President Mahama Swerves Mamprusi Lobbyists.

Nantomah Mustapha UCC

This may sound tribalistic but I put this out there without the least intention of being tribalistic. Just after the controversial swearing in (of course among NPP members) of John D. Mahama as the 4th elected president of the 4th republic came the appointment of new ministers. The release of the first ministerial nominees sparked intensive jostling for appointment from bigwigs of the ruling NDC. The appointment fever from His Excellency John D. Mahama swiftly spread across the length and breadth of Ghana with chiefs and foot soldiers rooting for their favourites to be appointed. Foot soldiers who were thwarted for not seeing their favourites in the frontline or among nominees resorted to vandalism by destroying bill boards of H.E John Mahama to register their displeasure. Of course, rumours were ripe that some top bananas were slated for specific positions but this was disappointed in forthcoming and this might have triggered the vandalism.

In the mist of all this, the peace loving Mamprusis were calm with the hope that the so-called regional and tribal balance in the appointment of ministers will grant them their share. In fact, they behaved as if they are strangers of “The New Ghana” and that “slim” opportunity slipped away because they have no sole representation in the cabinet ministers appointed. Then came the appointment of regional ministers. Realizing that folding arms while waiting for God-sent opportunity will not yield any better result, they also started lobbying for the number one position in the northern region (their mother region) with lofty hope. Their towering hope based primarily on the fact that they are among the three major tribes( Dagombas, Gonjas & Mamprusis) in the region of which Dagombas and Gonjas already have their share hence theirs is next. Hmm, what about the numerous minor tribes in the region? That is characteristic of Mamprusis. They often wait for the downpour to stop before opening barriers to water-ways.

For reasons best known to the president and his appointment committee, all the ten regions in the country have been given ministerial nominees except my beloved region (northern region). The lobbying for the northern regional high office intensified as all eyes were then on it. Surprisingly, H.E John D. Mahama came in with his usual unpredictable machination by reshuffling the newly appointed regional ministers who are yet to fully assume office in their respective regions. This included one of the so-called ministers of state in the reshuffle resulting in the new upper west regional minister going to preside over northern region leaving the “lobbyist Mamprusis” in wilderness.

Fellow Ghanaians, is this not a swerve? Such is politics and Ghana.