GHANA: The Land That We Love

Over the years, I have painstakingly read pieces of articles from Ghanaweb with a lot of trepidation and enthusiasm, trying very hard at times to comprehend the actual import of some of the messages intended for our consumption. Undoubtedly, the center of this dramaturgy has almost always been issues about Ghana and Ghanaians. While at times diverse and very provocative, they have had the effect of touching off the powder keg for heated debates.

One example comes to mind that is of recent vintage. Prior to the 2000 elections in Ghana, some prophets of doom prophesied brimstone and fire, to the extent of predicting that Ghana would be consumed by an inferno borne out of a self inflicted civil war. For a while, many Ghanaians were on edge; fearing for the worst. The print media, instead of calming the germane fears of Ghanaians, joined the fray with predictions of war and rumors of war. They all had woefully failed to assess the true psyche of the average Ghanaian. The sophistication of Ghanaians regarding politics, the economy, peace and security was underestimated. In one fell swoop, the quintessential smart Ghanaian was put in a nutshell. The average Ghanaian must be understood as smart enough to know that if ever, God forbid war were to descend in their midst, they will have neither refuge nor fortress to run to. This reality has always been uppermost their minds and no sound bites from any quarter would push them over that precipice to which they so closely came when National Democratic Congress was in power.

Finally other writers have written with the intent to rhapsodize the glory of leaders of yesteryears, who once held sway but over time, have had to reluctantly relinquish power. In sum, it is commendable and quite remarkable to state that the prophecy of doom, notwithstanding, power changed hands in Ghana without the crack of a single bullet and the nation is without a doubt, on an inexorable march towards greater wealth, greater peace and greater prosperity which immeasurably speaks to the level of our maturity.

Press Freedom and the Danger of Negative Publicity.

All patriotic Ghanaians must have as their ultimate goal, the ?safeguarding by all means possible the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state of Ghana from internal and external aggression.? This means that as Ghanaians we must be in the first ranks of men in defense of our country. In present day terms, these noble aims translate into presenting our nation in favorable light while proactively engaged in activities calculated to attract prospective investors to Ghana. This is the least all Ghanaians could do for their motherland. Unfortunately, some Ghanaians have been blazing their guns, firing salvos of lies and fabrication against the Kufuor Administration. To a large extent, this has resulted in prospective investors staying away. The dynamics of direct foreign investment, it must be understood is driven by an interplay of many factors and negative publicity is a major factor in this equation. Presenting the leaders of Ghana as corrupt when it is not the case presents a conundrum.

The negative publicity about Ghana goes to affect board room decisions of most major multinational corporations who contemplate investing in Ghana. If this is all that the scribes of NDC can do for Ghana, then it is indeed sad. Ghanaians must always be reminded not to vote for another period of darkness and maladministration. These nation wreckers must bury their heads in shame for bringing our beloved Ghana to its knees. That is not to say that ill- conceived government policies must be condoned. The philosophy of ?damn the consequences as long as the government I support is not in power? must of necessity, give way to the spirit of patriotism. Some may argue that the NPP did the same when they were in opposition. Don?t we have to be forward-looking in order to push the country towards development? We do not need these reactionary forces to pull us back. Good ideas must be espoused by well meaning Ghanaians. The technocrats as well as the intelligentsia must work together towards a common goal of national development. The fact that individuals have different party affiliation must not under any circumstance operate as weapon to divide us. All that it means is that though our views vary, all of them are important and must be afforded the opportunity to be considered. Those views considered ?not viable must be deemed diseased and must not be allowed to propagate their kind. If necessary, they must be cut out and extirpated all together.?

The freedom of the Press must be carefully guided by all who cherish democratic values. Even in America, the bastion and shrine of true democracy, one cannot just get up and start revving up falsehood against the President without risking interdiction. Caution must always be exercised. To cast the NPP government as ?The Worse Gov?t in Ghana History? is simply myopic as did K.W. Isaac in his recent article in Ghanaweb. One wonders where K.W. Isaac was during the PNDC/NDC era? Supposedly, Mr Isaac either refused to acknowledge the crass corruption and brutality of the previous government or was in serious hibernation during which that horrendous autocratic rule of Chairman Rawlings passed him by. The question now is by what indicia did Mr Isaac measure the NPP government vis a vis the previous regime? Mr Isaac needs to revisit the Cotton Case and the extent to which it engulfed key players of the previous administration just to have an idea of what transpired in that period. It is clear where his allegiance and loyalty belong and it is sheer exercise in futility on his part to hide this hypocrisy? Mr Isaac certainly has the right to express his views but he cannot be understood as expressing the views of Ghanaians in the diaspora as a matter of fact. The danger of negative publicity is even more exacerbated when the former head of state himself stoops so low as to compare the occupant of the office he so cherished and adored with Ata Ayi, an armed robber. To say the least, this is very unfortunate and morally reprehensible and must be denounced with the vehemence it deserves.

