Open Letter To The President, Ghanaians, Govt And Public Officials

Kwamina Mbra Panford.

At this juncture of our socio-economic lives, it has become clearly evident that the NDC and the NPP are the same bedfellows. I sometimes wonder why the supporters fight each other. The common themes are; corruption, abuse of power and sheer callousness towards the ordinary Ghanaian. The fortunes of Ghanaians are still bleak. It has been demonstrated that the blatant abuse of public funds and resources are the direct causes of our poverty and underdevelopment. It is very demoralizing to read these facts;

(1) Mr.Jake Obetsebi Lamptey illegally lived in a govt. bungalow for 3 years after he resigned, from gov’t. He then tried to sell it to himself “cheap” after spending tons of public funds on renovation. Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey is now the Chairman of the NPP Party!!!

(2) Mr. Mahama Ayiriga(NDC) bought agricultural tractors, imported by the Gov’t for our farmers, for himself. Mr. Ayariga is now the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry!!!

(3) Mr. Moctar Bamba, who forged President Kuffour signature to give references to friends and political hacks, has been elected the National Organizer of the NPP PARTY!!!

(4) Mr. Muntak Mubarak (NDC) the former Sports Minister, is walking around a free man after he took his girlfriend to the Ivory Coast at public expense. He also claimed Ghc2000 (about $2000 then) a night allowance for official duty. He was not fired. The one who blew the whistle was asked to pay GHC20, 000!! President Mills, Fellow Ghanaians, Govt. and Public Officials, our country can never change and develop if these abuses are not put to an end. The politicians have come to know that there is no punishment for stealing and abusing public funds and resources. Are you surprised that a preponderance of engineers, doctors, architects, professors, teachers and accountants are now running for political offices?

Former President Rawlings has been right vehemently calling for the prosecution of the corrupt gov’t officials of the NPP. However he should use the same vim to call for the prosecution of the members of his Govt. who allegedly took bribes in the Mabey and Johnson case according to the British court. Charity begins at home. Between President Kuffour and Mills what happened to Vodaphone?

It is very disgusting that the head of our National Health Insurance Agency signed for $7000 a month home rental contract for himself for 2005 and 2006. The Food and Drug Board Chairman signed a home rental contract of $84,000 for 2 years for himself in 2009. These are sickening. Fellow Ghanaians, these are not isolated cases. They happen in most govt. agencies. How long are we going to swallow these financial rip-offs? They are equal to armed robbery. When you wince looking at Sodom and Gomorrah in Accra, when you think about the poor kids going to school under the mango tree and you think about govt. funds being used to pay for one man’s monthly rent, you should shed tears.

Ghanaians, if we want to practice democracy, after voting, we should start with these few rudimentary democratic principles;

The Govt. should set a limit on housing rent. No public official should negotiate his own contract. Have we heard of the PRINCIPLE called CONFLICT OF INTEREST???

No Gov’t official should be allowed to purchase Govt. property like vehicles and land. How else does The Principle of Conflict of Interest work??? No Gov’t official should be allowed to take part in public auctions of vehicles (Customs), land and other govt. owned assets. In most democratic countries, this is instant dismissal.

The government should start giving her members and public official’s decent compensation and cut those allowances that expose us to the white- suit robbery and the ever continuing poverty of our own people. Prevention is better than curing.

Fellow Compatriots, we are past bad haircuts. The corruption and public financial abuse filth is killing us. Fellow Ghanaians and PRESIDENT, this is not a football game, this is not Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, THIS IS OUR LIVES. IF WE DON’T CHANGE NOW, WE SHALL FOREVER BE THE WRETCHED OF THIS EARTH. God Please Save Us.