The Common Man’s State Of The Union Address.

Posted by Contributor on August 14, 2009 at 1:16 pm in Feature Articles, Other Top Stories

 

State of the Union Addresses are normally presented by incumbent and constitutionally elected leaders of countries. Therefore, I, an unknown and unsung political animal do not have any locus stand to present one to my constituents, who in this instance happen to be the down-trodden and hardworking masses in the country. It must be emphasized that it is these unsung heroes who include:

i) The ordinary farmers who, today are being denied the use of tractors due to greed and insensitivity of a highly- placed government official. This official chief liar of government allocated or conscripted for his own personal use five of such tractors and rented them to the local farmers at double the rate the tractors go for

ii) The fisher – folks in and around the coastal areas who are also denied their legitimate right to make a decent living through the obnoxious complex and anti people policies put in place by the Mills administration.

iii)The students, who, today under the NDC regime are being ordered to pay full course recovery fee. 

iv)The children of today, whose parents cannot afford to buy decent clothes for them because the

money which should have gone into providing amenities to improve their lots have been spent on

pampers for one top government official.         

v)The drivers who are compelled by unexplained circumstances to very often spend long hours at petrol

stations to look for petrol which has been appearing and disappearing from the stations on regular basis.

The commodity, most often is not available and even when it is, is sold exorbitantly above their means.

vi)The hard-working market women who can hardly attain full recovery cost of the foodstuff which they bring from the villages to the cities.

vii) The mechanics, the petty trader and all those whose businesses are affected as a result

of government insensitivity to their plight and who are being asked to make more sacrifices through the

introduction of new taxes whiles at the same time, government officials lead luxurious lives oblivious of

the sufferings of the people.

viii) The contractors, some of whom have executed their projects but are yet to be paid for the work.

ix)  Members of the various security outfits who, even though lack logistics, are compelled by circumstances, to fall back on their training to ensure that all citizens and non citizens alike sleep with at least one eye closed.

It is to all such Ghanaians that I am speaking to.

Precedence

As I have already stated, I am performing this assignment with the best of intentions and to the best of

my ability. You may choose to call me names, or refer to me as a blind nationalist but since

my constituents have asked me to speak on their behalf, and I cannot but oblige them.But if you object

to the stance I have adopted, I will take you back to history. Some few years ago, after 

President Kufuor had delivered his State of the Union Address, the NDC, then in opposition, decided to

come out with what it termed “The True State of the Union Address”. And who was the President /

Presenter? The then Minority leader, Alban Bagbin and the audience? Top leadership of the NDC.

Thus, I am equally qualified to represent the poorand the down trodden/ordinary people in the country.

I represent the voice of conscience and reasoning. You may choose to agree or disagree, but I must make

it abundantly clear that I do not force anybody to read my write – ups or listen when I speak.

President Mills on the Discovery of Oil in Ghana.

The President claims oil is a gift from God and that credit should not be given to anybody but  God

Please, join me in reading what the Lord says with regards to such things :

Deuteronomy 28:1 – 5

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently into the voice of the Lord, thy God, to

observe and do all his commandments which I command thee this day, the Lord thy God will set thee

on high above all nations on earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee if thou

shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord they God.

Blessed shall thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shalt be the fruit of thy

kind and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basked and thy store.

Chapter 30, vs. 9-10 of the same book says: “The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in

every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle and in the fruit of thy

land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoice over thy fathers.\

And if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his

Statutes which are written in this book of the Law and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine

heart, and with all thy soul.

Yes, indeed, Ghanaians must be thankful to God for giving us oil. Our cries went up to the High

Heavens. God listened to our cries. But you must remember that the discovery did not come on a

platter of gold. It came with a price. And what was it? That we should adhere to the commandments of

God. Why was it that the exploration started several years back but the discovery was made only during

the  NPP administration? It was because God wanted it to be like that. It was the Grace of God.

Why didn’t it happen during the regime of Rawlings and Mills, when Tsikata’s GNPC used our

scarce resource to prospect for salt instead of oil?. We should not forget  that when King David-

who is described as a man after God’s own heart decided to build a temple for the Lord, God told

him not to do so but to leave it to his son. Now the questions:  Why didn’t God allow David to build the

temple? Why didn’t Ghana strike oil during Rawlings time? Simply put, it was God’s own wish to make

the discovery take place during Kufuor’s regime. There cannot be any other reason. It showed that God

favoured the Kufuor’s regime with the oil discovery. Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices to Lord, God

accepted the offerings of Abel whilst that of Cain was rejected. It was God’s own way of doing things.