Staying Focused

In the face of these challenges, the Kufuor Administration must stay focused and be in the business of formulating the national agenda instead of being on the defensive. The gutter politics of NDC must not be allowed to stand. If the PNDC/NDC administration after several years of misrule failed to deliver Ghana out of the economic doldrum in spite of the so called financial and economic wizards, what is the guarantee that it can now deliver. NDC has defiantly refused to admit that it committed unpardonable mistakes and to the extent that it maintains this posture of arrogance, Ghanaians are wont to scorn ascription under their banner. After all it is a banner of intimidation, deception, violence and destruction. If the NPP stays the course and systematically delivers Ghanaians from the throes of poverty, it would have relegated the NDC into ?the shadow of continued life; but sterilized, truncated, impotent for harm.? Once portrayed as an anachronism, NDC will for the rest be relegated to the museum of outworn categories because they will have nothing with which to market the party back to power. This means that the government of Kufuor must avoid making mistakes that could be capitalized upon by the opposition. If the Attorney General indeed has any dockets gathering dust on his desk, he must come out and vigorously prosecute those named in the dockets not as a way of silencing the opposition but just so the era of transparency, probity and accountability , once foisted on Ghanaians would be brought to a full circle. Otchere Darko clearly captures the reality of the Rawlings era when he states: ??a long list of millions of dollars in government-guaranteed loans were frivoled away by crony capitalists? under his watch.(emphasis mine) If proven to be true, this will pan in comparison with the perceived government corruption that Ghanaians are being made to believe. Corruption in any form is simply intolerable and must be fought against without any let or hindrance. This will equally have the intended effect of sending warning signals to people in positions of trust who are bent on pillaging the resources of our nation with reckless abandon.

Even in biblical terms, Vengeance is the Lord?s. There is no virtue in vendetta for the sake of it. If the leaders of NDC are hell bent on merely fighting for political power just so that they can jail members of the present government, then Ghanaians must view them as devoid of vision. In that regard, our democracy must be seen as being under attack and all well- meaning Ghanaians must rally to protect it. Out of power, they have begun sowing seeds of discord. One would have thought that in opposition, they will strategize and present alternative issues with the intent of drawing Ghanaians into their fold. To this end, the present administration must constantly configure the security architecture of our nation in order to neutralize any diabolical plans being hatched by the opposition. If for the final battlefield, the NDC chose the thorny issue like the Representation of the People?s Amendment Bill(ROPAB) to provoke a showdown to throw the nation into chaos and confusion, they have failed miserably. Those desperadoes and malcontents who erroneously think that Ghanaians are either gullible or play things to be toyed with and then discarded must disabuse their minds of that sociological malobservation. Today, the so-called socialists have shed their mantle of poverty and their over-indulgence in vintage cars and their insatiable taste for things exotic that would hitherto be considered a bourgeoise pastime is simply mind-boggling. To this day, and rather surprisingly, the NDC continues to use catch phrases like ?the people? as if Ghanaians do not know the true meaning of it. That they profess to be the mouthpiece of the downtrodden is neither here nor there. Ghanaians are no fools and can easily see through this mockery. Those from our downtrodden communities were exploited to do the dirty work of the ?powers that be?. It took years for their leaders to realize how they had been used and dumped. Those who were specifically paid to go on the air just to traduce and malign the reputation of respectable citizens now find themselves at the receiving end of the continuum. The attack dogs have been unleashed to pursue them. It is hoped that this seeming myopia which is violently ravaging most of our downtrodden communities will be immediately rectified by a renewal of their minds through effective education.

