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here is no gainsaying that Ghanaians sometime ago gained the notoriety of being vociferous on national issues. Both constructive and unhealthy criticisms were being hurled at the ruling government by individuals, groups and the media without any remorse.
Many a times, you wake up in the morning only to be greeted with a cacophonous radio or television discussions, the moment you switch on your radio or television. The atmosphere of this country was invariably characterized by vulgar statements emanating from all kind of individuals, groups, media outlets inter alia.
All that was happening was geared towards putting the then government on its toes to deliver. I am not perplexed Ghana was given an invaluable facelift on the parts of roads, health, education, water, sanitation, agriculture, among others under the results-oriented government led by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, (The Messiah).
In fact, I can say without mincing words that it was in JM's regime that Ghanaians truly experienced real democracy, 'talk I talk', as compared to what we are experiencing now. I may not be far from right to say that the criticisms informed his unmatchable developmental projects dotted across the country. It is indeed noticeable that JM is an epitomic index case study of peace and national development. That is a clear mark of a good leader. Every good leader has the absolute spirit of being guarded by criticisms, more especially a democratically elected leader.
Constructive criticism itself is not a bad thing to any civilized and enlightened leader. It is a tool use to propel government for development in a democratic nation like Ghana. The popular and most commonly used wise saying, "silence is gold", is absolutely not helpful to a democratic nation like Ghana hence the need to speak out our problems as a developing nation. This was understood and embraced in the tenure of His excellency John Mahama. Unhealthy and uncharitable words and statements were used day by day by the then opposition party including some seemingly neutral pressure groups to chastise JM in the name of democracy. For instance, groups such as IMANI Ghana, Occupy Ghana, Danquah institute, IEA, Catholic Bishop Conference, Peace Council among others were very vociferous in JM's regime. We heard them almost invariably everyday, casting memorable aspersions and unsubstantiated allegations on the then government. Now, as to whether they still exist, no one knows. But in case you are still existing, I want to draw your attention to the fact that your deafening silence on issues these days is so loud that we can hardly hear you. I just wish that you were doing that in all sincerity to ensuring that the government was put on its toes to deliver.
But frankly speaking, I am at a lost with the sudden turn of events in our current political dispensation. The deafening silence that characterizes the current atmosphere is so loud that the deaf can hear its sound. What at all is happening? Is it that those individuals and groups have accomplished their task? Were they doing that just to win an elections? Hmmmm! Would I be wrong if I termed that behaviour as double standard? Not at all! The era when our beloved country is experiencing a multitude of unpalatable things ranging from vigilantism, insecurity, hardship, rampant armed robbery, attack on the security personnel, court, offices, other prominent institutions and individuals, we can seldomly hear those loud mouth individuals and groups to put this government in order. Fulanis are killing citizens of the country to the extent that they started killing the country's security officers yet these groups and individuals unflinchingly remained silent. I want to believe that your loud silence on the happenings of this country is an outgrowth of the intimidating posture of the current government otherwise your mouths are sealed with the secret sweetness of the honey.
It is abundantly clear that citizens of this country have been compelled to coil back into their shells and fold their arms while following with their eyes, the happenings in the country. Just as the saying goes, when an elderly person speaks from both ends of his mouth, children must watch him from both ends of their eyes. There is therefore no moral equivalence between what is happening angdffffd the unprecedented loud silence that has engulfed our motherland. Man must not swallow his couth because he fears to disturb other people's sleep.
The well-calculated determination to at all cost, create and maintain an unhappy silent atmosphere in this country is very dangerous to the peace and progress of the nation. The government of the day led by President Nana Addo, must take note of this statement from Harry Truman and reconsider his actions and inactions, "once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasing repressive measure, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear".
This is exactly what is manifesting in this democratic country called Ghana. Why should it be so? President Nana Addo and the NPP must open up their arms and embrace constructive criticisms from the very people who gave them the mandate. A man who crossed a great river to marry a wife must be ready for night journey by canons to his in-laws funeral. Mr. President, your inability to hold back your claims of competence superiority should never push you to adopt your weird principle of silencing the voice of the ordinary Ghanaians.
