By Clement Sangaparee
Obuasi
E-mail: clementsang@yahoo.com
HISTORY CAN be a vast reservoir of lessons for life. It can help us avoid
falling into the same pits time and time again. To live without history is to
live without a FORM OF MEMORY. Without history, you, your family, your tribe,
or even the nation would seem to have no foundation and little meaning.
Therefore, being familiar with history can open our minds to past civilizations,
amazing discoveries, fascinating people and different ways of looking at
things. IT IS ONLY THE CADRES WHO CAN HANDLE RAWLINGS PROPERLY. In a statement
he personally signed and circulated to the media recently, former President
Rawlings was asked whether he have a problem with President Mills, and he
replied, Yes, I do – meaning that he has a problem with President Mills
forgetting that President Mills is NOT a military recruit to be drilled.
Rawlings must be the last person in Ghana to condemn President Mills and accuse
him of BRIBERY since scores of cadres from the REFORM Movement were dumped into
BNI cells and military guardrooms because of Mills candidature between 1999 and
2000.
Most cadres supported Mills against their will because we hated lawyers who
never supported the 31st December Revolution. Since when did President Mills
become a corrupt man in the eyes of Rawlings to be accused of bribing NDC
Constituency Executives? Is it a crime for the government to provide logistics
to the Regional and Constituency executives to work for the party something
Rawlings did not do through out the 19 years he was in office?
Cadres walked on foot to establish the District Assemblies in 1987 without even
collecting a bicycle. Cadres did every thing possible to make Rawlings what he
is today, so he MUST LISTEN TO WHAT WE SAY OR RISK LOSING OUR SUPPORT COMPLETELY
BECAUSE THE GROUND IS NOT SAFE FOR NANA KONADU TO CONTEST MILLS and even if it
is safe, why should Mills serve one term as President in the first place?
The popular no nonsense days are gone forever so Mr. Rawlings must stop rocking
the boat and ALSO FALL in LINE to enable his CHOSEN BEGOTTEN SON to deliver the
goods through his BETTER GHANA AGENDA.
The NDC will be committing an international political suicide if President Mills
is removed at the 2012 Presidential Primaries. It must be stated that cadres
have confidence in him and will campaign aggressively for his victory in 2012.
For Heaven’s Sake, Rawlings must NOT provoke cadres to tear apart his own NDC
party.
How can the founder leave the very man he single handedly chose in 1999 for his
honesty in the middle of the road on becoming the President?
No doubt, Mr. Rawlings has sent a wrong signal to the world that he has NO
CONFIDENCE in his own adopted son, and so he must be REPLACED by his wife which
is an IMPOSSIBLE MISSION. At worst Mills will get a massive SYMPATHY VOTES at
the National Delegates Congress in 2012.
If a top executive member of the ruling party should decide to contest the
sitting President in less than 2 years of his tenure it means there is something
wrong going on in the government and the office of the President and the party
must sit down to change the direction of government because America took 10
years to build the twin towers of the World Trade Centre and within 24 hours it
was destroyed by terrorists leaving 5,000 innocent people dead in its wake. So
it is very easy to destroy than to build.
Now, if I had to answer the question: do cadres have a problem with Rawlings? I
will respond with an emphatic -Yes, we do.
From 1982 under the revolutionary era of PNDC, cadres were the FOOT SOLDIERS
that sacrificed extremely for 10 plus years during which hundreds of cadres
died, others were maimed for life and yet others were dismissed from their jobs;
thousands of cadres had broken homes – not to mention the widows and orphans –
No rewards, no compensation, no recognition as cadres were asked to TAKE THE
REVOLUTION whilst our senior cadres TOOK THE MONEY. We never derailed the 31st
December Revolution. Mr. Rawlings went ahead to impose then candidate Mills ON
THE PARTY and if he is now REFUSING TO OBEY Rawlings’ revolutionary orders, it
serves him right. While sidelining the cadres, people are EATING WITH BOTH HANDS
and BLACK MAILING CADRES ALL OVER THE PLACE. Jerry Rawlings FREELY USED CADRES
and dumped them without blinking an eye. Now that admirers of Nana Konadu
Agyeman Rawlings have started posting several posters all over the country, it
is now very glaring that Mr. Rawlings incessant condemnation of President Mills
is to PROJECT HIS WIFE as a future President.
I must be very honest and frank with Mr. Rawlings that Nana Konadu will face the
most devastating and humiliating DEFEAT of her life in the 2012 presidential
primaries if she decides to contest President Mills for Rawlings to drive
another HUGE NAIL into her political coffin with the help of that TREACHEROUS
politician in the person of Dr. Obed Asamoah whose eyes are green with envy now
that Professor Mills is the President of the Republic of Ghana. Since when did
Obed Asamoah become a friend of Rawlings and his wife after undermining them in
2000 and 2004? If I am contesting any elected position in the NDC and Obed
Asamoah comes out to openly support me, I will simple step down. Obed Asamoah
has been planted by the Opposition NPP to support Konadu for 2012 Presidential
primaries to cause more division into the already DIVIDED NDC since 2009.