The Socialist Jurisprudence

Socialism during the heyday of the PNDC revolution was synonymous with wearing sandals fashioned out of discarded automobile tires (Tokota). To buttress this concept, some lecturers of renown paraded lecture halls, preaching the implausible Marxist theory of the law and the state thus furnishing the theoretical basis for their hidden agenda. It was these same guys who later found voices in jealously guiding the so called revolution to its ?safe? berth. These scribes of the law shamelessly derided Ghanaians and constantly insisted in defense of the revolution, the futility of any public uprising against their brainchild, to wit; the revolution. One of them proudly and with defiance wrote that any criticism or any effort to overturn their revolution was equal in effect to kicking against a stone wall. It is an irony of history that today those to whom the sheer incidence of ownership of wealth by hardworking Ghanaians was an anathema, have now become owners of property and wealth themselves. In their warped mind they consider themselves as the smartest of their time. They used the revolution to place resources at the doorsteps of their kinsmen. Those from their kindred who felt that those wanton acts of the revolutionaries could spell danger for their kindred were cowed down to total submission. These teachers projected a false portrayal of Marxism or perhaps a contorted version of it. Rather ironically, these former teachers of the law have since been seriously transformed from revolutionaries to petty bourgeoisie, donning Armani suits with designer accessories to boot. They live in opulence in gated mansions their admittedly meager income could not have afforded them. So it was not so much their belief in Marxism as their crass envy of those who had genuinely worked hard to achieve success that provided the casus belli for their assault on and the subsequent pathology of the constitutional dispensation of the time.

In carrying out their kind of the ?dictatorship of the proletariat? by assuming the reins of office on behalf of the ?people?, they forcibly confiscated the hard won assets of compatriots. Market women lost all they had and industrialists of substance were chased out of the country. Any prominent Ghanaian deemed a threat to their madness was silenced and torture and death became the order of the day. Their plan to wantonly disturb the constitutional status quo ante and force on Ghanaians their version of government is not only sickening but damnable. It is public knowledge that PNDC/NDC reflect the darkest period in the annals of our nation?s history. The fact that Ghanaians have not reacted must not be considered as a reprieve.

It is testimony to good governance and democracy that these nation wreckers are now being allowed to participate in national discourses but that must not be translated by them as weakness on the part of this overly tolerant Kufuor administration. The entire panoply of operatives of the NDC government who are still living in Ghana enjoying their ill gotten wealth without any public scrutiny, must be thankful to the leadership of President Kufuor. They need be reminded that the day of reckoning is gradually drawing near. An accounting will be required of all those who in one way or the other held public position at the behest of PNDC/NDC. They must not forget that the President wields enormous power and that his decision to tolerate unjustifiable attacks from the opposition must be viewed as true democracy come alive when juxtaposed with their era when only those who wielded guns held sway.

A cautionary note must be sounded that when those who know the law or are well schooled in its intricacies decide to employ it for dubious reasons, the society at large suffers. That was the lot of Ghanaians when legal luminaries decided to guide headless adventurers by showing how after committing atrocities and pillaging the national coffers, they could hide behind the facade of the transitional clauses of the constitution, the very instrument they mauled.

Reflections of our immediate past.

It is common knowledge that when the PNDC government took the reins of power, they sounded the clarion call for transparency, probity and accountability. Many fell casualty to the atrocities of this regime and those with axe to grind saw an opportunity to settle old scores. Ato Kwame brilliantly captured the sheer madness of the time when he wrote in an earlier article. Editors and journalists were frequently criminalized and jailed for an opinion which displeased the Chairman of the revolution The atrocities visited on Ghanaians by Rawlings and his henchmen sent shock waves and tremors throughout the land. Our dear Ghana, the proverbial land of hospitality was turned on its head and instruments of brutality were unleashed by the government of Jerry Rawlings on its own people. As at now, the plethora of witnesses who appeared before the National Reconciliation Commission to give us an insight as to what really happened are yet to know what promise the final report has It is hoped that the promise of the government to come out boldly with the report will not flicker low. Ghanaians itch with impatience as they await the final publication of the report. It is important that the report be published to set the minds of Ghanaians at rest. After all these men shot to the political scene with the intent to drive the supposed avaricious moneychangers out of the temple, but in the process, the lure of the temple washed them over. This wide river of filth swept them over with its nauseating stench. For twenty years, they have tried to clean it but it will not go away.

