This is unfair: Why is Mahama depriving Mills of his achievements?

We have heard time and time again about Mahama’s “unprecedented” infrastructural projects, but we are unfairly being kept in the dark about the achievements of the late Mills during his three and half years stint at the presidency.

The all-important questions the late Mills admirers have been asking persistently are: where are the late Mills numerous projects? Are the NDC loyalists being ungrateful to the late Mills? Has someone made Mills numerous projects his own? Was Mills 3 and half years stint at the presidency not long enough to provide social amenities and infrastructure projects?

Well, if 3 and half years spell was not long enough to build infrastructure projects, why are the NDC faithful accusing Akufo-Addo of not providing enough infrastructure and social amenities in his first term in office?

This world, indeed, my dearest reader, is not fair. Is it?

In retrospect, the late President Mills met with fierce resistance on his decision to select John Dramani Mahama as his running mate for the 2008 general elections.

Suffice it to point out that the indefatigable Mills defied the stiff opposition, stood by his then running mate, John Dramani Mahama, worked collaboratively and emerged victorious in the 2008 general elections.

Following his victory in the 2008 general elections, the late President Mills did his utmost best and continued with the excellent economic foundation laid by former President Kufuor and his NPP government.

Of course, the late Mills was not without shortcomings, for he was a descendant of Biblical Adam. Yet his light shone among the other insensitive and villainous NDC apparatchiks.

Take, for example, it is on record that prior to the scandalous Wayome’s judgement debt payment, the late Mills warned the ‘create, loot and share’ cabal not to effect payment, yet the conspiratorial plotters defied the good old Mills orders and doled out the staggering GH51.2 million to Wayome, who had no contract with the Government of Ghana.

It has also been documented that aside of the gargantuan corruption allegations that were bothering the late President Mills, he was worried about the persistent shenanigans of his appointees.

Apparently, it was not only the late President Mills who was appalled about his appointees insubordination, other decent people in NDC like Mr. Martin Amidu showed concerns as well.

Take, for example, Mr. Amidu once revealed that in 2010, he told the late President Mills and the then Chief of Staff that if the late President could advise his appointees to reduce corruption, abuse of office and arrogance for the remaining two years, the NDC would win the 2012 elections hands down.

Reflective observers thus maintain that there was a bad blood between the late Mills and his vice president, John Dramani Mahama.

The critics contend that if that was not the case, how on earth would a whole president set up a Committee to investigate his vice president over the acquisition of aircrafts from Brazil?

The sceptics would thus submit somewhat passionately that the alleged feud between the late Mills and his vice president, Mahama, may explain why after the death of Professor Mills, President Mahama impoliticly suggested: “God in his own wisdom has taken the old man, Professor Mills away to pave the way for youthful Mahama to take over the mantle”

President Mahama again went to the Northern region and declared shockingly that “it was about time ‘Northerners’ took over the mantle of Presidency, because they (Northerners) were fed up serving in the Vice Presidency post.”

The observers, however, believe that the enmity has continued unabated up to this time.

The critics would thus argue that it could well be the reason why President Mahama has obtrusively failed to give the late Mills any credit on the NDC’s much touted numerous infrastructural projects despite the fact that the late Mills initiated the vast majority of the projects.

Indeed, President Mahama and his NDC apparatchiks have flagrantly refused to give the late Mills a mention in their green book which highlights their often contestable accomplishments.

For if nothing at all, the late mills was at the presidency for 3 and half years.

Suffice it to stress that the late Mills judiciously put the loans contracted by former President Kufuor into good use.

The erudite professor initiated the University of Ghana Hospital, the Volta Region University, the Eastern Corridor road, built schools, the numerous water projects, and amongst others.

Regrettably, however, Mahama has made them his own without giving credit to the late Mills.

As I mentioned elsewhere, the late Mills did his utmost best and improved upon the booming economy left by former President Kufuor and his NPP government.

Take, for example, former President Kufuor quadrupled Ghana’s GDP to a staggering $28 billion in 2008. While the late Mills inherited the discovery of oil in commercial quantities and managed to increase the GDP to $47 billion in 2011.

Unfortunately, President Mahama reversed the GDP to an incredible $40 billion as of October 2016.

Besides, the late Mills left an economic growth of around 14%, but Mahama succeeded to asphyxiate the economic growth to an amazing 3.4%.

What is more, President Mills left an agricultural growth of around 7.4% in 2012, while President Mahama reversed it to around 2.5% as of October 2016.

It is also true that President Mahama obliterated the late mills “unprecedented” single digit inflation and replaced it with double digits (15.4% as of October 2016).

Last but not least, the late Mills left a fairly stable currency exchange rate-it was around GH1.65 to 1 U.S Dollar in 2011. But former President Mahama left the exchange rate at around GH4.35 to 1 U.S Dollar by December 2016.

Take my word for it, dearest reader, the late Mills performed exceedingly better than President Mahama, so, for goodness’ sake, give him some credit and stop insulting his memory.

K. Badu, UK.

k.badu2011@gmail.com