We cannot question Him on that.

Dr Otabil puts discovery in simple terms. He said it was covered and when the scientists took off the

lid, they uncovered the knowledge. In the same circumstances, the oil was covered or buried in the

ground. It needed somebody to remove the soil or the lid and that task fell to Kufuor and the New

Patriotic Party. Simple!

Many people often question the use of religion to analyze my points. Those people are entitled to their

opinions. They can use their own criteria to do their own thing. But for me, the representative of the

common people, I will continue to rely on the wisdom as enshrined in the Holy Books. I shall continue

to refer to the scriptures as long as God gives me breath and the ability to comment on national issues.

But before concluding on this issue, I would like to refer Ghanaians to what the out –of-control NDC

said when the discovery of oil was first made public. They said it was not true and referred us to several

years back. According to them, a similar discovery was made by the K. A. Busia led Progress Party

Government. That discovery, according to the NDC turned out be a hoax. The discovery during the

Kufuor’s era, they alleged was adwe ngo (palm kernel oil).

Justie Douse’s Commission On Ghana At Fifty Celeberations.

The main aim of setting up the Commission is to investigate and report allegations of improper use of

public funds and related matters. Yes, it is within the ambits of President Mills constitutional mandate

to establish any commission he deems necessary. But is the commission necessary, one may ask?

To me, it is duplication and a waste of scarce public resources. What are the duties of the public

Accounts Committee? Last year, we all hailed the committee when its hearings were given live coverage

on both radio and television. Why can’t we adopt a similar procedure?  Televising the hearings of both

the Justice Douse’s Commission and that of the Public Account Committee will result in a loss of

revenue to GBC. And since both committees are performing virtually the same function does common

sense not dictate us to use only one of the two to find answers to the numerous questions dogging for

answers? And if I may ask, is it economically viable to set up a Commission with the sole intention of

investigating and reporting on mere allegations? And what are these allegations?

The only reason for establishing such a Commission was to cut to size and also see to the immediate 

incarceration of the arrowhead of the NPP men at the secretariat, Dr Wireko Brobbey and Kwadwo

Mpiani and to prove to their master and mentor, J. J. Rawlings that the Mills regime is ready to jail the 

NPP members. The Mills administration is testing the ground to see how the public would react if any of

the top notchers of the NPP regime are jailed. On paper, it appears to be an open and close case and

that is why Government started with the Ghana @50 secretariat. Facilities are not in place to make the

work of the Commission hitch free.

In fairness to all the parties, let me state here that the Chairman, Justice Isaac Douse has proved to all

and sundry that he is his own man and can be expected to deliver judgment  based solely on the evidence

before him. Perhaps, it is the fear that the chairman will not play ball and that Kwadwo Mpiani and

Wireko Brobbey might after all be left off the hook that has necessitated the adjournment of the

commission’s activities. Whether this is the reason or not, it is only time which will tell.

Ex – President Kufuor’s Comments On BBC

The ex-President had said on BBC that the Mills administration was constantly waging a campaign of

slander against him and his former appointees in order to buy time to stabilize itself. He went further to

say that the NDC’S  approach to governance makes it look as though there had been a coup I the

country. Let us juxtapose the ex- President’s comments with that of Zita Sabah Okaikoi’s reaction and

see who is saying what. Zita claims ex-President Kufuor’s comment on BBC sought to create the

impression that government is vilifying him and other members who had served under him.

Is President Mills, Zita Okaikoi, Okudzeto Ablakwa and others not aware that they have treated ex-

President Kufuor with contempt? I have stated it before and I will do it again. When their mentor left

office, how long did it take for him to return over sixteen cars in his possession? When Rawlings

decided to join his wife at the Ridge residence, did Kufuor decline his request? Three Bungalows were

placed at the disposal of ex-President Rawlings and his family. The three bungalows were merged to

become one which is now being used as official and residential apartments. There was no brouhaha on

it. Everything was done without any acrimony or publicity.

How have they treated Kufuor when he decided to make use of a bungalow which had been used by the

late Hawah Yakubu? The National Security Co-coordinator publicly gave him an ultimatum to vacate

the place. Without waiting for the deadline, Gbevlo-Lartey sent his operatives to take possession of the

said facility. And what made the case a pathetic and humiliating one was that at the least opportunity,

Gbevlo-Lartey would dash to the press to inform the nation of what he intends to do with ex-President

Kufuor. Is this not treating the ex-President with contempt? If it not, then what do you call it?

