President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and John Dramani Mahama
I must admit, I cannot comprehend how and why anyone can proclaim somewhat impetuously that Ghana’s economy under former President Mahama (3.4% growth and 15.4% inflation) was better than under President Akufo-Addo before the deadly corona virus (8.6% growth and 7.5% inflation).
Some of us, as a matter of principle, cannot end our fury in condemnation over the erstwhile NDC government’s lackadaisical approach to duty which led to destabilisation of Ghana’s macroeconomic indicators.
Whilst we do not want to buy the widely held notion that politics is a dirty game, one would not be far from right to suggest that the political terrain is full of inveterate propagandists and manipulating geezers.
Of course, roguish politicians are not limited to Africa; it is a global phenomenon, as a matter of fact.
However, in our humble opinion, it is our part of the world (Africa), where political gimmicks and vague rhetoric are so prevalent.
Perhaps, this is so because we have greater number of unlettered folks, many of whom cannot choose between tricksters and morally upright politicians.
Of course, the opposition is obliged to put the incumbent government on its toes. But does the opposition NDC have to grumble and criticise for criticising sake?
Whatever the case, one cannot help but to giggle over the minority NDC’s renewed zeal to expose and prevent perceived incompetence and corruption in the NPP administration.
Bizarrely, the minority NDC faithful are gleefully hopping around the globe (from United States to London) with a view to detecting a perceived corruption in the NPP government. How strange?
The overarching question then is: if they are experts at detecting and preventing sleazes and corruption, how on earth did they go to sleep over the scandalous corruption cases such as the infamous Bus Branding, Brazil World Cup, the Ford Expedition vehicle, GYEEDA, AZONTABA, SADA, SUBAH, the purported $300million debt incurred on the faded STS housing deal, the dubious Embraer 190 Aircrafts and hanger for the Ghana Armed Forces and over a US$100 million oil revenue loss between 2011 and 2013 as reported by the Public Interest& Accountability Committee?
Perhaps, the NDC operatives are trying their level best to convince their aggrieved supporters of their consuming desire to recapture power in 2020.
In fact, Kweku Baako Jnr was absolutely right when he once stressed that the minority NDC operatives were seeking to ‘internationalise their incompetence’.
Isn’t it somewhat ironic that the opposition NDC operatives have soon found their voices and squalling and scolding at the roof top about alleged sleazes and corruption?
To some of us, it is an illustrative case of ‘let us give a dog a bad name and hang it’. Obviously they are trying their level best to bring to the fore the non-existent sleazes and corruption. How pathetic?
It beggars belief that despite the unbridled corruption, the arrogance of power and the irrevocable incompetence by the erstwhile NDC administration which resulted in massive economic collapse, the NDC faithful would still have the moral authority to accuse others.
Whatever the case, that is the beauty of democracy. The minority NDC operatives are within their democratic right to whine and speak their piece and criticise the infant NPP administration as they see fit.
But that being said, the NDC operatives ought to exercise a great deal of circumspection and consider criticising constructively and put forward alternative policies and programmes.
Some of us have always held an unfailing conviction that governance is a serious business and as such it requires forward thinking, serious and committed group of people to bring about the needed progress.
However, it has not always been the case in Ghana’s democratic dispensation. The multi-party democracy has given birth to both purposeful and coarse political parties.
As a consequence, we have for a long time been relying on lousy economic managers who cannot see their backsides from their elbows but have only succeeded in sinking the economy deeper and deeper into the mire.
In fact, we share the same sentiments of the reflective sceptics who argue vehemently that despite spending 27 years in government, the successive NDC governments have failed woefully to improve upon the socio-economic standards of living of Ghanaians.
The contending schools of thought have been arguing consistently that the successive NDC governments only managed to destabilise Ghana’s macroeconomic indicators through dreadful errors in decision-making.
But despite the unobjectionable facts and figures of favourable economic growth under Akufo-Addo’s administration, the NDC operatives are all over the place nagging, grumbling and censuring the NPP government for perceived slow pace in development in less than 4 years in office.
The fact however remains that if the officials of the erstwhile NDC government had not allegedly squandered the funds meant for various developmental projects, the NPP government would have enough funds at its disposal to undertake a lot of developmental projects.
So who says that the critics are not absolutely right for suggesting that if discerning Ghanaians had not graciously intervened by showing the dreadful economic managers (NDC) the exit through universal adult suffrage, the terrible errors in decision-making and the rampant corruption would have obliterated Ghana off the world map completely?
Given the circumstances, we can confidently deduce that discerning Ghanaians made the right decision on 7th December 2016 by electing the septuagenarian Nana Akufo-Addo and retiring the sexagenarian John Dramani Mahama.
A large portion of Ghana’s scarce resources, regrettably, went down the drain due to the mismanagement and the rampant corruption perpetrated by the officials of the erstwhile Mahama administration.
There is admissible evidence of gargantuan bribery and corruption cases, including monies which were given to parasitic creatures who did not render any services towards the national development. Woyome and Akua Donkor come to mind.
And despite Mahama’s government coarse administration, the loyalists NDC supporters would want discerning Ghanaians to believe that the erstwhile NDC government provided exceptional governance.
Truly, vague understanding of patriotism exists in the minds of many Ghanaians, who prefer needless praise singing to defending the national interests.
The good people of Ghana, unfortunately, witnessed so much scheming guiles, corruption, incompetence, nepotism, cronyism and frequent abuse of power in the erstwhile NDC government, and hence the vast majority of Ghanaians have permanently lost trust in the NDC.
Based on the prudent governance and the current favourable economic outlook, we can confidently state that Ghana is heading towards the right direction under the able leadership of President Akufo-Addo.
We must, therefore, take solace in the fact that the Akufo-Addo’s government is tackling the erstwhile Mahama’s government economic mess head-on.
K. Badu, UK.
k.badu2011@gmail.com
