President John Mahama is corrupt to the extent
that stalwarts of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), including
party founder and former President Jerry John Rawlings, do not find it wise to
associate with him, former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Ocquaye
has said in an article titled: “Mahama, Fix Your ‘Silently’ Divided Party, Leave
Akufo-Addo Alone.’“The fractured face of the NDC, largely emanating from
Mahama’s corruption, has separated him from ex-President Rawlings, Mrs Rawlings,
Captain Kojo Tsikata, Mr Martin Amidu, and several others. Due to Mahama’s
corruption and penchant for transforming the lives of his friends and families
to the exclusion of the rest, the NDC is divided today! Mahama heal thyself,”
the former Dome-Kwabenya MP said.
Prof Ocquaye has advised the president
to focus his energies in addressing the challenges facing the country rather
than attacking the NPP and its flag bearer.
MAHAMA, FIX YOUR ‘SILENTLY’ DIVIDED PARTY,
LEAVE AKUFO-ADDO ALONE
An article BY PROF. MIKE
OQUAYE
President John Dramani Mahama has nothing good for
Ghanaians. Under his watch, Ghana has slumped to its lowest nemesis under
democratic rule. While corruption envelopes us, our economy is in the doldrums,
registering this year the lowest growth rate in 22 years. President Rawlings
took Ghana to a higher level than he met it. President Kufuor took Ghana to a
much higher level than he inherited. President Mahama has gotten the world
asking perplexingly: what happened to Ghana? Proud Ghana under Kufuor is a
pitiful plight under Mahama.
All contracts have been inflated and as
individuals enriched themselves, Ghana suffered. The loan agreement before
Parliament last month for the Eastern Region University that included putting up
three houses for three senior administrators of the school at the cost of $2
million each on a land already acquired and paid for epitomizes the naked
stealing of state funds that represents the Mahama leadership. I mean how can
building three houses for public servants cost the state GH¢24
million?
But, so low has John Mahama brought the standards of leadership
that he invited the country Monday night to celebrate the commissioning of the
only major interchange his government has been able to start and complete in 8
years. One supposes that if President Kufuor had exercised the kind of vainglory
Mahama enjoys and put disco lights on the Mallam Interchange, Ghana would have
been ‘Dubai’ a few years earlier than this week.
If governance was indeed
all about tax, borrow, spend to loot then any dullard without any blood of
patriotism, compassion and integrity running through his veins can surely lead a
nation. Sadly, ‘tax, borrow, spend to loot’ seems to be the ideology called
Mahamaism.
But, having failed woefully and facing the electoral wrath of
the Ghanaian people, Mahama is desperate and sees maligning Akufo-Addo the only
flicker of hope to holding on to power. He merely engages in baseless attacks on
Nana Addo. President Mahama alleges that there is division in the NPP because of
the suspension of 3 senior officers; that Akufo-Addo is responsible for the
suspensions. Furthermore, Nana has been unable to unite the party because he is
dictatorial. President Mahama asks: “If he cannot unite his own party, how can
he unite the Nation?”
From the day he launched his campaign in Cape Coast
in August 2016 till now, this has been Mahama’s credo. It is as if, he was given
a specific tip for an exam paper and on the day of the paper he finds out to his
disappointment that the question he banked all his hopes on is not listed and he
has not studied for any other question so he proceeds to answer with the only
thing he knows and for which he has prepared. On Monday, 7 November at Obuasi,
followed by Anweaso in Adansi Asokwa, the President went to great length, asking
the electorate to reject Nana Akufo-Addo because of the so-called divisions. So
reckless was he that he said Akufo-Addo would remove chiefs if elected when a
president should know the basic fact that nobody has the power to do so under
the 1992 Constitution. The President either does not know the Constitution or he
simply does not care. No wonder he freed the Muntie 3.
First, it should
be said in crystal clear terms: NANA IS LEADING A UNITED PARTY. President John
Agyekum Kufuor, who is obviously in a lot of discomfort can still be seen with
his walking stick mounting campaign platform to support Nana Akufo-Addo’s bid.
Where is President Jerry John Rawlings, one may ask? The NPP is as united as any
truly united opposition party focused on winning power must be. Nana Akufo-Addo
became leader after being elected by 94.34% of the nearly 135,000 delegates in a
contested race of what was then the largest electoral college in Africa’s
democratic history! Notably, all those who contested him, Hon. Alan Kyeremateng,
Hon. Addai Nimo, Hon. Joe Ghartey, Hon. Dr. K.K. Apraku, Hon. Osei Ameyaw and
Hon. Asamoah Boateng are all with him campaigning! How can a leader with such an
overwhelming delegates support and who embraces all his opponents be said to be
leading a divided party? Akufo-Addo is a politician who has shown to be a
unifying team player, when he lost to Kufuor in 2008, when he worked as a
cabinet minister under Kufuor and when he competed against 16 others in 2008.
Again, every willing soul in the NPP is involved in the battle to wrestle power
from the incompetent NDC. Elders, women, men, youth, students et al. The NPP
today is an admirable whole, that has come out of very testing moments to show
to a suffering nation that it is an alternative government ready and prepared
for power.