Talk about the seizure of cars? It was so debasing that the least said about it, the better. You go for some

cars from the ex-President’s residence leaving three or so behind. Three days later, the National Security

Co-coordinator again jumps the queue and alleges that ex-President Kufuor was keeping some armour

plated vehicles belonging to the Presidency. He vows to retrieve those vehicles if they were not returned

within a specified period. The ex-President returns them only to be re-assigned to NDC apparatchiks.

What humiliation is worse than that? Then next we hear was that two Mercedes Benz cars had been

assigned to ex-President Kufuor, only for the statement to be rebuffed immediately by his

spokesman. What do you call that? Isn’t it Sakawa or the mother of all lies?

Then come to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who says with emphasis that John Agyekum Kufuor, Nana

Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo are thieves and criminals and he gets away without even a verbal

reprimand from his bosses at the castle.

Zita Sabah Okaikoi Reaction.

Zita Okaikoi who groped her way during her vetting has now got back her tongue to lash out at ex-

President Kufuor for his comments. To Zita, she sees no reason why the ex-president did not make use

of appropriate state channels to communicate his grievances IF ANY, but resorted to an international

Network like the BBC.

In the first place, is there any law barring any Ghanaian from expressing his views on any subject on an

external network? Has ex-President Kufuor not granted two separate interviews on both radio and

television? Should he refuse an interview just because a foreign network had asked for one? And what

was it that he said which was in a bad taste?

Is it not true that he is being treated shabbily? And if he is being humiliated, should he keep quiet over

such acts. It is like being beaten up but asked not to cry. Has he not been stripped of everything? And

what is wrong if he makes known his complaints publicity. Let me state that ex-President Kufuor has

borne the brunt of those humiliations and public disgrace with the decorum and dignity expected of

someone who has held the higher office of the Presidency with the hope that the situation would be

ameliorated.

But since nothing was done about it, he was  compelled to bring this to the notice of the

international community. And you should not forget that ex-President Kufuor is an international figure.  

And by her statement, is Zita not denigrating state channels like the GBC. What is her ministry doing to

improve the lot of state channels like the GBC/GTV.

Kufuor alluding to NDC’S approach to governance which makes it look like there had been a coup

d’état in Ghana is the truth. Every Ghanaian with eyes to see and ears to hear will not deny such an

assertion. Have cars not been snatched at gun points by security operatives acting on advice form

above? Have toilets and lorry stations not been seized from their operators? Have passports not been

seized by operatives who refuse to identify themselves? Are all these not negative things or symptoms’

and traits of coup d’états? So if Ex-President Kufuor says so, he has not said anything negative.

I, a common man speaking the language of the common people appeal to all my compatriots all to unite

and speak out against any attempt to denigrate our former leaders. If anyone does something

wrong, he/she ought to be sanctioned in accordance to the laws of the country. But we should not

demonize them because they hold different political views/persuasions from ours.

All those condemning ex-President Kufuor should cast their minds back to the period when the out-of-

control NDC was in opposition and ex-President Rawlings used external networks and even mounted

platforms in the capitals of foreign countries to cast aspersion on the character of Kufuor and his

minister. On many occasions he called Kufuor and his Ministers murderers, looters, thieves and drug

peddlers. He even called Kufuor Ataa Ayi, the notorious armed robber Ex-President Kufuor has not

attacked the personality of Mills nor any of his ministers. He is only complaining about the ill treatment

being method out to him and his ministers? What is wrong about that?

Asiedu Nketiah’s Reaction.

Reacting to ex-President Kufuor’s comments on BBC Network, the General Secretary of the out of

control NDC, Asiedu Nketia, alias General Mosquito says the government will come for Kufuor and his

Ministers if he continues to make uncomplimentary remarks about the government. I laughed my head

off when I read that comment. Does Asiedu Nketia understand the import of what he said? Does he

think we are living in the jungle when might prevails at all levels? No wonder I refererred to Ghana in

one of my write-ups as having reverted to the state of nature where life was very short and brutish But

some undemocratic elements who want to perpetuate the era of domination and imposition of one’s will

on the generality of the populace criticized me for my assertion. But here is a clear case of the

country which will revert to such a state if Asiedu Nketiah were to have his way. If

Government invites ex-President Kufuor to clarify any statement, why, he will honour such an

invitation because he is a law-abiding citizen. But to arrest him for such an innocuous remark like the

one Asiedu Nketia is referring to will be done over the dead bodies of some of us.

