Former president Rawlings has vowed not to fall on the sword. Ghanaians believe
he meant his obtrusive remark, or was he just acting in concert?
President Atta Mills bashed Mrs. Rawlings 2,771, representing 96.9%; yet, he’s
blushing at the Osu Castle; he’s not being a happy man.
Ghana: A rich government; a poor nation. As a friend a said: “Love money but
develop your community. No point being rich in a sea of poverty.”
The world saw how grandiloquent the self-described populist leader, President
Atta Mills, was. July 9th, 2011 was the historical date the president showed his
own people that he’s now truly a moneyman. He wasted no time guaranteeing his
victory with big money at the historic National Delegates Congress. No
wrongdoing in living in one’s own world of political affluence. His laid-out
battle plan was superb. He fabulously showcased his swagger – “double, double.”
It was eye-popping! The hardships of the destitute denizens could not budge him;
he had a mission to accomplish!
Go Prof.!
If we duly recall, in the 2008 electioneering campaign, the then candidate Atta
Mills promised to a run corrupt free government. But the last event shined light
on the paradox of his word. Former Chief Executive Officer of Kumasi Asante
Kotoko, Herbert Mensah, prior to the congress, disclosed that security tapes he
had access to had revealed that President Mills’ campaign team planned to use
about GHC90 million to fuel his campaign for the flag bearer of the NDC – an
allegation the government failed to fight back. It also emerged after the
congress that, President Mills freely spent “15 billion.”
“This was contained in the income and the expenditure papers sighted on at his
party’s headquarters,” the source claimed. It went on to query, “Why in the
Western Region and Northern Region for example, 4 billion in total was shared to
regional party executives without constituency party members given any?” These
are allegations the legal eagle-turned-president has secretly swept under the
carpet, because, the facts were adducible.
“Silence means concern!”
Evidently, his open secret big-time investment in the just ended Sunyani
Congress in relation to his self-described poverty-ridden nation is
nerve-wracking. Political and economic pundits will draw the conclusion that if
Atta Mills and his NDC government could profoundly showcase a grandiose congress
for a primary presidential election – after two and half years in office – then
President Mills inherited a perfect economy.
OMG! Extravagant spending in the face of high rise of unemployment, high prices
of fuel & gas, non-payment of civil servants’ salaries, food shortages,
deplorable roads, high rate of armed robberies, abnormal increase in social
vices (i.e. prostitution, sakawa) and unbearable cost of living. Fishermen in
Ghana are plagued with intolerable premix and pair trawling issues (they’re
recently dealt with tear gas and hot waters by a combined team of the police
force and the armed force when they lead a demonstration to the Osu Castle). A
proudly acclaimed populist leader-cum-“God-fearing” is cooling off in the Osu
Castle and being far removed from the common and the poverty-ridden Ghanaians
who voted him into office.
The adagio president buried the party founder, Former President Rawlings,
because he was hip on money, and, did it with ecstasy. The NDC capos clinically
and tactically played Mr. Rawlings out even with prayers which should have at
least involved the only talisman of the ‘united’ party. He was forlornly stunned
as his own people whom anyone who’s followed Rawlings for long will tell you
that, he loves more than his own extended family. But he was jettisoned;
strangely, no single soul laughed at his funny joke (“Osu Alata Mantse”).
President Atta Mills has won handsomely, but his victory is like a shadow on a
caved wall.
“Money is power!”
President Mills obviously had his thumb firmly pressed on the scale of the
congress. Mr. Rawlings in his speech, fatherly, advised the delegates not to let
financial inducement influence their consciousness. He warned: “The entire
country and, indeed, the international community are monitoring this event very
closely and with great interest. Some District Chief Executives are supposed to
be seating among the delegates; amongst all that has been tried and warning them
that they’re being monitored by cctv cameras,” he added. He concluded his speech
by thanking the NDC party for sharing per diem the very night to the elections.
Hon. Michael Teye Nyaunu, MP for Lower Manya Krobo, on the eve of the election
disclosed to Accra based Citi FM reporter that “delegates were being bribed and
induced to vote for President Mills.” He added that some female delegates of the
party have been given cloths and MASLOC loans at the residency of the Eastern
Regional Minister a few days before the Congress.
The dust has now settled. If the president is anti corrupt-cum-God fearing
leader, he should come clean, face the camera and tell Ghanaians how much he
spent on his campaign for the Sunyani Congress. It’s unattainable because he’s
bereft of humility. Laundry lists of allegations are swirling in the country
over the indescribable amount of monies and state resources which were invested
in his presidential primary elections.
No damage control specialist can revamp the catastrophe caused by the political
dynamite at North Ridge. That, because the Rawlingses know very well that the
huge and unbearable Sunyani humiliation and embarrassments were well
orchestrated, to extremely destroy their political life and subject them to a
global ridicule. Even days before the congress verbal bomb-throwers of the NDC –
both from home and abroad – were desperately firing salvos at Mr. Rawlingses and
his credos on which the party was formed.
Game over. President Atta Mills’ does not need Mr. Rawlings in his 2012 campaign
if truly his “better Ghana agenda” is being achieved, because the electorates
are not blind from it – quite another matter. Now, among the trio (“Tika,”
“Taka” and “Gangale”), the betrayed and disgraced gang leader, “Gangale” has
manly withdrawn – and not joining the group to the market – due to nakedly
massive corruption looming in the government with debauchery.
Can vice president John Mahama – with the aid of his proud tablet – fill me in
with the ultimate outcome without “Gangale?”
Jerry Amponsah (Sabbato)
Communications Group
NPP, New York