2011 is a year which we were told would be an action year by no less person than our President, H.E., J. E. A. Mills. And like any Ghanaian I looked forward to the action gladly appreciating my president's admission that his first two years were characterized with inaction and hence the declaration of an action year. Of course, the president deserves credit for this sincerity. 2009 and 2010 saw the slowest pace of development. To the extent that the founder of the party described the government of the prof as a go slow and a tortoise pace government. In the president's 2010 Nations Address he again admitted that he was excruciatingly slow but his critiques should just do him a favour by adding but sure. These were his on words. Add "but sure". Yea "but sure", so that you could wait forever.
The first action of 2011 was the presidents State of The Nation Address. As we gaped at the president for a sincere account of the achievements and failures of 2010 and how he planned to rectify the faults and improve upon the good achievements if there were any. We were all disappointed as the president's State of the Nations Address turned into a political platform where instead of addressing all Ghanaians as one people he made open partizan statements which infuriated many so much so that the Minority in parliament booed the president whilst the minority Leader decided to reply the president by refusing to see him off with his colleagues as the custom demands. The president turned the State of the Nation into a Red alert warning, threatening his political opponents. An action year indeed.
Action we had been promised and action we looked forward to. In a space of a few months the president had changed some of his ministers. All the ministers the "Say a black Goat Is A white Cow Ministry" wanted us to believe he had dismissed, were given other appointments to continue their slow pace, corrupt, under performing or whatever ministrations. MCE's and DCEs were not left out. Food Soldiers' barked at the president of their disapproval of some of them and they were shown the exit almost immediately. Maybe this is what the action meant, who knows? The "Immediate effect" dismissal of Prof Badu Arkosah, the Rambo style arrest of the Central region Police personnel on the authorisation of the IGP working under strict instructions from Kobby Acheampong can't be so easily forgotten. Some five policemen are currently in interaction for the same offence Kobby Acheampong caused the arrest of the eight and the charging and interdiction of one. Full of action, will you argue?
The third unforgettable action was the Fonkar Game. After it gave the president sleepless nights through the arsenals showcased by his godfather and his wife. The 90 million bribery saga and the exposed alleged plots to change the verdict, Prof was crowned at the coronation park as the new leader of the party. The GAME was accused of terrorism, stealing and choreographing the whole event in favour of the man who controlled most of the delegates as his appointees. It was not a surprise though but was not pleasant that Tika and Gangale could look on as Taka and his wife were booed at and virtually hooted out of the coronation ground. And even more worrying that Tika could not look into the face of Taka and share heartfelt pleasantries with him as his godfather. Indeed it was a sad day for Taka and all his admirers.
Then the action money was declared as a loan to be taken from the Chinese. That loan has the potential of quadrupling our dept just in a space of threes years of NDC's rule. Already our loans had risen to all time high in the history of Ghana. Loan loan loan and loans had become the order of the day. The question remains that which action had those loans taken in this action year? The drama that followed the loan was that our president after taking us back to the IMF from which NPP had successfully weaned us, forgot that he entered a statutory agreement with them not to take a loan of more than $800,000 per annum. When the president was questioned about why this contradiction, he was sincere to say he had no idea we had any such agreement to the embarrassment of many of those who defended that the president was in charge of his government. The question asked was; how can a president in charge of his government be unaware of an agreement which requires his permission before it could become bounding on the state? Was he hallucinating when the agreement was signed? Is it not possible that many other agreements have been entered into without the knowledge of the president? Is the president only posing as just a figurehead whilst some invisible hands pulls the strings? The final question is who gave the approval for Ghana to enter that agreement if the president said he was not aware if per the laws of such an agreement his consent was needed before it could be passed?
The fifth action is just unbelievable! By March we had received a confirmation of a chain of promises. The Volta University, The Brong Ahafo University, The Eastern Corridor Road, The Industrialised Rise farming and many more. We were also told STX will take off by April and Later August whilst admissions into the Volta University was scheduled to start by September. A lot of action into the Volta University has seen some squirrels, mice and grass-cutters graduating from the prestigious Volta Uni. As for the one in Brong Ahafo you will need to go there and see how the tree dormitories are hosting the birds, monkeys and others. STX has left us debts to pay without a single block laid. Are you asking about the eastern corridor road? Go ask the Volta queen mother who made her voice heard from Alavanyo. The woman was so disappointed that she had to tell these croaks some painful truths. This action is what I term as you name it, never mind if you are not able to do it.
