NPP’s arrogance of power: Autocracy in Ghana’s democracy

‘Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority’. English historian Lord Acton (1834–1902) said this in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton about how historians should judge the abuse of power by past rulers.

Power is transient, politicians can do whatever they can with it when they have it, but should be aware of the regrets that come when the power is gone, because it will go when it has to go.

Martin Niemoeller once said "First they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist, then they came for the socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist, then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist, then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out, because I was not a Jew then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me."

The recent actions of the Ashanti regional minister Mr. Simon Osei Mensah are a continuation of the systematic attack on Ghanaians by this government, they want to cower us into submission. At first, they attacked banks and radio stations of their perceived enemies, then Ayawaso by-election, then 8 were killed at Techiman South, residents of Ashaiman were brutally maltreated, and they burnt down the excavators of citizens without approval from our courts, in all these we were all quiet because it didn’t affect us directly, now they are attacking state institutions like the ECG, who is the next victim?. None of us is safe under this government until every one of us is safe.

The actions of the government and its appointees are appalling and inexcusable, and must be condemned by all well-meaning Ghanaians. The decision to cause the arrest of the Ashanti Regional General Manager of the Electricity Corporation of Ghana Mr. Michael Wiafe for simply doing his work is repulsive, nauseating, and uncivilized. I’m in my charitable mood.

Mr. Wiafe is currently being investigated by the Ghana Police Service (GPS) after Simon Osei Mensah ordered his arrest following the disconnection of the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) by an ECG national task force.

Mr. Wiafe was arrested on the orders of the minister because, according to him, the now suspect defied his directive to restore power to the school. What an insolence and arrogance.

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.

The regional minister is cowardly, rude, unkind, a bully, and above all arrogant, while the president looks on.

This action has been widely condemned by the Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and members of the general public, however, no official statement has been made by the police or government.

The arrogance of the appointees of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government is alarming, it suffices to say they are emboldened by the silence of the president and his vice. How do we expect our institutions to work independently and efficiently if government appointees are allowed to harass heads of institutions in such a derogatory and inhumane manner?

Would the minister cause the arrest of the school’s authority for withdrawing the students’ registration for non-payment of fees as it recently happened in KsTU?

Despite the press release sighted by the SSU/JSU Divisions of the ECG in the Ashanti Region asking the minister to apologize to the General Manager and the company as a whole, and withdraw the case from the Police Station by 23/04/ 2024, else the entire ECG Ashanti Region as a first step in registering their displeasure will hoist red flags and be in red on Wednesday, the 24 of April 2024. This is a step in the right direction.

It must be made clear to the Ashanti regional minister that ECG reserves the right to disconnect any institution or individual for non-payment of bills for power consumed without taking instructions from political authorities. He has no right to interfere with the operation of the ECG.

December 7th, 2024 is an opportunity to regain our independence from this power-drunk government.