On January 7, 2013, a former Member of Parliament,
once a former Deputy Minister who was also once a Cabinet Minister and later became
a Vice-President of Ghana was sworn in as the 6th President of a
democratic Ghana and the 4th of the 4th Republic of Ghana. John Mahama(JM)
is currently ten months inside his first four-year term.
Arguably, there is no President in the history of
Ghana who has had to face the kind of challenges JM has faced in the embryonic
stage of his Presidency. He is the first President, for example, whose
legitimacy as the democratically elected President of Ghana has been challenged
in court. Going about one’s Presidential duties while waiting for the verdict
of the Supreme Court is like having Damocles’ Sword dangling over one’s neck. Then
there were the doctor’s strike, pharmacists strike, teachers strike and other
strikes that he had to contend with. As if that was not enough, the mysterious
market fires became the order of the day. The energy crises, a.k.a. ‘dum sor’ ‘dum
sor’ was going on
unabated. Many well-wishers of JM
rightly feared that in the face of all these challenges, he is bound to fail.
But, ten months on, it can be said that he succeeded in riding the storm. The
reasons why he succeeded and other factors are the reasons why he is very
likely to succeed as President of Ghana. Below, we discuss seven of the
factors.
7. NATURE OF
POLITICAL OPPOSITION
The NPP is undoubtedly the biggest opposition party.
It is also the party with the oldest tradition in Ghana politics. Conservatives
and often ethnocentric, their style of opposition has not changed since the
pre-independent era. They believe that it is their divine right to rule. If
they are not in power, then everything that the ruling government does is
wrong. They have the knack for instigating labour, the businesses and traders,
the academia, students and other identifiable groups against any ruling
government.
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, writing about them in
his book “Dark Days In Ghana” described them as “unpatriotic selfish men” who have
“a long record of go-slow policies, of subversive activities”. Nkrumah adds that
that they were people
who regarded themselves as “respectable,
the professional and intellectual elite, as having nothing to do with the
toiling masses whom they regarded with a mixture of fear and scorn.”
This description of the Busia-Danquah tradition is
still apt of adherents of the tradition today represented by the NPP. Intellectual
arrogance as well as tribal
bigotry and this opposition party are bedfellows. As a result, they do not have
a mass appeal. They hold sway during elections in only Akan areas, many of who
have begun to reject them. In non-Akan areas, they are rejected without a
second thought. Their ability to turn identifiable groups against ruling
governments was manifested during the reign of Jerry Rawlings and Prof. Mills
and is now being witnessed under President Mahama. While they were in power,
the Trade Union Congress (TUC) became a toothless bull-dog. Never did Ghanaians
hear that the TUC was embarking on a demonstration against the NPP government;
not when the price of petrol was increased by over 300% and utility tariffs
went up over 100%. When the same TUC is ready to go on strike over an 80%
increase in tariffs, one can see the NPP at work. The number of doctors and
teachers strike, as well as strikes by CLOSSAG and other identifiable bodies
that have rocked Ghana from since the NDC came into government in 2008 are
clear manifestations of how the NPP is able to manipulate these bodies against
the government of the day. However, the ordinary man has long ago wised up to
this anachronistic tactics. They know what the opposition NPP really want when
they shout themselves hoarse that they are fighting for the ordinary man. That
Ghana’s
opposition is still resorting to such inferior tactics which no longer jells
with the ordinary man is going to help JM to succeed.
6. INTERNATIONAL
GOODWILL
In an era when the world has become a global
village, the International Community plays a role in local politics.
President Mahama undoubtedly has a lot of goodwill
in the international arena which he can count on to shape local politics. For
instance, while the opposition were challenging his legitimacy in court,
England, France and Japan, extended invitations to him to pay official visits
to their respective countries. Obviously, this move by these powerful countries
was to send signals to the international business community that they back him
and his government. U.S President Barack Obama was on record as being one of
the first Presidents to congratulate JM after he won the Presidential elections
in December last year. The high esteem his colleagues on the West Coast of
Africa hold him in has been demonstrated severally. JM has a lot going for him
internationally and this would help him succeed as President.
5. HIGH
LIKABILITY RATE
To say most Ghanaians like JM is an understatement.
Even as a Minister of state, he was voted the most loved politician by opinion
polls conducted by some media houses. His high likeability rate helped Prof.
