa” has generated is a blessing in disguise. I was not surprised when members of NPP latched on it to portray me as arrogant and disrespectful. Ghanaians are the best judges. Ghanaians know that between myself and them, I’m the most modest and respectful.

For their information, “yentie obiaa” was targeted at them and not the rest of Ghanaians. Since I took office as President, they have been complaining bitterly and often rebuked me even when I do morally accepted things. My message to them was contain in the Akan phrase, and I hope they stop the unbridled move to create public disaffection for me with it… ‘It ain’t gonna work”

This is where I need my party communicators most. I expect them to let the NPP members know that my message was specific targeted at them. Sometimes, I don’t get some of my communicators. They go and mess up on radio and TV and allow their opponents to get away with their lies. They fail to research on burning issues in the country, yet they are in a hurry to engage their opponents.

I know some of the things are too rough for Ayariga and his two deputies to say. That is why we have party communicators. They must do those dirty jobs. They don’t do these things but the next day you hear them threatening, “I’m going on strike…the party is not taking care of me”. Who would pay for shoddy work?

I brought Ben Dotse Malor to streamline the communication outfit and so far he has done a fantastic job. I’m not unaware of the difficulties he is having with some of my aides at the presidency. I hope to address you on that another day.

Just look at the way the party communicators are handling the raging debate on the proposal by my party’s General Secretary that we use the Heritage Fund to solve challenges of today. Some of them don’t even know what the Heritage Fund is. This is where I think Malor must go hard on members of the communication. He must sack the lazy ones who take delight in appearing on radio and TV stations just for needless popularity.

What would you achieve if you have dozens of communicators who cannot articulate government policies and position on issues?

In my humbly and candid opinion, Asiedu Nketsiah made the most sensible suggestion. What would it profit us if we have our money locked up in a Whiteman’s land, yielding almost zilch interest while we are in dire difficulties, with suggestion from some of the same people criticizing Asiedu Nketsiah that, we opt for IMF bailout?

For those of you who don’t know what the Heritage Fund is, it is a fund being kept to ensure inter-generational equity and to maintain the value of oil capital since the oil resources are non-renewable.

What my General Secretary suggested, which I support, is the right thing to do in this torrid times. It does not make any sense if we keep monies in the Heritage Funds while we struggle to find money to build a strong and resilient economy. This simple and logical thing too, members of the opposition are raising red flags.

If the Heritage Fund belongs to the future generation of Ghana, and so what? Isn’t it our own money? In any case, does the law regulating the fund specify when the fund should be used? Did it specify which year marks the unborn generation? I can tell you 30 years from today, if the fund is to be used, you’ll find people advancing same argument members of the NPP are positing. From the day the law was promulgated and now, are we not the unborn generation law referred to?

The question I keep asking myself is-if we allow the money to remain in the fund for the unborn generation and our economy collapses and it happens also that there is no more Ghana, where will the money in the fund go? Or if those of us living now suffocate financially and we all die, will there be anybody to bring forth the unborn generation they are touting?

I can understand members of the NPP and their associates parading themselves as leaders of civil society groups. They want the money to remain in the fund so when they get the opportunity to rule this country again, they’ll propose the same measure and embezzle the funds like they did to the TOR debt recovery levy.

No way! It won’t happen. We’ll use the fund now to build a better future for the unborn generation. I was thinking of how to generate enough funds to put the economy back on track before my able General Secretary brought up this wise suggestion. I pray Ghanaians don’t buy into the propaganda by members of the NPP.

They know how to “chop” state funds so they think we’ll do same. We want to serve the people and Build a Better Ghana. As I titled my 2012 manifesto “People Matter You Matter”. I hope to address you another day!

Adieu!!!

A. A. Yayra citizenkorsi@gmail.com 08-06-14