If Asiedu Nketia does not know the history of people’s resolve to resist oppressive rule, I will refer him

to what is happening in Iran. Let him learn from that and not set the country on the precipice of chaos.

We are all law abiding citizens of this country. If any one commits a crime against the laws of this

country, we will not stand in the way of justice. But to unilaterally make a blanket statement like the one

coming from the General Secretary of the out of control NDC just because the party is in power is

something that is unacceptable to majority of the ruled. What is not true about what ex-President Kufuor

said? If to Asiedu Nketiah, the treatment being meted out to ex-President Kufuor is good, that is Asiedu

Nketiah’s own opinion. But Kufuor is saying it is not good and we should respect his opinion. We

cannot gag him, and he has not said anything “unsayable”.

Rawlings versus Ekow Nkenso Arkaah is synonymous with NPP versus P.C.Appiah Ofori.

Getting to the latter part of Rawlings administration as a civilian President, he fell out with his second –

in command, Ekow Nkensen Arkaah. Arkaah had disagreed with Rawlings on certain policy issues and

spoken publicly against them. Subsequently, he mounted political platform with the Great Alliance,

while at the same time keeping his position as Vice President, a situation some of us felt uncomfortable

with at that time. Some of us felt is was unethical or morally wrong for a Vice President to mount

political platform with opposition parties white still holding onto the Vice Presidency.

Then ex-President felt he had enough and decided to act by physically preventing his Vice from

attending cabinet meetings. The former was somehow right in doing so for there was the possibility of

leaking secret/ classified information to the opposition. But the ex-President hit below the belt when he

acted beyond the decorum expected of an international statesman. However, Arkaah also relied on that

portion of the constitution which allows him to participate in cabinet discussions. This was the genesis

of the incident which resulted in the beating-up of the old and frail-looking Vice President by the

aggressive and strongly- built Rawlings. Now all those who are questioning the right/power of the NPP

to investigate and apply appropriate sanctions on P.C Appiah Ofori should cast their minds back to the

Rawlings-Arkaah imbroglio. The NPP- Appiah Ofori’s imbroglio is a replica of Rawlings – Arkaah

feud, albeit on a smaller scale. Arkaah had a constitutional mandate to participate in cabinet

deliberations. The NPP also has a constitutional mandate to apply appropriate sanctions on an

erring member, who in this case happens to be P.C.Appiah Ofori

Revolutionary Rawlings Encounters Post Revolutionary Rawlings.

Many years ago when I was a voracious and avid reader, a friend gave me a book on the life history of

Mohammed Ali, former Cassius Clay. There was a fight between Ali and one white fighter whose name I

cannot recall. That white man was reputed to be one of the best in the Heavyweights Division in the world

and had lived many years before Ali burst into the boxing scene. A computer was therefore used to bring

the two fighters together. Two minutes’ into the 15^th round an upper cut from the white man caught Ali

on the jaw and down went my hero. He could not beat the mandatory eight count and so ended the great

computerized fight in favour of the white hope. In an interview after Ali had watched the premiere of the

fight, he expressed great reservations about the outcome of the bout. He said he did not trust the computer

especially when viewed against the background that it was made in Alabama. He was therefore not surprised

that he had lost the encounter.

Another computerized bout took place between Cassius Clay and Mohammed Ali which ended in favour of

the former. What do you think will happen when Revolutionary Rawlings encounters post-revolutionary

Rawlings? Only one thing can and will happen. Revolutionary Rawlings will stab to death post revolutionary and

presidential Rawlings. The former will accuse the latter of having betrayed the so-called principles of the

Revolution. For one thing, Revolutionary Rawlings is the very antithesis of post revolutionary/presidential

Rawlings. The June 4 insurrection had made probity and accountability the main focus of the revolution, and it

was on such principles that the lives of   full-fledged Ghanaians were wasted just like that. It was for such reason

that the accounts of anyone who had GHC5.00 in the banks were frozen and such individuals made to appear

before a Citizen Vetting Committee whose members used the ears of those appearing before it as ash-trays.

Compare the lean and hungry look of Revolutionary Rawlings with the puffy cheeks and easy life-style of Post

Revolutionary Rawlings and you will applaud me for my deduction. In those days, Rawlings hated flamboyance.

