The Ga/Adangme/Coastal Factor & NPP

The first round of voting is over and its very clear that the wind of change is blowing over Ghana and that democracy in Ghana is getting deep rooted. The Ghanaian has matured in politics. I think it is time for Ghanaians to reflect on the past to make good judgments to give us a good president come December 28, 2008. A close look at both the parliamentary and presidential results it is very evident that the Gas, in particular along with the coastal tribes, voted against the NPP for various reasons.

The NPP came to power with the help of some notably Ga men to mention, but a few are Odoi Sykes, Peter Ala Adjetey, Jake Obetsibi Lamptey, Prof Ocquaye, Darocha, Prof Sai. After the win all that President Kuffor did was to ship all these Gas out of the country as Ambassadors and Board chairmen in various institutions. Prof Ocquaye was sent to India, Odoi Sykes to Canada, all with a hidden agenda to keep the Gas out. During Kuffor administration he never deemed it necessary or never believed that there was any Ga who were qualified to hold any sensitive position in his government. The highest position he gave a Ga was Peter Ala Adjeteys position but it did not last long. Jake and Oboshie were only good for tourism. Even when Prof Ocquaye decided to run, kuffor showed very clearly that he would not endorse him for president.

Also, Kuffor ruled Ghana from the Christiansburg castle in OSU for eight years. During this time kuffor never involved the people of OSU in anything. In previous governments dating back to the British, when government received dignitaries, at the castle a student is picked from the OSU cluster of schools to present the bouquet to the guest this never happened in Kuffors government . The school children line up by the castle road and wave the flags of Ghana and that of the visiting country to show solidarity. Also, members of the OSU traditional council are invited to pour libation during such ceremonies. During the Rawlings era he established such good relations with the people of Osu and some families in the castle area, occasionally he sent drinks to the family heads during funerals and during Christmas. Even at Christmas the people of osu are invited to parties at the castle garden and on a few occasions Rawlings takes his morning Jogs into the neighborhood and interacts with the people. Kuffor felt he was better than that, I guess if his foot never touched the soil of OSU because he is always in the back seat of his big car and the people of OSU can only see him in a flash because he thinks he is superior. It will be of interest to mention that during the Osu Homowo, Kuffor and his guards prevented the Osu people and their God (OSU Dade) from going through the castle, which is a tradition that is performed every year. I doubt if the Asantehene would accept a change in culture in Kumasi because of Kuffor policy, I believe that he will not.

Furthermore, if Kuffor stands and look in the window from the seat of his Government he sees the struggling Osu fishermen leave as early as 2am on their canoes for fishing and do not get back till about 5pm. At the time Kuffor became president, a canoe brings back at least 5 boxes of fish on a bad day. Today the fishermen are lucky to come back with one box. Kuffor never came out of the castle even once to interact with the fishermen who live in the same community with him to even listen to their problems. Instead, when Kuffor got some funds they decided to build cold storage houses in Kumasi that had no fishing occupation. Also introduced were fishing trolleys which harvested all the fish in the waters and were sent to kumasi. This killed the occupation of fisherman who primarily live in the coastal belt and are Gas/adangme, Fantes and Ewes.

The wirelss lands in La were taken from the La mantse on a notion of developing it for government use. The kuffor led administration is now selling the houses it built on the lands, not to the people of La, but to its own associates. Kuffor also forgot that the money from China, which he used in building the so called presidential palace, was given because of the good work of Prof Ocquaye who happened to be a Ga who he had shipped to India as an ambassador. Unfortunately, when it was time for construction Kuffor never found any better symbol or architectural design that will unify Ghanaians but the Golden stool which even a child knows is an Ashanti symbol and to insult gas the presidential palace may stay forever .

The greater Accra region is been plagued with chieftaincy disputes. The Ga mashie stool is supposed to be the paramouncy of the Ga which has been in dispute under kuffor watch. And yet he never helped in finding a resolution, instead he was happy because if there was a Ga mantse Kuffor visiting, dignitaries would have to pay homage to the Ga mantse on arrival before the Asantehene, who he projects as the King of Ghana.

Finally, Kuffor administration changed the name of our prestigious Accra Sports Stadium to celebrate Ohene Djan, a corrupted sports Administrator, to the demise of the people of Accra. After various petitions from the Ga Adangme societies and traditional Ga leaders Kuffor and his administration have not changed the name back to Accra Sports Stadium.

To conclude, I will say Ayeeko to Gas and the coastal states and even though I am against tribal politics it is believed that when you bother a deaf man he starts to talk and when your finger is in someone's mouth you don't knock on his head because he will bite you. The Gas have finally spoken and it has nothing to do with you, Nana Akuffo Addo, but since you danced with Kuffor all this time you should had advised him. I know the people of Osu/ gas have given you a nice family and the Akyem are people that Gas were align with, but its unfortunate that your predecessor has messed up and it will be difficult for Gas to change our mind. We want a government that will respect our views and involve us in decision making. My fellow gas, let us go back to the ballot and once again let our voices be heard vote NPP OUT. And together as one nation we will develop a better Ghana.

shiatse@yahoo.com