Papa Jay,Wake Up From Your Slumber

……All those who matter have deserted you!

In the midst of joy and jubilation comes tribulation, while we hail and cheer the Senior National Team the Black Stars for trouncing their counterparts, the Lesotho, in a 2014, World Cup qualifier even goals to nothing, we also had to wail and console the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate Air Cargo plane that crashed landed last Saturday at the El-Wak Sports Stadium.

The week was a tail of misfortunes; first it was the Flood Lights at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi that went off during the Black Stars, and Lesotho match, and the accompanying howler by Koku Anyidoho, Communication Director at the Presidency, who emotionally came out with the information that the Presidency had suspended the Ashanti Regional Head of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Koku came under a barrage of attacks, after it later turned out that the President, John Evans Atta Mills was not in the know about the decision to suspend the Ashanti Regional ECG boss. I say Koku made a mistake, but hey, who doesn’t. For as long as we are human, we are infallible. Mr. President, I am not as I have said in a position to advice you considering the competency and experience people you have around you; but, my humble appeal is that Koku should not be sacrificed on the altar of politics, he has come out uncharacteristically of the Ghanaian to say he is sorry and that you did not issue such a directive. He has been honest enough and I think he would learn a lesson from this. After all, we are to make mistakes and correct our mistakes as we go on in life.

Being a Communication Director or the Spokesperson of the President is not an easy job. This is his first experience, so he must be pardoned and allowed to go on doing what he has always done. Someone remarked that everybody makes a mistake that is why pencils have erasers.

As for members and apologists of the New Patriotic party (NPP), they would never see anything good in you, let alone your appointee. Was Nana Akomea, who unfortunately is also the Director of Communication of the Nana Akufo-Addo campaign sanctioned or sacked when he used unprintable and uncouth words on Joy FM flagship programme Newsfile on James Agyenim Boateng, a deputy Information Minister? So they should give us a break. You don’t throw stones when you live in glass house.

Whiles we were pondering on this, disaster struck, Accident: Allied Cargo Being 747 aircraft on flight Lagos – Accra during the rain over run the tarmac during landing, broke through the Airport perimeter wall and crossed the 37 – Burma Camp road. Final destination of aircraft, Hajj Village. Aircraft hit one trotro, damaging it completely with Human fatalities. One taxi, as well as a Soldier who was on his motorbike was part of the fatalities. An unfortunate incident, but as they say every misfortune is a blessing in disguise.

We must see these incidents as calamities that had befallen us, but we must equally see them as a wake-up call for us to begin to rethink how we do things and what measures can be put in place should any unforeseeable disaster strike. Not too long ago, the Herald reported of people encroaching lands near the Kotoka Airport and is a recipe for disaster. This report was actually coming from security experts and most importantly pilots. What actions were taken?

Even if any action was taken would we not be reading politics into such an action? We are increasingly becoming a nation where politicians for their selfish and parochial interest have reduced every national discourse to politics, and blame game. I have asked before and I would ask again whether politicians care about us the people.

Former President Jerry John Rawlings instead of extending condolences to the families of the bereaved and the nation, has once again fouled the air with his unguarded and reckless statements.

The former President has accused everybody and called people names in this country, but himself and his family. You can never be part of the solution if you are not part of the problem. Disaster has struck the heart of this country and families, how must one only be interested in always being in the news. Couldn’t he have taken the occasion to caution and profess some advice as to how such disasters can be prevented? He realized that should he do that the focus would not be on him, but the accident. So there he went again booming just to stay in the limelight.

The man has lost the moral high ground that he so much espouses without understanding. He has become so predictable that his utterances and actions no longer surprise anybody.

Leaders who were able to keep their people at bay and have made history are those that have always eluded their people. You can never predict them. They disappoint you whenever you are expectant and spring a surprise when you least expect it.

I am wondering what motivates the former President and what exactly he wants. Having been the longest the longer serving head of State this country has ever had, what good did he do to this nation? He was a disaster at best, but Ghanaians tolerated him, until he exited in 2000. He did not give former President John Agyekum Kufuor. any breathing space. He breathed down on his neck, calling him names until he also handed over in 2009; all this while, President Kufuor ignored him, after all he has a country to run. Now that the mantle of leadership is in the hands of his political protégé, John Evans Atta Mills, he would not allow him any time and space to rule.

The barrage of attacks and name-calling has now become a daily occurrence. Konogo Kaya, Traitors, Atta Mortuary man Enemies within, Greedy Bastards, etc. President Mills has simply ignored you; don’t you think you are looking more like a mad man talking to himself?

The case brought against the embattled businessman Alfred Woyome, for a judgment debt payment of GH¢ 51 Million is in court, pending the outcome. Any right thinking individual would not comment on the issue until the final determination by the court.

I am feeling sorry for the Judge who is presiding over the case. The case has already been decided by some section of the gullible public, politicians and the media. His work has beien made so difficult that any way the judgment go, there would be unnecessary antagonism.

The unnecessary booms from former President have been too much, and it is beginning to choke him. The fact that he is naked and has gone mad is apparent to everybody but himself, his wife and the miserable Kofi Adams.

I am hopeful that upon his returns from Aflao, in the Volta Region, he would demand to see the tapes of the past June 4 th Celebrations. He should look to his right, left and behind him, and ask himself where all those people who used to believe in him and joined him celebrate the occasion. He would come to the conclusion that he rather has deviated and abandoned the principles of June 4.

NDC would go on to win the elections with or without Rawlings; he is not God and so does not make leaders. A dropout like him even became President.

As for his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, I am sorry but I despise her. She is the most corrupt and greedy individual in the history of this country. We are only accommodating her because of her husband. She should not abuse the generosity of Ghanaians with her ill-motivated ambitions.

By Razak Bawa: razakbawa@gmail.com