Now let us turn the focus on the National democratic Congress
a bit. The President who could stand the thought of being challenged has the
temerity to accuse his opponent who has faced four separate fields of
contestants for the presidential nomination of his party as rather intolerant.
NDC, led by John Mahama, refused the nomination of Mr. George Boateng to
challenge President Mahama as NDC presidential candidate for 2016, declaring the
potential challenger as “mad” and sacking the accountant who dutifully gave the
aspirant nomination forms.
In 2012, President John Mahama contested
Akufo-Addo with his party’s Deputy General Secretary, Kofi Adams, under
suspension and Vice Chairperson leaving to form her own party. Yet, Nana
Akufo-Addo did not see the need in using that to accuse the President of leading
a divided party. The fractured face of the NDC largely emanating from Mahama’s
corruption, have separated him from ex-President Rawlings, Mrs. Rawlings,
Captain Kojo Tsikata, Mr. Martin Amidu, and several others. Due to Mahama’s
corruption and penchant for transforming the lives of his friends and families
to the exclusion of the rest, the NDC is divided today! Mahama heal
thyself.
Mahama has woefully alienated E.T. Mensah, Dr. Kwabena Adjei
(former National Chairman), Cletus Avoka (former Majority Leader), Kwame Peprah
and several others who have all become indifferent to President Mahama’s
re-election campaign, and are just waiting for “the Mahama plane” to crash! The
President’s divisive undermining of Hon. Alban Bagbin and his presidential
efforts to stop Bagbin’s return to Parliament depicts a house divided against
itself. The Mahama “government of family and friends” who have looted without
end will not survive Election 2016 and several good people in the NDC are even
afraid of a Mahama re-election. To them, if his tenure can be this corrupt in a
term that ends with an opportunity for re-election, then what will restrain him
if re-elected to do a final term?
Second, it is a misconception of the
internal mechanisms of the NPP to suggest in the least that the Party is only
doing the bidding of one man, Nana. That is an insult to the intelligence,
honour, and self-esteem of the freedom-loving members of the Party. Indeed, Nana
was NOT even part of the process that led to the suspension. On the contrary,
Nana had earlier participated in several conciliatory meetings to appease
everyone. It worked but for those who mean well.
Third, the process
leading to the suspension of the three (3) National Officers was the collective
will of the NPP and came after very serious deliberations, and in line with our
Constitution and due process. The National Disciplinary Committee comprising
eminent people investigated, thoroughly, the charges against these officers,
gave them the opportunity to defend themselves, and in the end unanimously
recommended their indefinite suspension to the National Executive Committee
(NEC). The NEC also unanimously upheld the recommendations. The National Council
approved same overwhelmingly.
Fourthly, the NPP is a party whose
democratic credentials can never allow internal dictatorship. This is the heroic
tradition which fought British imperialism and subsequently domestic
dictatorship. It is a party that has survived adversity, including having its
leaders thrown into jail with some dying in detention and enduring decades in
opposition and hibernation. Danquah, Obetsebi-Lamptey, Amponsah Dadzie, Dzenkle
Dzewu et al perished in the struggle for freedom. Busia, Ashie Nikoi, Attoh
Okine and others landed in exile. Paa Willie Ofori-Atta, S.D. Dombo, R.R.
Amponsah, Modesto Apaloo, Victor Owusu, Joe Appiah, S.G. Antor, B.K .Adama, Adam
Amandi, Henry Thompson, K.Y. Attoh, Attoh Quarshie and several faithfuls
exchanged the comfort of their homes for prison. These men would not be cowed
even by President Nkrumah. It is this tradition of patriotic endurance and
commitment to Project Ghana that drives our principled leader, Nana Addo Dankwa
Akufo-Addo.
Let us tell the world: Nana is popular in the NPP because he
subjects himself to discipline. Recently, when Nana Akufo-Addo spearheaded
affirmative action in the parliamentary primaries, urging the Party not to allow
incumbent female MPs to be challenged except by another female member, he had to
submit to the objections of the rank and file. The proposal, which had been
approved by the National Executive Committee, was so unpopular with the Party’s
members that the National Council had to be called to review it. The party went
against the wishes of its Flagbearer. He took it as the democratic that he
is.
A former National Chairman, Mr. Harona Esseku, was suspended from
office. He accepted his fault and is today in very good active standing. This
same Harona Esseku one time proposed for President Kufuor to be the ‘leader’ of
the party, and the party rejected it. NPP is a party that is so conscious of
dictatorship that the constitution is silent on the word ‘leader’. The day to
day running of the party is placed in the hands of the Steering Committee; not
the Chairman; not the General Secretary; not the Flagbearer.
The NPP has
shown that no ONE, including the Flagbearer, and irrespective of status,
position and age, is above the law! And that when voted into power, corruption,
lawlessness and thievery, rampant in the Mahama government will be dealt with at
all levels. Mahama shields corrupt ministers, Woyome and others.