My advice is that if we don’t patch up before 2011, then the NDC must start
preparing its hand over notes to the NPP in 2012. Similarly if Rawlings also
fails to listen to reason and pushes his wife to contest Mills and in the
unlikely event that Konadu wins the 2012 presidential primaries – the NDC must
start preparing its hand over notes to the Blue Elephants of the NPP, and when
that happens, the NDC will take over 50 years to come back to power or even
cease to exist since IT IS NOW A PARTY THAT REWARDS FENCE SITTERS AND OUTSIDERS
INSTEAD OF ITS HARDWORKING CADRES AND FOOT SOLDIERS – Mark my words.
What offence has President Mills committed against former President Rawlings
that the two men can never patch up? Even though Rawlings and his wife are the
most popular politicians in Ghana, their popularity has started waning
throughout the country because of their recent behavior. Once again, if Mills is
changed, hand over notes should be prepared for a peaceful handover to Nana
Akuffo Addo and he will show you people where POWER LIES in this country because
we can never face the NPP on this extreme divided front in the NDC during the
2012 general elections.
The so-called foot soldiers cannot claim to have suffered MORE THAN THE CADRES
in the Party. I don’t always write to please ANYBODY, I always write to
provoke debate but the REAL ENEMIES of Nana Konadu are all those who are urging
her on to contest President Mills in 2012 and NOT this writer. She must NOT
waste her money; rather she should use such resources to rehabilitate the
numerous Day Care Centers throughout the country including the one at Bogobiri,
a suburb of Obuasi, and wait for her turn after Mills 8-year two terms of office
in 2016.
It is undisputable fact that Nana Konadu who is the LIFE PATRON of JUNE 4 is
very qualified to become Ghana’s first female president but NOT in 2012 – she
should pray for long life to contest in 2016 so her supporters must stop rocking
the boat now. She should advise her husband Rawlings who always come from the
Volta Region to drop a big Boom and return to his hometown to relax as if he did
nothing wrong - he must come and stay in that private house he has built in
Accra and stop behaving as a spoilt child. What does Rawlings expect Sir
Knight Commander J. A. Kufour to also say or do since the government has not yet
built his house for him? Things are fast falling apart in the NDC and sharp
divisions as a result of greed which is fast tearing the party apart nationwide
since the executive arm has closed its doors to all cadres through the various
MCE’s and DCE’s and even some Regional Ministers in the Country.
After eating alone for four good years, will these people have the moral courage
to call on the neglected cadres to come back and campaign for votes again in
2012? Strange things are happening in the NDC. Rawlings must know that there
are many party gurus who are NOT comfortable with his pronouncements and general
behavior within the NDC and will wish he is completely sidelined and ignored
forever. Outside the party, fire eating voracious wolves from the Blue Elephant
family will be too happy to see his head on a plate on top of a dining table but
both groups fear the militant cadres around him THEREFORE HE MUST NOT MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR CADRES TO DEFEND HIM. THERE IS NOTHING DIVISIVE ABOUT SPEAKING
THE TRUTH- you either take it or leave it but that is the truth. We must not
play into the hands of the NPP.
The foot soldiers have pulled a fast once, they have jumped the gun and have hit
below the belt because nominations have not been opened yet. Ever since Dr.
Spio-Garbrah described some ministers appointed by the President as “Team B
Players” most Ministers, DCE’s and MEC’s always feel very comfortable in dealing
with OUTSIDERS, fence sitters, strangers and even NPP members rather THAN
DEALING WITH CADRES and this notion is spreading nationwide including the Obuasi
Constituency a situation which has compelled Rawlings to state that “You Take
Your Government” and “He will Take His Party”.
One thing is certain in such situation- the President should put his feet down
and deal with this unfortunate situation once and for all.
For 19 years, Rawlings ruled Ghana unchallenged and neglected his cadres who
were the foot soldiers of the PNDC, and for less than 2 years President Mills
has appointed several cadres as cabinet ministers, Regional ministers and even
DCE’s, so why won’t we support him to achieve his Better Ghana Agenda?
Thousands of cadres died to make the party what it is today, so we won’t allow
these so-called foot soldiers to destroy the NDC for us. No cadre worth his
salt will go against Mills – he is going UN-OPPOSED for 8 years and nothing
else. Are the stakeholders in the NDC party and the ruling government
listening? So what is comrade Rawlings really up to? He must let the whole world
know because Times have changed, and I don’t want Nana Konadu to disgrace
herself by contesting President Mills in 2012 at all, if she disagree with me,
she will definitely remark “Delegates Are F**king” after they have voted
massively against her (Apologies to Kwame Adinkra of “Angel FM” in Kumasi who
has been quoting an over confident contestant in an election who was assured of
total victory ONLY to lose that election and remarked that “Delegates Are
F**king”.
Frankly speaking, NOBODY IN THE NDC CAN CLAIM TO HAVE SUFFERED MORE THAN THE
CADRES IN THE NDC therefore those hiding behind the so-called foot soldiers of
the NDC must Apologise to the NDC leadership for flouting the NDC rules.