It is very conspicuous that this government used uncharitable tactics to sacking headteachers and teachers in general to silence them from commenting and unearthing the odds that characterized the hastily implemented First Years' 'Free SHS'. The unnecessary sacking and transfer of headteachers "anti-free SHS heads" who poured out their frustrations on the 'free SHS' leaves no doubt in me, that approximate what I essentially view as a classic symptomatology of a deliberate attempt to cow-drown teachers from exposing the untoward odds the extemporary 'free SHS' has brought on them and the students at large.
But thanks be to God every bad thing can never be under the cover of the sun forever. Indeed, this behaviour has given an adequate cornucopia of what the NPP represents. Under the leadership of Nana Addo, just within a year, the whole world has seen how human dignity is betrayed and corrupted at the profit of a consumerist party. We have seen PTA projects that are abandoned in the name of 'first years' free SHS', meanwhile government is finding it uneasy to stand on its feet to successfully implement this mouthwatering campaign promise.
A classical example is the incident that happened at Ko Senior High School at Nandom in the Upper West Region. PTA in the school unanimously agreed to levy themselves Ghc 85.00 to complete a teachers' bungalow that will accommodate a number of teachers who stay outside the campus with the purpose of improving performance in the school.
What has this decision got to do with their free SHS? Nothing! But it will surprising you to know that the member of Parliament for Nandom constituency who doubled as the minister of interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery, in a meeting with his party's branch executives, ordered that the headteacher and the PTA chairman refund the money to the first years in that school. Is this fair? How developmentally oriented is the NPP as they claimed to be? Is this not also a cheat?
Why should the second and third years pay the levy leaving out the first years? Is this not discriminatory? Is it not inimical to the peace and development of this country? Is this attitude of the NPP not a clear manifestation a parochial interest seekers? If you say no, are they not doing that to score cheap political points for their personal aggrandizement? The questions can go on and on.
For far too long we have allowed the elements of morose delectation and unsympathetic joy to eat up our sense of critical thinking and analysis of issues. Discerning Ghanaians must not allow the seemingly free SHS and other so call free things to overshadow our commonsense.
Free things they say, are indeed sometimes, expensive. Moving forward, the unwelcoming intimidation of the Ghanaian populace by the NPP vigilante groups has cowed so many people into silence and that is very dangerous for the peace of any democratic country. The repercussions of this unhappy silence of the citizens have the propensity of throwing this country into an explosion tantamount to volcanic erruption.
For the first time in the history of Ghana, second and third years' students came home with extra school fees to be paid after they have paid all their fees at the beginning of the academic year. This initiative is over burdening the parents of the continuing students. Headteachers in these schools have no option than to resort to some of these ungodly ways of raising funds just to keep the schools running. Meanwhile, government has used its uncouth strategic principle to forcefully glued the lips of these headteachers from voicing their frustrations.
Any head or teacher caught speaking about the challenges the free SHS has brought on them is termed "Anti-Free SHS" teacher hence is shown the exit. If this is not witch hunting, how appropriately could it be called again? Is Ghana actually a democratic country? While the schools heads and teachers are struggling to running the schools, government is going about trumpeting its successful implementation of free SHS. Is this not wickedness?
To conclude, government must make the atmosphere relax for citizens to have their say without any fear. The atmosphere under which we are now, is not condusive for a democratic nation. It has every tendency of throwing the country into uncontrollable chaos. The kind of volcanic eruption that will befall this country will be worse than any country, if the atmosphere remain the same. Ghanaians are boiling inwardly and you can imagine the magnitude of venom we are accumulating.
I also want to use this piece to egg all Ghanaians to remain unrepentant in constructively criticising the government. As discerning as we are, we must not allow ourselves to be cowed down by the threats of this government. Let me also loudly and specially call on those individuals, groups and media outlets to continue to let their voices heard just as they did in JM's tenure. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander. I don't think they have sealed your mouth with honey. And even if they did, speak out for the shake of the ordinary Ghanaian.
The most famous and widely used wise saying, "silence is gold", is unhelpful in our political arena hence we must remain committed to putting the government on truck by being vociferous on government initiatives. I am not unaware of the Biblical quotation, "give to Caesar what is Caesar's". I'm not only advocating for criticisms to be done but also commend government when they do well.