In 2000, when the NDC was sent packing, all those virtues evaporated into thin air. The Crusading Guide (Volume 7 no 87 8th Nov.-14th Nov. 2005) poignantly stated that over US$2 billion could not be properly accounted for in the divestiture of state assets between 1993 and 2000.? What Ghanaians want is for all those who served under PNDC/NDC to boldly render themselves available for a national probe of their stewardship by Ghanaians of repute. Once they yield to this exercise, their credibility will be shored up or rehabilitated depending on how they perform and Ghanaians will begin to take them serious. Until then, they can shout corruption from the rooftop and nobody will take them serious. The PNDC government could have redeemed or salvaged the little image left by summoning all its operatives to declare their assets and account for their stewardship after metamorphosing into a democratic government. Woefully they failed to take advantage of that glorious opportunity and the leadership, for reasons best known to it never hinted of that obvious omission. The previous regime could have set the paradigm for subsequent governments to follow. When they failed to do so and simply vanished from the political scene, a cloud of suspicion continued to shadow them and any pretense at upholding those three cardinal principles will continue to ring hollow in the minds of many a Ghanaian and any claim from their quarter as the guardians of the rights of the downtrodden is simply comparable to ...?a tale told by an idiot, filled with sound and fury, signifying nothing?. It is refreshing to know that at least, most of the revolutionaries of the Rawlings era did not build these mansions on Mars. Where they live and the lifestyle they project is common knowledge. If they do not shudder at the mere mention of the PNDC era or see themselves as the benefactors of a revolution that spilled innocent blood, then they are of all men the most miserable. On a note of levity, it is advised that they apologize for their inhumane acts.

Embracing The New Dawn
Mr Kufuor: The President

It is noteworthy that when Ghanaians voted for the re-election of President Kufuor, it was not just a renewal of his mandate, but a positive expression of their acquiescence of him as their mouthpiece in both national and international fora. In return Ghanaians do expect from the current administration, good governance, sound economic and fiscal policies and the continual fulfillment of election promises. Parliament and the Courts must play their part as watchdogs against any excesses of power and human rights abuses if any. Individuals with reservations about government policies must wait till 2008 to effect a change of government. Those with genuine political grievances must first substantiate all claims and then take their case to the appropriate forum instead of going directly to the print media only to be later proven wrong.

Those who still think they are in the old era of NDC must be day- dreaming. They have woefully failed to welcome the appearing of a new dawn glimmering in the horizon and need be reminded that a completely new wind of change is still blowing. With the ushering in of the Kufuor Administration, Ghanaians have once again been given the opportunity to fashion out their own destiny by genuinely becoming a part of restructuring the nation?s future and fortunes. They see development all around them and the mood is one of hope and gaiety. There is a sense of belonging. The period when men and women could be brutalized with out accountability has since faded into nothingness. A new dispensation has been thrusted on our political landscape and the new leadership must convince the populace that they can deliver on their political promises. By all account, it seems that the government of President Kufuor is doing very well. The previous government had leaders without vision and that explains how they were able to send the country down the steep gradient of economic malaise. The government of Mr Kufuor is gradually nursing back to life the hitherto anemic economy his administration inherited from the previous administration. The task is a daunting one and Ghanaians must acknowledge that the economic blunders of yesteryears will take time to correct. Patience and tolerance marked by a tinge of constructive criticism must be exercised in this regard so as not to squander this great opportunity to determine our own future. The experiences of our recent past must guide our thoughts and actions into critically assessing what our politicians throw out there for our consumption and especially more so when such criticisms emanate from the opposition.

If the opposition failed in twenty years to bring Ghanaians the badly needed peace, progress and development and instead visited on them the most horrendous physical and mental abuse ever, how could the same group of politicians lurk in the political terrain hoping to convince our countrymen that given the chance, they could provide for their wherewithal? The danger is that some of our people are buying into these lies being perpetrated by the opposition. Ghanaians have suffered enough to so easily forget the past so soon. It is therapeutic to forgive the pain of the past but it must not be so easily forgotten. Such traumatic experiences, after a while have the tendency to fall into the deep recesses of the mind and yet they easily surface at the front burner at the least stir.

Let Ghanaians be reminded that any political party borne out of trauma or an upheaval and has metamorphosed into an amorphous entity will always bear semblances of that harrowing experiences and from time to time relapse into its old nature to reaffirm that it is indeed a progeny of violence. To such party, democratization of violence is tolerated as long their ultimate goal of political power is achieved. Let well meaning Ghanaians continue to stand against any person or any party that tries to preach violence and take for granted that they alone are endowed with God-given rights to rule our nation. That is why Kufuor?s Administration must ceaselessly drum into the minds of Ghanaians the need to be politically educated.

Taking Proactive Stance

The Minister of Information must work hard to ensure that the policies of the government reach the people and are well understood by them. There is no gainsaying the need to emphasize civic education. The political strength of the opposition must not be underestimated. They have the experience of indoctrinating and continue to be a gathering danger that must be contained. Complacency cannot be allowed to creep in. If the average Ghanaian knows and is convinced of where the government is leading them, then the job of having to tell them who to vote for would not be hard. They see visible signs of development all around them but to what extent is this being translated into a political capital? Must the government be put in the innocuous position of having to defend itself all the time? Must the government act as a lame duck, waiting for the opposition to drum up lies and falsehood before it is gingered into defending itself? The distraction must be understood as a ploy being employed by the opposition to deal a telling blow to what the Kufuor Presidency has achieved so far.