The president had decided to counter what Nana Addo is doing to also go on tour. His tour took him to Every Region in Ghana except; you won't believe this "VOLTA REGION". On more than five occasions the chiefs and people of Volta had prepared waiting for the arrival of their preferred party's leader and on all occasions a late disappointing flimsy excuse came to them telling them why the president could not make it. Some chiefs who could no more take the insult went on the rampage and their names came into the black books as anti Mills or pro Rawlings or even pro NPP. First it was circumstances beyond control, then an urgent travel, the torrential rains and then what else? I can't even remember. This action I deed is unforgettable. What is the president running from? Ok if you were the president what will you say if in your tour you are asked why the Accra Aflao road is still not completed? Or why The University which was to admit people by September 2011 has not seen a single block laying? Or if you are asked why the mechanized rice farming project is still nowhere to be seen? He better stay in Accra before he get lynched in Keta.
The Seventh action was embarrassing to every well meaning Ghanaian and even other Africans who look forward to us for pace setting. The president of the first country in sub Saharan Africa to gain independence from the British. The president of the gate way to Africa. The president of Kwame Nkrumahs Ghana was to address the U.N. General Assembly. And all he could talk about was school uniforms and schools built under trees. Whilst some heads of states were greeted with standing ovation amidst their speech our president was not even offered a round of applause. He was at the UN general Assembly addressing heads of states and spoke as if he was addressing some polling agents. All the president could find important to tell the August gathering was pure political campaign talk. Was it even important mentioning how he will ensure a free and fair election come 2012 when they had already heard his Ho declaration of handing over only by 2017? The address was supposed to focus on global, inter-continental and international issues. Political campaign will have been better left at Kotoka. On the TV some of the Presidents at the Assembly just dosed off whilst others were actually snoring. Even Kwesi Pratt the number one admirer of prof Mills could not hide his disappointment at such an appalling performance. I have never wanted to play the video back. When I see how the president of Brasil, Iran, Palestine, and others were given series of standing ovations and how people were sleeping whilst my president was giving his, I just wished I could hide my nationality.
The 8th action was a reverse into the days of NDC 1 when a minister hid money under his bed and later claimed he was burgled. Some youth who had worked under the NYEP were paid on table from the office of the coordinator. It also occurred in the Volta Region where it nearly ended bloody as some of the youth gathered could not get their share. When the information reached me, what I wanted to know was what is the purpose of the account numbers taken from the workers under the program? Later the lid was blown off when some of the youth who were cheated saw that they were made to sign for a higher money than they were given.
This action number nine is still amazing me. I cannot imagine that In just three years in office, a party which could hardly pay their rented apartment can be building two edifices at the same time. On as a multi million dollar office complex and another as garages and other offices. The NDC who just yesterday complained of profligate spending on the part of the NPP could use three years to build what the NPP could not dream of in eight solid years. What everybody is asking is, where from that money? Maybe the answer could be obtained from the contractor in the Volta region who was told to pay 25% into party coffers before she is allowed to complete a six unit classroom block. The party chairman who demanded this exorbitant and extorting fee said the money was to be deposited into the party account to take care of the party. How many of these have gone on underground.
Do you remember TOKEN? You can't tell me you have so soon forgot the difference between gift and token after the intensive lectures we received from Teacher Koku "Token" Anyidoho. The president we are told is so incorruptible that he does not accept gifts but a token will do. Just a Token as toilet and bath which will later grow into a resting place for security men and suddenly metamorphous into a two or three bedroom apartment as a perminent residence for the president's guards. Just get this, the president did not accept any gift from Regimanuel but went for just a Token. Yes just a token not a mansion per say.
In 2011 Ghana had a tenth action that brought to memory the words my dad used to describe some politicians; "naked thieves". The metre which read the amount of crude oil drilled from one of our refinery had allegedly broken down for a little more than three months, and Pres Mills and his ndc administration saw nothing wrong with the oil still being pumped out without any accurate measure. On the same oil it was exposed that a whooping 17% tax had been added to the fuel prices which apparently went directly into some people's pockets. It was also found out that for every road constructed, and for every classroom block built, the cost has been inflated by over 200%. In this same year it also came to light that presidential aids and other castle workers under the presidency received more salary that professional doctors and surgeons in Ghana. Let the person be a form four leaver, or even an illiterate, he received more money than those who hold doctorates and PHDs in their profession. It was a year of day light robbery where NDC youth jumped into an Ashiaman Lorry Park office and took whatever had been gathered. On two occasions this robbery occurred without a single arrest made. They eventually took over thstationon. The state Artoney will rather stab the state at the back and dish out a whooping 42 million cedi to Wayome. What an action year!!
This is the "better Ghana" we votes for. We have seen all and have duly taken lessons from it. Until the frog landed in a hot water, it never knew that some water differ from another.
To be continued......
God bless our homeland Ghana.
Noah Dugubrame Asare. Frankfurt - Germany.