Ours is
a party that believes in the rule of law and acts in accordance with same. The
three men who were suspended, two of them took the case to court challenging the
procedure and on both occasions the court, different judges, ruled in favour of
the party. In one of the cases, the judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah echoed: “… The
plaintiff’s action must fail; the procedure resulting in the indefinite
suspension of the plaintiff is lawful, just and fair and it is hereby adjudged
accordingly”. We wish to advise President Mahama to find time to study the
judgment and educate himself and his party that justice was done and STOP his
futile and ignorant meddling.
The awkward attempt sponsored by Mahama to
interpret the NPP Constitution upside down, which created undue problems has
been HALTED by the Court. Mahama should decently shut up. Since the matter was
dealt with lawfully, there has been absolute peace in the NPP, and the regular
leakage of NPP materials and information has also stopped entirely! The constant
“invasion” of our Party Headquarters by the Police, so-called “National
Security” Operatives and thugs have also ceased! What is President Mahama’s
problem? Was he banking his re-election on sponsoring a divided
NPP?
Disunity within NDC
President Mahama and his
NDC have accused Nana Akufo-Addo of dictatorship and presiding over a disunited
party because of the suspension of Mr. Afoko and others. Listen to the pot
calling the silverware dark! Mahama and his NDC should explain the
following:
• Mahama, as the leader of the NDC, has recently arbitrarily
dismissed three MPs from the Party without a hearing. 20 other key members have
been dismissed without any hearing whatsoever. Mahama, paddle your own
canoe.
• The breakaway of the wife of NDC’s founder, who was a serving
Vice Chairman of the party, to form the NDP. She has accused President Mahama of
stealing and corruption.
• The arbitrary, indefinite suspension of their
former General Secretary, Dr. Josiah Aryeh.
• The manhandling of their
National Chairman Dr. Obed Asamoah, who resigned to form the DFP.
• The
assault and on-the-spot dismissal of Frances Assiam as the National Women’s
Organiser who joined Dr. Obed Asamoah to form the DFP.
• The breakaway of
Goosie Tanoh and Kyeretwie Opoku, who formed the Reform Party.
• The
resignation of Mr. Kwaku Baah as the former National Vice Chairman of the NDC. •
The resignation of Mr. Bede Ziedeng as the Deputy General Secretary of the
NDC.
• The suspension of Mr. Kofi Adams as Deputy General
Secretary.
• The officer who issued the form was dismissed. When is
President Mahama going to pardon his rival, instead of the Muntie 3?
• A
District Chief Executive in the Volta Region was brutally murdered after some
disturbances within the NDC in his district. No one has been arrested for this
murder.
• Fighting the Majority Leader for speaking against Mahama’s
corrupt “government of family and friends”. Mahama is fighting Bagbin today to
push the latter out of Parliament. The NDC is enduring but silent turmoil, which
we expect would explode after December, when Ghanaians finally bid him and his
party farewell.
Between Nana Akufo-Addo and President Mahama, who is
presiding over a “disunited” Party? At least we know that no one has left or
been forced to leave the NPP to form a new political party, whilst out of the
NDC at least 3 political parties, Reform, DFP and NDP have emerged out of the
arbitrary intimidation, suspensions, attacks and dismissals in the NDC; as well
as corruption which many, including President Rawlings, have complained
vehemently about. President Mahama, if disunity is the issue, then you are on
your way OUT.
Hugely disappointed with the failure of Mahama to sabotage
the NPP’s machinery for “Change in 2016”, Mahama and his “new” NDC have resorted
to vile propaganda to preach untruths about Nana Akufo-Addo. As for the
Vice-President, he can only get any credibility by answering at length, the
concrete economic issues raised by Dr. Bawumia and not by blindly following
Mahama on the so-called NPP
division.
Conclusion
President Mahama owes us one
main duty – give us an account by way of the cost of every project and all the
monies borrowed which Ghanaians yet unborn will pay. That is the real
accountability pathway! How can Ridge Hospital renovation coat $306 million when
Dangote built a brand new 1,000 bed hospital for $12.3 million! Only you will
rent a power barge for $530 million when outright purchase globally of same
specification is $220 million. How can you forbid the Attorney-General to get
the Woyome GH¢51 million back for Ghana? Is it because your party directly
benefited from the loot?
Mr. Mahama, stop chasing straw and answer issues
on the following: SADA, GYEEDA, WOYOME, SUBAH, WATERVILLE, ISOFOTON, C.P. DVLA,
EMBRAER PLANE, Bus Branding, Brazil World Cup Saga, serious violation of the
Procurement Act, etc. You have conveniently shut your eyes and closed your ears
to wanton questionable acquisition of wealth and properties by members of your
family, government and NDC party activists who have seen their lives transformed
into billionaires overnight. Ghanaians are not unaware of all these, Mr.
President. No amount of diversionism can change that.
You say you want
debate? Debate all Ghanaians by explaining how you have destroyed Ghana with
unprecedented corruption and wrecked the hope of the young people. While global
oil prices have fallen over 100% since 2009, why have petrol price gone from
GHc3.00 (2008) to GHc16.00 (2016). Is this how to reduce petrol prices
drastically?
Mr. President go to issues and stop the
rigmarole! |
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