Minister's comments are morally offensive

I like the sideshow to the World Cup in South Africa – the dramatic press

conferences; the controversy over whether or not to ban the Vuvuzela and the war of

words between officials. Did you hear how Diego Maradona ripped to shreds Michel

Platini and Pele? You may be missing the fun if you didn’t.

Maradona is reported to have said that Pele should "go back to the museum" and

claimed that Platini, the UEFA president, thinks he "is better than all the rest".

Reports indicate that it was Pele who slated Maradona and accused the Argentine

coach of taking the coaching job because he needed the money.

In Ghana, a Deputy Minister has adviced fans who had hopes of getting sponsorship to

see the rare event in South Africa but got stranded because of dithering by

government to “rent a place and pretend you went to South Africa.” In other words

they should lie to their kith and kin about travelling to South Africa and seeing

the world cup from the stands.

Nii Nortey Dua has a good track record as a broadcaster. He’s been around a long

time, highly capable broadcaster and understands the politics of broadcasting – the

last person you would expect to give an unguarded interview.

But he did - a typical example of the arrogance and chicanery of some of Mills’

ministers and aids, who are acting in a manner which pales in comparison to what we

saw under the previous government. The contempt by some of these geeks in government

towards voters is unbelievable. Nii’s comments are not only morally offensive, they

are damaging to the National Democratic Congress.

There’s deep distrust for politics and unfortunately so because of lies and

dishonesty in our politics and Nii Nortey’s comments are a reflection of the

thinking of your average politician. You see, politicians are weak and many of them

are without talent. There’s a striking similarity between some of the NDC

ministers/aids and their counterparts in the NPP. You remember Andrew Awuni? He

famously remarked during a Joy FM interview after the NPP lost power that members of

his party who were keeping unauthorized saloon cars were doing so because they were

too important to pick public transport. They all have no respect for the

electorates, whose generosity in votes makes it possible for them to be ministers

and aids.

The attitude of the Mills government and some of his appointees leaves me worried

about the fortunes of the National Democratic Congress at future elections. We are

seeing a continuation of Kufour’s dark irresponsible spending, even though I must

add Kufour with all his flaws and penchant for frills would not have spent

taxpayers’ money on sponsoring over one thousand fans to see the world cup at a time

we are squeezing Ghanaians with cuts in public sector spending and other austerity

measures.

The millions of people who voted the National Democratic Congress in order for Prof.

Mills to be president didn’t do so because they wanted to go to South Africa to see

the world cup. They did so because they wanted better lives – long lasting tangible

benefits. How can it be right to freeze funding on frontline services and spend over

a US million dollars on sponsoring soccer fans who were largely party faithful in a

lame attempt to assuage a disillusioned base?

Government’s strategy to reduce the deficit is being undermined by the kinds of

populist stunts they pull.

We complain the last government left us no money; we are told the NDC inherited a

fiscal deficit of 2. 6 billion Ghana Cedis; we complain of inheriting failure from

the last government and this is what he can do? Unemployment is too high in our

country. There are people desperately looking for work; there are thousands of

students, pensioners, orphans and sick people who need public sector support. – And

this is how we spite them? We talk about debt and deficit – how does sponsoring

people to South Africa reduce the deficit? They should have the decency of telling

GHANAIANS where they got the funds to send so called soccer fans to South Africa?

The people of Ghana must demand full disclosure.

RAS MUBARAK,

UNIVERSITY of OSLO NORWAY

(PG Int. Development Studies).

mmubarak79@yahoo.com

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