In the words of Gabby Otchere Darko: ?But I blame nobody, no institution but the President and his team of executives for this current state of affairs. They have allowed lies to define the national discourse and to carve people?s perception, for far too long. They are sitting on facts - facts that can better inform the public on the real state of affairs situated (as if ought to be) in a prism of comparative study - yet they jealously protect those facts as if they are afraid to embarrass the opposition.? (Feature Article of Wednesday,9, November, 2005) Party members with strong organizational acumen must be assigned the task of restructuring the party. The research department if any, must be reinforced with a library to furnish the party with the requisite tools for modern politics. A frontal attack must be launched to neutralize the subterfuge and propaganda before their venom begins to seep through to the people. The people of Ghana must be protected from such unhealthy doses of misinformation.

President Kufuor must understand that he is the cynosure of all eyes. He must put muscle behind his resolve, be very firm and put his foot down. His policies must be guided by the legitimate interests of all Ghanaians. Where the opposition genuinely uncovers a lapse, the government must immediately address the issue rather than gloss over it. Once it is allowed to fester, it will not augur well for the image of the government. Perception in modern politics is crucial and as the general populace is constantly fed with falsehood, they will grow to despise the government without making any effort to ferret out the truth. The government is duty bound to go to the people and explain policy issues to them. Mobile vans must be detailed to every nook and crany of the nation, selling the good policies of the government.

The Gentle Giant as President Kufuor is affectionately called must from time to time shake his team. A giant cannot be perceived as weak. After all, of what use is a giant that only sleeps. The President derives his mandate from Ghanaians and this power must be utilized to the fullest. Though known to be compassionate, the President must use his scalpel to remove any political tumor within his ranks that threatens his presidency before it festers or metastasize. A high standard must be maintained and his ministers held to account. Those who fail to measure up to the basic threshold must be reminded that they hold their positions based on effective performance. Failure to perform must mean being jettisoned out of the government. A check must be performed intermittently by the government from within. Those ministers and other political appointees who have failed to perform must be seen as having breached the President?s trust, be counted as political liability and shown the door. That way, those who are wallowing in complacency will sit up. The Presidency must understand that the majority of Ghanaians support his policies and nothing should be done to damage this political capital. Political patronage is considered as a positive aspect of democracy and rewarding capable party members with political appointments is just the right thing to do. President Kufuor must also be wary of moles planted within the nucleus of his administration to pilfer vital information to the opposition. To counter this, a rigorous background check must be in force to effectively eliminate those dangerous elements. If the minutes of a presidential meeting limited to a trusted few can be leaked to the media, then Kufuor?s administration must with the urgency that it deserves put in place a mechanism to block such unhealthy pilfering of vital information. The President?s Spokesperson and the Minister of Information must coordinate to avoid the danger of presenting conflicting responses to national issues. With less than three years to go, President Kufuor should do his best to get a lot done for Ghanaians and leave his name in the sands of time. His support base must at all times lurk in his mind and they must be rewarded considerably.

ESCHEWING POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

Ghanaians in general must realize that when the Honorable Members of Parliament meet, they share a bond and camaraderie that is at once unrivaled. That bespeaks the need to close ranks and demand performance from their representatives instead of turning politics into an unwholesome spectacle. Ghana has traveled the long road of despair and our nation Ghana which was built for the future; must NOW await the future to rebuild it. All Ghanaians, young and old constitute its future and the effort of rebuilding our dear Nation must be the effort of all. In this hilarious journey of nation building, it would be the height of hypocrisy to publicly declare our love for Ghana while we go underground and indulge in nefarious activities or place in the public domain falsehood intended to create disaffection towards the ruling government so as to thwart the concerted effort of all. To those who are forward-looking and visualize a bigger Ghana larger than their own personal egos, we dorf our hats and encourage them to continually work towards the mark of the highest calling; the love for our nation Ghana. The failure of the government?s economic policies could well mean a national disaster in that there would be no viable alternative party to take its place. After all the PNDC/NDC misruled for close to twenty years and was the architect of our current economic plight. The remaining parties appear not so viable as to be able to capture a national following. In that regard, the prospect would be admittedly grim and at once blaze in its trail the democratization of violence as envisaged by the opposition party to wrestle power from the current administration. That the recent NDC elections at Koforidua was marked by violence and intolerance is enough to put Ghanaians on notice that the NDC is not prepared to change its old ways of violence and intimidation and that indeed Rawlings is still harboring designs towards becoming the leader of Ghana.