He hated the Western World with a passion. His rhetoric’s went a long way to confirm that. But post-

revolutionary Rawlings has so much fallen in love with Uncle Sam such that when Obama came visiting a few

weeks ago, post revolutionary Rawlings was captured on tape struggling with others to take snap-shots of the

visiting American President and smiling at himself for a job well-done after he had succeeded in doing so.

A newer Rawlings, after transforming himself into a civilian President had shocked political observers

with a completely new mindset immersed in the capitalist Bourgeoisie ideology by”grabbing” property

here and there.

Thus, in the likelihood of a chance meeting between the two, Revolutionary Rawlings will take a stern,

Contemptuous, defiant and harsh look at Post Revolutionary, Royal and Presidential looking Rawlings and

stab him in the heart for betraying him and their large followers.

State of Insecurity in the Country

Let me first of all give kudos to the Mills administration for the re-introduction of joint Military cum

Police patrols and the setting up of road blocks to check the menace of men of the underworld,

especially armed robbery. I commend the gallant men and women in uniform who, by the tenets of their

calling, put their lives on the line at such ungodly hours of the night.  But anytime I pass such check

points my heart bleeds for those manning them. In the first place, their numbers are so small that they

can easily be overrun by a group of desperados bent on unleashing mayhem. The funny aspect of it is

that some of them do not carry arms. Most of them appear to be newly recruited. I engaged one of these

manning a checkpoint in a conversation and what he told me was very revealing. He and some of his

colleagues were brought from the Volta Region to beef up security during the Obama’s visit and have

remained in Accra ever since.

I asked myself this question. Are we using our men and women as guinea pigs to see how they will fare

if they come in contact with men and women of the underworld or what? That is how it appears to me

oo. Otherwise how can we send them out without adequate protection? Instead of putting a small

number on a particular beat to be duplicated a few metres away, can’t we put say ten or more of them

on a particular beat to ensure that they have enough cover to repel any of such unprovoked attack? At

least, the weapons they carry must match those wielded by men and women of the underworld. The way

that the exercise is being carried out the chances of our men coming out unscathed during any such

attack is very minimal indeed.

However, I am amused because the out of control NDC as a party made no secret its dislike for

absorbing more intakes into the various security services. At least, we got inkling into what the party

intended doing during the presidential debates. No wonder, the party put on hold applicants who had

successfully gone through the selective process. In the case of the Police, I am told that when the

applicants congregated at the Police Training School, the powers that be denied having issued out any

such letters. I am still investigating the authenticity of that claim.

In the heat of the 2008 General Electioneering campaign, some newspapers sympathetic to the cause of

the NDC had alleged that the killings of prominent Ghanaians were the result of contract killings. They

even implicated ex-President Kufuor and the NPP in the killing of one, Rokko Frimpong.  We all,

including  die-hard supporters of the Out of Control NDC knew that it was not true, but the party

made capital use of it. Now that Appenteng Kyei Mensah has been killed in cruel and bizarre

circumstances by unknown assailants, are we also going to regard it as one of such contract killings?

The other day, we read of an armed robbery gang forcing male occupants of a vehicle to have sex

with their females counterparts. In spite of the so-called security lapses in the Kufuor government, never

did the security of the country degenerate to such a low level as we are experiencing at the

moment. The plebeians have asked me to send their concerns to the bourgeoisie’s government to act fast

and stem the tide of armed robbery in the country. It is only then that my colleagues and I can sleep with

at least one eye closed or opened.

Shortage of Petroleum Products in the country.

Isn’t it a pain to the heart and a stab in the back of ordinary citizens of this country that after all

the hullabaloo the out-of-control NDC made about the so-called exorbitant rates of petroleum

prices against the NPP, the Mills administration has further compounded the problem. To put it

bluntly, the “I Care” slogan has metamorphosed into “We care for ourselves”, “whilst Atta Mills

will drastically reduce the prices of fuel” has become, Atta Mills will drastically reduce the living

conditions of Ghanaians”. That is why they could spend so much money on the NDC transitional

teams. Tell me, if this is not ‘sakawa’ what do you call it?

Seven months into the Mills administration, there appears to be no sign of hope. The Government

is groping its way to find solutions to our numerous problems. There is no clear cut

policy or direction and that is why at times we have both the President’s Spokesperson and the

Director of Communications speaking from both sides of their mouths on the same issue. The

fishing season will be over in less than a month and the President is telling our hardworking and

betrayed fishermen that he needs two weeks of consultation to come up with a solution. Haba, Prof.!

Your two week grace period will leave the fishermen with only two weeks to enjoy the bumper harvest.

