I know many people are asking this same question. However it may sound to you, I want you to leave partizan politics out of this, because it is a worrying national issue that should concern every Ghanaian. Recent developments in our political landscape gives this question so much space to develop. When the president of the republic is unaware of his governemnt's agreement with an important organization like IMF, it justifies the need for this question. If with only a year to finish a four year ruling term in office, we are still told to blame a past government for doctors on strike, this question cannot be a mistake. If a ruling party considers victory for a second term as a shock to opposition it allows me to think of who exactly is in control of the affairs of our land. With reports of "Prof o re ha me paa o" from the ruling party's founder, the worry of who is in charge is not a misplaced priority. Who is really in office? Who should be looked up to for solutions to Ghana's problems today.
On the day President Mills was returning from the UN General Assembly, his answer to a question posed by journalists with regard to a 3 billion Chinese loan and how it contradicted the Government of Ghana's agreement with IMF not to enter a loan agreement of more than 800 million shocked me to my very marrow. It was absolutely unthinkable that the President of the Republic of Ghana was not aware that the country he claim to be governing has such an important agreement. Of course I don't expect the president to know every nitty-gritty that goes on in the country, but not when we are talking about a major agreement with an important organization like IMF. In such agreements the President's consent is even needed before anybody can append his signature to either accept or reject it. It is a sovereign agreement which requires the First Chief Executive of the land to study and make a decision before any further step is taken. In this regard, for the president to be unaware of the existence of such an agreement every Ghanaian, every lover of the president and especially all well meaning citizens need to be worried for the vacuum or at least the impression that there is somebody else in charge instead of the one we voted for.
The questions raised by this issue are; who authorized the finance minister to accept such an agreement without briefing the president? Two, who does that person take him/herself for and what does that person take the presidency for? Three, is it only this division which was taken without the President's consent or there are many others we are not told of? Who is/are that/those person/people? Is Ghana having a power vacuum. Is there somebody behind the scenes? So who is Prof Mills?
This issue came to confirm former Pres Rawlings and Dr Spio Gabrah's claims that president Mills is not in charge of appointing people to positions. Whilst the former revealed president Mills "prof o re ha me oo" statement the latter told us how he told him that he wish he did what he promised him(giving him a ministerial appointment) but there are some people who have disagreed for him(pres Mills) to honour a promise he made before hundreds of party faithfuls. If the president have no veto in making his appointments, then you will bear with me when I ask of who exactly is in charge. The power to appoint and fire, as we have been told a million times lies with the president. So who is the "president" if the one we call the president has confirmed to no less persons than the founder of and to one time flagbearer aspirant of his party that some people are the ones who decides on whom to appoint.
The first year of every democratic government is characterized with blames on past governments anomalies. But extending this period to three years is unpardonable. I have witnessed in awe how everything going wrong is still being blamed on the NPP which handed over power three year ago. If they are still responsible for anything which goes wrong, can we say they are also responsible for anything which goes right. Should we continue to give them the credit for the on going Bui Dam project? should we continue praising the NPP for the School feeding program? Should we be praising them for the workers who have been moved to the Single Spine Salary Structure? If we are told to blame them for any failure, I can't do anything less than agreeing when there is success. After all am made to believe they are in charge. How can the president suddenly remember that the SSSS is an NPP innitiative just when Doctors strike. For God sake the Doctors are not striking only because they have not been migrated unto the scheme, but because the government has lied to them on too many occasions. You will be migrated to the scheme by the end of 2010, by March 2011, by September and so on. This is their worry. The lack of sincerity. Instead of a solution our president is directing us to the opposition who handed over power three years back. Three budgets have been read after that and a supplementary one this year. None of them has addressed this issue and all we are told is go hold NPP responsible. We will praise them too for the security services who are on the SSSS now. Who is in charge at all?
Ade Coker thought he was boasting. But he belittled the ruling party when he said. The NPP should be expecting a shock come 2012. Who is supposed to be shocked? If a ruling party wins an election is it a shock? Is Ade Coker suffering from some inferiority complex or what. You are in power and you say if you win it will be a shock? When I read the publication all what I told myself was; Ade Coker is aware that NDC will loose 2012. If not how on earth can a politician whose party is in power for just his first term talk like this? What is seems to me is that the NDC is in power but NPP is still more popular among the people than the NDC and maybe this is why he made such a statement, if not what else?
The pupil who were asked; who is the president of Ghana? And they responded; Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo should not be blamed. This is the impression created even by the president himself for blaming the doctor's strike on NPP.
God bless our homeland Ghana.
Noah Dugubrame Asare. Frankfurt, Germany.
