President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Ghanaians have witnessed many presidential press briefing in previous years. It is unbelievable for President Akufo-Addo who had been in power for only six months to gather the courage to engage the press.
Discerning Ghanaians will attest to the fact that the economy he inherited from the erstwhile Mahama-led administration had undergone a ‘political temperature syndrome’ – being contaminated with bribery, corruption, political narcissism and structure dereliction occupied with shanty politicians.
The president has clearly shown he believes in good governance and accountability that is why he did not wait until the end of the year before he had this press encounter. We are fortunate to have a man whose ideology is based on “good name is better than riches”. Ever since he assumed power he has shown he is committed to fixing the broken economy. It was obvious what discerning Ghanaians saw in the press encounter was by far the most outstanding delivery by all standards.
It looked as though the NDC is still living in wonderland because they never thought they could suffer a humiliating defeat from the man whom they vilified anytime they are on airwaves. I can see that the technical knockout they received from him on the 7th December 2016 General Elections had gone deep into their bones to the extent that they find it too hard to forget that is why they see everything wrong with whatever he does.
I am not surprised at all that just after the presidential encounter, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) started what they can do best, that is propaganda. No serious government in this modern times would want to continue to dwell on primitive ways of doing things in government if it intends to offer the good people of the country good governance. Reforms have no limit when it comes to governance.
The delivery by the president on the press encounter was superb and I don’t see why the NDC had wanted him to dance to their tune. His demeanour alone can attest to the fact that he is ready to diligently serve the good people of Ghana in truth, honesty and sincerity. It is a credit to his leadership to let Ghanaians have faith in his governance that the future is bright and full of hope.
It is ridiculous to hear from the NDC that he was not on top of issues. If your enemy wants to learn how you dance, he will only twist his waist. Also as it is said in the Akan language “Akoko sa kyere akroma a, enye no fe” which means “whatever you do will never please your enemy” and the biblical allusion that Adam was sacked from the Garden of Eden.
The president believes in professionalism and active participation in his government and I don’t see anything wrong if he allowed his able men and women to also come and answer some questions concerning their various positions. After all, he did not ask the Minister for Interior to come and answer questions that concern our economy, Attorney General’s Department and the Health Ministry. What discerning Ghanaians were itching and yearning for is to have a government who is fully equipped with good policies, interventions, innovative and can think outside the box. In fact, President Akufo-Addo is a generational thinker.
Concerning the Delta force issue, the NDC want us to walk on assumption that what they are saying is the accepted truth and accepted truth may not be the real truth that is why the president who believes in the rule of law has allowed the law to take its course, but not the accepted truth. This is because if the nation walks on assumption that is accepted to be true is the real truth then our nation has little hope to advance and also it may lead to a miscarriage of justice.
Teamwork is vital to governance and there is nothing wrong if he called on his Vice to answer questions on his behalf. Nobody asked the NDC government to keep their Vice President inactive. No wonder, there was no cohesion between the ex-president and his vice Paa Kwasi Bekoe Amisah Arthur. He said he can’t think far and his vice answered in affirmative. Hence the contradictory statements that emanate within the circumference of the ex-president and his bogus government. According to the Igbo maxim, “the sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel”.
The NDC claim the President acted like John Obi Mikel just because he gave his vice a back pass. It may interest Ghanaians to note that John Obi Mikel’s back pass brought good results for Nigeria and Chelsea FC. He won silver in U-20 World Cup and U-23 Olympic games. He won the 2013 AFCON and qualified Nigeria for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where the NDC government without shame flew huge sums of dollars in an aeroplane which attracted huge tax from Brazil’s government. He won the EPL, FA Cup, Carling Cup, Uefa Champion’s league and Europa League with Chelsea. If the President gave a back pass like Mikel Obi, then it means he is purposeful and results oriented and Ghana is definitely going to swim in the pool of prosperity.
The NDC must understand their propaganda machinery have no place in contemporary politics.
The vice president spoke against reckless borrowing by the Mahama-led administration and it looks obvious hence his parables. Surprisingly, when they were in office they were paying interest on loans they have not acquired. The influx of Chinese to storm our towns and villages to undertake illegal mining started in NDC’s regime. They looked indifferent about the welfare of our brothers and sisters living in the mining areas. If I may ask them, what was the state of the economy when they relinquished the crown or the presidential seat?
The leverage accrued was meant to service the gargantuan debt inherited by the NPP government from the bad managers of our economy (NDC).
Looking at the way the president reacted to the questions from the media gathered there, you would notice he is an astute politician. The propagandist claim they have not seen anything good in President Akufo-Addo’s six months in office even when they are not sleeping in absolute darkness. Dumsor lived with us for over four years under their regime and in just six months the issue of Dumsor has died a natural death. The good people of Ghana whose companies had collapsed due to NDC’s failure to solve the energy crisis can attest to the fact that they have seen their enterprises revamp under a competent leadership. If the NDC care to know President Akufo-Addo’s government is determined to revive all the companies that collapsed under NDC’s regime.
The free SHS that will take off in September will not be like NDC’s cut and paste progressively free SHS which made most of our school heads in SHS turned to be ninjas just because of the fact that, their debtors were on their necks. Under NDC’s regime, Senior High Schools in the three northern regions were closed down just because government woefully failed to provide them what they rightfully deserve. Today, under a caring government the situation with regards to Senior High Schools in the three northern regions is quite different. Ghanaians should not listen to NDC’s propaganda because when you see an old man at his falcate crying you don’t need to ask what has happened.
Today, they are in opposition and they are pretending as if they are principal angels. Their so- called IMF policy credibility which turned to be suicidal could not employ a single nurse from the numerous nurses who picketed at the Health ministry in their regime. Thanks to a listening government who have employed thousands of nurses into the health sector. Also, thousands of extension officers have been employed in the Agricultural sector to help in planting food for jobs and to climax it all the protracted battle between the NDC government and UTAG on the payment of book and research allowances have been resolved by the good government of NPP.
To conclude, Ghanaians can no longer tolerate gutter politics that will define the state of a banana republic. Again the NDC’s below the belt assertions will never erode the confidence Ghanaians have reposed in President Akufo-Addo and his well-meaning lieutenants to steer the affairs of the country. The good will of the international community which the president is enjoying is unflinching and no matter what the NDC does, the international community cannot and will not be derailed by the attempts to pollute investors. The economic measures being pursued by the government is unparalleled to put Ghana back on sound and sustainable economic recovery.
The NDC is out of coverage and it is about time they do a proper appraisal of the unfolding events before coughing in a vacuum.