How will the fishermen take care of their families? What about consumers? Are we going to

continue buying fish at such exorbitant rates? Whom do we blame but President Mills and the

out-of control NDC?

Judging by the manner the out-of-control NDC harassed the NPP administration to the extent of

publicly stating that there is no sea in Kufuor home region and that was why he does not care

about the plight of fishermen, one would have thought that they already have a blueprint on how

to turn the fortunes of the fishermen around. But no, not they! The fire brigade approach being

adopted by the government will rather complicate issues. We all know that there was no shortage

of pre-mix fuel during the Kufuor’s administration. The problem was with the distribution system. But

at least, it was available. But now, with even the exorbitant price of the commodity, fishermen can

hardly get the commodity to buy. The new policy introduced by the out-of-control NDC will help create

a new class of millionaires among the ‘official distributors’ just as it has catapulted its chief ‘white

washer’ Mahama Ayariga above others by ‘dashing’ him five tractors bought through the sweat and toils

of ordinary Ghanaians.

Instead of showing remorse for taking Ghanaians for granted, they are adding salt to injury by calling

hardworking and law-abiding fishermen criminal. Their only ‘crime’ was that they had asked

Government to extend some of the ‘goodies’ being enjoyed to them. They did not ask for

more. They asked for that which was legitimately theirs. Kwame Ametor and other members of the

NDC had stated publicly at different fora that it was through their criminal act of smuggling the scarce

commodity across the country’ borders that has led to the shortage. The out of control NDC has

forgotten that the abolition of the Ministry of Fisheries, coupled with the fact that the NDC has, since

assuming the reigns of power has not lifted a single drum of crude into the country is responsible for the

problem.

Decongestion and demolition of illegal structures.

Decongesting the cities and towns is a laudable thing which should gladden the heart of every patriotic

Ghanaian. Any Government that has the political will to embark on such exercise will enjoy my support.

However, I am not enthused at all about the manner the operatives are going about with the exercise. It

is devoid of human feelings as if they have personal scores to settle with the victims. Isn’t it an act of

callousness to embark on the exercise at such an ungodly time of the night? Burning of tables, benches,

chairs, chop-boxes in which the victims have packed their wares and destruction of kiosks go a long way

to reveal the beastly nature of such operatives. I have seen officials of AMA and some security

operatives chasing helpless victims all in an attempt to arrest and confisticate the wares of their victims.

This is not the best antidote to street trading. Force is and cannot be the solution. What is needed is

education to sensitize the traders on the importance of allowing the free flow of traffic by keeping off

the streets. We should also explain the them the dangers of street trading. But above all, find them an

alternate cheap and decent places where they can sell their wares.

On demolition of illegal structures, I strongly advocate a cautionary approach. Is demolition of buildings

on our waterways the only solution to arrest the problem of flooding in our towns and cities? And if at

all, such buildings are to be pulled down, why do it at odd hours when most of the tenants are at work?

Why do security men at the scene prevent the occupants from removing their things from their rooms

before the demolition begins? Is there no other ways that such buildings can be saved? What are the

alternatives? If a person provides genuine documents to show he had approval to put up that building, is

Government going to pay compensation to the victims? And if the answer is ‘Yes’, why can’t

Government use the compensation money to find alternate means so that the buildings stay? Do we lack

the required technology? If we do, let us showcase our problems to the outside world so that medicine

can be found for our ailments.

Conclusion.   

Onipa beyee bi wammaye ne nyinaa. Onipa baako na okum osono emaa amansan nyina dedi bi.

Kufuor has done his part and left the scene for Atta Mills to continue. Kufuor was a human

being. He was fallible and indeed made mistakes. But that should not be the basis to malign him

and his entire administrative structure. The zeal by members of the out-of-control NDC to outdo

one another in demonizing ex-President Kufuor and his ministers is the last thing the country

needs now. The world economic recession started during the NPP regime. Kufuor studied the

situation and opted for HIPC. The legacies of that decision are there for all to see. Where is Mills

taking us?

But I will agree with Dan Botwe, MP for Okere on one thing. And that is, if the Eighty Percent President

Mills has scored himself is synonymous with scarcity of petroleum products and the sky rocketing of

prices of virtually everything in the country, then, I am afraid Ghanaians have a hell lot of problems

awaiting them.

But the question is, ‘Is the President equal to the task?’

Daniel Danquah Damptey

E-mail address : danieldanquah_damptey@yahoo.com

0243715297.