All is NOT WELL IN THE NDC, but we must remember that the party is bigger than
any individual. The President is honest and patriotic; he should focus on his
Better Ghana Agenda.
To Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, come out and clear the air because SILENCE
means CONSENT, and if the sitting President decides NOT to contest in 2012 at
all, the most VIABLE candidate is Vice President John Darimani Mahama who cuts
across the political divide. Is anybody listening? I am done. Aluta Continua
Is Road Traffic Act 683 In Force?
By Cynthia Ama Mills
FIVE YEARS ago (2005), I was informed about the portions of the Road Traffic Act
683 of 2004 on the wearing of seat belts thanks to the Motor Traffic and
Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service then under he command of
Chief Superintendent Mr. Augustine Gyening.
October 12 had then been declared “Seat Belt day” and it has done a lot of good
to the public. The primary aim was to enforce Road Traffic Regulations and
ensure safety of motorists and passengers, and the general public most of whom
did not know much about the existence of the law.
It is interesting to read from section 138 of the Act that a person
of 18 years above who: (a) Drives a motor vehicle on a road or (b) Sits on the
front or rear seat of a motor vehicle being driven on a road without wearing a
seat belt commits an offence.
The section as well spells out the punishment for the offence. That
person shall be “liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 100
penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or to both.
The section 14 also talks about carrying of children without seat
belts in motor vehicles with almost the same kind of punishment.
The import of the Act is to prevent injury, reduce the severity of
injuries and prevent deaths during road accidents.
The question bothering me now is: Is this law enforced? Is it not
the MTTU blamable for the laxity? Is it not a case that the National Road Safety
Commission has not embarked on a strong education of the public to inculcate the
importance of the Seat belt as a lifesaver?
My problem is why has the MTTU not enforced this law all this time?
I am yet to come across a single case in our courts where a driver or passenger
has been arraigned before a Law court for not wearing the seat belt.
But think about this question dear reader. Is the seat belt a
lifesaver? Does it really matter in the lives of the motorist or passenger?
Without waiting for your opinion let me say that the answer to the
question is an emphatic yes. The seat belt is one single most important item
designed to save lives. Of course the seat belt is one most important equipment
for the protection of lives and reduction of the toll of the traffic injuries
and deaths.
It is on record that throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of
persons are killed in traffic accidents.
Research findings reveal that people with seat belts are between 35%
and 60% safer than those without it and that if seat belts were widely used by
the motoring public precious lives would have been saved annually.
Studies have also shown that the chances of being killed are five
times greater if one is thrown out of a vehicle during an accident.
According to statistics by the Ghana Road Safety Commission,
hundreds of thousands of vehicles are involved in road accidents annually.
Out of this, a number of deaths are also recorded with several
injuries.Among the deaths are professionals. Of course, road deaths include
professionals, and persons from all walks of life. At one point, a promising
actress, a deputy minister of Sports and three neurologists perished just like
that.
From the above, chances are that an accident can occur one day in a
driver’s life and that it is wise to take precautions though a school of thought
says a seat belt could trap the user in a burning or submerging car.
Even in such a case one will be kept in place and the likelihood of
being struck unconscious is reduced.
Interestingly, it has been learnt that 90% of road accidents in
Ghana are preventable.
It is for this reason that consideration should be given to a simple device
called the seat belt that could make the difference between serious injuries and
minor bruises.
In Ghana if there were an authority on the need for the use of seat
belt I would not hesitate to point to CPP’s Dr. Edmund Delle. He is Ghana’s
serial accident survivor. Thrice he has been lucky and survived accidents.
Hear him: “I owe my life to God and the seat belt”.
His experience is to dawn on us as a people to see the seat belt as
very important. But while drivers and passengers are sensitized on the need for
it, the Road Safety Commission should intensify education through campaigns
particularly at this time of the year when road accidents are becoming
increasingly rampant.
The Commission has not done much in this regard.
But most importantly, the MTTU should see to it that the law is
enforced to the letter. It could put the fear of God in drivers to respect Road
traffic regulations and help reduce deaths.
Concerned about the lost of lives through accidents, the Government
has already provided 60 ambulances under the Ghana Ambulance Service and trained
187 emergency personnel to bring safety and discipline on our roads. We are duly
bound to complement the efforts of the government and make these efforts
meaningful. Seat belts save lives! Please wear them.
PS: Did you know that fixing Learners stickers permanently on cars is an
offence?
I am reliably informed by an MTTU personnel that the Learner label should be
hanged when leaner drivers are behind the steering wheel. This does not apply to
licensed drivers. So a licensed driver who drives a vehicle with a Learners’
label (sticker) stuck to the vehicle commits a traffic offence and therefore
liable to punishment in line with Traffic regulations.
Do the MTTU personnel know this? Are they informed about it? This
law should also be seen to be enforced to give meaning to the Road Traffic Act
683. I am sure MTTU personnel could definitely add to their “income”.
Wishing every driver safe driving between now and the Christmas festivities.
Ghana needs every individual alive to help in its reconstruction efforts under
the Better Ghana Agenda.
