It was with disdain that I read Justice Sarpongs’s Rawlings Is Finsihed,
President Mills, Run as a CPPian, an article which appeared on www.ghanaweb.com
on Sunday 12th September 2010. I didn’t hesitate to conclude that the writer has
successfully failed to co-ordinate his tongue and brain, in a such a manner that
everything he wrote was outright devious, needlessly controversial and totally
senseless.
Was I surprised by the author’s lack of grasp on Ghana’s political developments?
Absolutely not. In democratic Ghanaian politics, it is not unusual to see and
read off-centred accounts from faceless actors who exploit the generosity of
cyber technology to express their quaint views on socio-political matters.
Much as we have been taught in saner climes to respect opinions of persons on
the other swing of subject matters, silence ceases to be golden when such
persons exhibit patent lies.
This reprobate in a bid to earn the unenviable PHD (pull him downism) presented
that thesis which gravely ran fowl of the parameters of logic and
intellectualism and one sorely a poor attempt at sophistry.
I usually do not respond to articles expressing views contrary to what I
believe. However, I cannot just allow Justice Sarpong’s article to pass without
comment. This is because it is plainly without merit and canvasses views that
are neither right in fact nor healthy in attitude.
Justice Sarpong stated in his article that, John Mills should defect with his
government and declare a merger with the CPP, the Party he grew up with and
serve a notice of poetic justice to Rawlings and his sycophantic tin-god
worshippers that, a 'coup' can be made without bearing AK-47'S. He even had the
temerity to hurled invectives at the inimitable Dr. Rawlings and his loyalist
such as my good self. I find the author’s advice to Mills to be very
interesting. In recent times, we have seen a persistent onslaught by certain
nomadic minds within the NDC to discredit Dr. Rawlings. Justice Sarpong needs to
be informed that Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings is indispensable in the politics of
the NDC!
There are many “idiots” in our political landscape. Jerry John Rawlings is
definitely not one of them. You may hate him, but you can’t take it away from
him. He has the ability to see into the future. If he did not envisage Professor
Mills could lead his party to power, he would not move heaven and earth to
ensure his selection as the presidential candidate for three consecutive times.
You don’t ostracize people like that. The Rawlingses are wise and politically
experienced enough not to do things they would not give a second thought.
Dr. Rawlings like any other Ghanaian has a constitutional right to express his
views on any issue. He has been offering constructive criticisms and I believe
it is in order. He meant well and it is incumbent on President Mills to take the
criticisms on board and build a better Ghana for all of us. In any case, who in
the NDC can claim to love President Mills more than Jerry John Rawlings? Where
were the likes of Ato Ahwoi, Kwesi Pratt, Totobi Quakyi, P.V. Obeng and Justice
Sarpong, when President Rawlings against all odds single-handedly sponsored
Mills to become the NDC flagbearer in 2000? Where were they when Rawlings sticks
his neck out for Mills in the dark days of opposition? If the NPP had someone
who publicly questioned Kufuor’s missteps, Professor Mills would not be the
President and the likes of Justice Sarpong would not dabble in unbridled
sycophancy and praise singing.
Many of Mr Rawlings’ criticisms of President Mills have been over analyzed and
misrepresented to serve the political ends of his adversaries. How could anyone
in his or her sane mind claim that President Rawlings is insignificant in the
NDC? It is sheer foolishness and downright obtuse for anyone to make such an
assertion.
The assertion that Rawlings wants Mills to jail former government appointees
under John Kufuor is just one of those outdated propaganda which used to be
peddled by pseudo-capitalists ages ago. Who doesn’t know that, the re-election
of NDC to power in 2009 was as a result of the people’s believe in the NDC as
having the capability to clean the rot that had engulfed the social fabric of
the country, after the NPP had virtually taken the country as its private
property and dissipated our natural resources in a wanton abuse of power that
virtually brought Ghana’s economy on it’s knees? Do we need a rocket scientist
to tell us that former government functionaries ought to account for their
stewardship? So what is wrong if Dr. Rawlings calls for accountability?
If the likes of Justice Sarpong are happy that the current government has
dithered in investigating and prosecuting the fraud perpetrated by the Kufuor’s
government, some of us are not and he should not fool himself into believing
that the better Ghana that was promised is being delivered.
Many attempts have been made, in the past to harm the reputation of Dr.
Rawlings, all to no avail. They failed. Didn’t they? Even the whole government
machinery under Kufuor was used to destroy Dr. Rawlings but they failed
woefully. What makes Justice Sarpong and his likes think that they can destroy
Dr. Rawlings?
The fallacy that the Rawlingses influence in the NDC is waning must also be
discarded. It is only a political toddler who would think that Jerry John
Rawlings is irrelevant in the NDC. Dr. Rawlings is paragon of greatness and has
left an ineffaceable legacy for this nation and if that is what triggers Justice
Sarpongs’s infantile behavior, we careless. Those in the NDC who have carved
notoriety for themselves, and have rejected reason should be told in plain
language that enough is enough. Those who have made it their daily habit to
attack the dignity of the Rawlingses must be told in no uncertain terms that the
Rawlingses are a force in the NDC and they can not be wished way. Dr. Rawlings
is saturated with accomplishment that it need not be amplify by even hundred
decibels. Need we tell this critic that no vigorous campaign of calumny can
diminish Rawlings enviable records?
You also see him exposing his arrogance in ignorance when he felt that Mills can
actually defect with his government and merge with the CPP. What an interesting
supposition from a deluded mind, for lack of a better word.
I don’t want to sound condescending; however, I am amazed at the shallowness of
Justice Sarpong in not getting his facts in order. Can the precedent that he
alluded to in Malawi be sustained in Ghana? Is Ghana operating the same
constitution as Malawi?
Let me tell you Justice Sarpong, Mills can defect with his government for all we
care. He has never been an NDC from day one and all his actions and inactions
have always been in suspect. Matter of fact; Mills is a CPP mole in the NDC. He
can defect for the NDC to chart a new course. We cannot afford four more years
of the same broken ideological policies. Mills can defect from the NDC and allow
the real social Democrats to once again clean up an economic mess the New
Patriotic Party left behind.
Mills certainly does not have the wherewithal, the stature, the credibility, the
personality and the sincerity to lead the NDC and the nation again, we can take
it or leave it. NDC can't win under Mills, and that is a fact. Can you imagine
anyone wanting another four years of him?
As trusting citizens, we have allowed ourselves to be treated as thoughtless
children who need directives from the nation’s wily politicians. For some time
now, we have placed our hopes on our nations’ infirmed leaders only to be
shortchanged. We have also tolerated destructive ethics that work against the
fundamental values of our nation.
Let’s deny unscrupulous characters such as Justice Sarpong and his cohorts the
unsavory reputation they are desperately seeking to earn. A fool will always
sing a song, and reject the admonition of the sage that, this is the time for
solemnity, and not time for crass behavior.
We shall be back!
Emmanuel Dela Coffie
www.delacoffie.wordpress.com