Mills a lot to clinch victory in the 2008 elections after his partnership with
Martin Amidu and Mohammed Mumuni failed to get him the Presidency in 2000 and
2004. In the 2012 elections, the love Ghanaians have for John was demonstrated
by the fact that he managed to overcome Akufo Addo’s populists offer of Free
SHS to the electorate to win at the polls. Akufo Addo, with JM’s high
likability rate, must be flattered that he lost by about 360,000 votes only.
JM’s high likeability rate among Ghanaians will
definitely help to succeed as many are likely to exercise patience with him
till his policies begin to bear fruit. With a high likability rate among
Americans, in spite of the economic difficulties, President Barak Obama went
ahead to win the 2012 elections.
4.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AT GIPC
There is no doubt that one area where JM has to
succeed is in the area of job creation. There are thousands of Ghanaians who
are unemployed and desperately seeking for jobs. Job creation should therefore
be among JM’s main areas of concern.
One of the vehicles through which he can create jobs
is the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC). The Centre is tasked with
wooing foreign and local investors into the Ghanaian economy. Investors create
jobs. A GIPC that is active will therefore create jobs. Under Mawuenam Trebarh’s
leadership, the GIPC has shown the will to woo investors into the Ghanaian
economy. Already, Singapore has taken the lead to establish an office in Accra
to direct Asian businesses to Ghana, thanks to GIPC effort. If theis trend
continues, and jobs are created, JM will be on course to telling its own
success stories.
3.
HARDWORK
When President Mahama’s campaign Team unveiled one
of his adverts in the run-up to the 2012 elections with the slogan “working for
you”, many did not understand the idea
behind it. However, ten months into his Presidency, JM has shown that his
intention of becoming President is to use hard work to better the lot of
Ghanaians. Seeing him go about his duties, especially at the height of the
energy crises, market fires and doctor’s strike was just a marvel. No wonder,
he has been able to overcome these major monsters in a short time and at a time
his legitimacy was being challenged.
Hard work will definitely reap JM success.
2.
CALM DISPOSITION
JM has shown that he is not ruffled by any challenge,
within and without his party and government. Many a President would have
flipped if they were in his shoes at the time his legitimacy as President was
being challenged in court, doctors and other professional bodies were on
strike, the energy crises was at its peak and the market fires were on. But JM
never flipped. He never showed any emotion. He remained calm, pensive sometimes
but generally with a smile on his face. This is an attribute of a good leader.
His demeanor calms the nerves of his people. He is able to keep the ship of
state calm in the midst of turbulent waters. Such leadership qualities are
lacking in many leaders. At the height of crises, they flip and take populist
decisions or go after opponents. JM is cool. A leader with such nerve is able
to think properly and take correct decisions.
1.
MEDIA
Generally, the media in Ghana are anti-NDC. This anti-NDC
stance has naturally seen JM being demonized, especially on radio. The new
craze is the concoction of stories about him in the social media by NPP
activists. The anti-NDC stance which now seeks to create a devil out of JM as
it sought to create out of Jerry Rawlings and Prof. Mills often lures the NPP
into a false sense of victory because
they think people believe what these anti-NDC media houses opine. But ordinary
folks long ago stopped trusting these media houses. They recognize that all the
noise they make is just to score cheap political points for the NPP. It accounted
for the NPP’s loss in 2008 and 2012 even though they had about eighty per cent
of the press backing them with presenters especially in the twi language
shouting themselves hoarse, deceiving themselves that they are impressing the
people. With a noisy press that has long ceased to be trusted, JM is bound to
succeed because the wild allegations against him will just be the opposition
press tickling themselves and laughing.
CHALLENGES
Obviously, President Mahama’s psychological make-up
and other factors are going to help him to succeed. But it is not going to be
smooth sailing for obvious reasons.
Firstly, the President has got to find a way of
ensuring that the men and women around him do not short change him. It is
natural to have one or two not being up to scratch. Even some among the 12
Jesus Christ appointed as his apostles were found wanting. But in the main, the
majority must share in the President’s vision, eschew arrogance and
ostentatious lifestyles and help him achieve his goals.
Another challenge JM may face is from within the NDC.
The NDC has a way of pressing the self-destruct button. But, it is important
for NDC supporters to always remember ex-President Kufuor’s admonishment that
“being a messenger in government is better than being a General Secretary in
opposition.”
The President’s ability to confront corruption, no
matter who is involved, will also be key in determining his success.
In the main, JM has all it takes to succeed. He has
already demonstrated it. With all shoulders to the wheel, he will make it easy
for the NDC to clinch more victories after he steps down in 2020!