The Government of President Kufuor must not maintain a cavalier attitude to the frequent trips overseas of persons they deem a threat to national security. It is hoped that those who were nurtured with democratic values but for personal gains opted to join the PNDC/NDC government have learned their lessons the hard way. For the sake of worldly materialism, they unwittingly entered into a compact with the devil and Mephistopheles is bound to exact vengeance. Whether they resign today or tomorrow from the NDC will make no difference. To the extent that they consciously pillaged our nation and defended the revolution of the time, their likes must be shunned when they attempt in any way, shape or form to associate themselves with the UP tradition. After all they forsook this time-honored tradition for well over a quarter of a century for their personal aggrandizement. When most Ghanaians quietly suffered from brutalities, and others went to the extent of putting their lives on the line, they enjoyed their various ministerial positions without publicly raising a finger in defense of innocent Ghanaians. The chicken have come home to roost. They must be prepared to pay the price of condoning murder, intimidation and naked violence. All those who benefited from the Rawlings regime must understand that they and the dismal record of the Rawlingsian era are inextricably bound together. Ghanaians will always remember them for that.

Job Creation

The unemployed youth of today must understand that the Kufuor Administration would need more time to create the badly needed jobs. The President must fashion out a robust economic policy with the goal of creating jobs for the unemployed. This issue must be tackled with the national urgency that it deserves. In places like Kumasi and Takoradi, for example, the various factories must be revived or the government must partner with private entrepreneurs so as to arrest the sordid issue of unemployment. Education must be approached holistically. The government must invest heavily in laying solid foundation for our children?s education. The youth are called upon to exercise more tolerance as the President tries hard to streamline the economy and resuscitate abandoned state enterprises. Feasibility studies on the Nyinahin and Kyebi bauxite deposits must accelerate so as to create the badly needed jobs. The excessive conurbation in Accra and Tema must be addressed so that newer factories are set up in Cape Coast, Koforidua, Sunyani etc. This will have the effect of reducing the mad rush to cities for non-existent jobs with its attendant social problems.

By now the President must know those ministers who have failed to deliver and they must be changed without fear or favor. I am sure that the President?s work would be made easier if ministers instead of grabbing the much needed resources for themselves, channel them into projects beneficial to their constituents. Those without scruples must of necessity give way to those who are ready to serve with distinction. Those who in their selfish search for private bounty bring disrepute on the head of the party must be disowned and be made to face the full rigors of the law. However, party loyalty must not be interpreted as blind loyalty. The President must put his foot down and push his policies through; to the extent that the ultimate goal is to benefit Ghanaians. He must summon courage and realize that no matter what he does, he would not be able to satisfy all Ghanaians. This is his time and the gentle giant must aspire to leave his name in the sands of time so that one day, posterity will undoubtedly admit that indeed this was a true statesman.

Finally I am compelled to conclude by borrowing a piece from the late Benjamin N. Cardozo; a former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court who once stated that ?History, in illuminating the past, illuminates the present, and in illuminating the present, illuminates the future......Today we study the day before yesterday, in order that yesterday may not paralyze today, and today may not paralyze tomorrow.?

As Ghanaians, we must be reminded, that the future is ours. Our thoughts and actions must be carefully guided by the wisdom of the sages and our recent past. Any Ghanaian with a strong bent of mind can clearly understand that our Dear Ghana is larger than the sum total of our selfish interests. We must strive hard to augment and protect the lot of our nation instead of being willing participants in its pillaging and ultimate destruction. In this crucible daubed Ghana, we have all been called to contribute our part. In time, our little part will suffer the rigors of forgetfulness and we will be compelled to pass on the mantle. Until then, we are charged with the daunting task of carrying the torch forward. Sure enough, this is not going to be easy. However, we are assured one more time by the sobering words of Cardozo: ?I know that the flame will burn bright while the torch is in your keeping,? Fellow Ghanaians, let us make the most of this opportunity to serve and contribute to the total upliftment of our Ghana. It was Alexis de Tocqueville who said, ?America is great, because she is good and when America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.? On the same note, let me implore fellow Ghanaians to rededicate themselves to Ghana?s goodness, so that her greatness will forever be assured.