Did the President pick back

Any rational human being will accord with me that, it is animalistic and insane to pick back spat saliva.

Spitting "is the act of forcibly ejecting words from the mouth" (in this context a critical remarks).

In Islam, it is haram to swallow mucus whether one is fasting or not, because it is considered to be dirty and it may carry diseases produced by the body. See al-sharh al-mumti', 6/428.

One will be regarded as being in a state of delirium when picking back mucus after it has been brought out of the mouth.

Before and during the 2016 campaign trail, the NPP (then in opposition) led by - Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo criticized the then President John Mahama’s government for appointing families and friends to serve Ghanaians in his regime.

During the campaign trail, the then President John Mahama was rebuked by Akuffo Addo for selfishly ruling the nation.

The Electoral College sided with Akuffo Addo and voted him to change the Mahama style of ruling. "I will be committed to a different kind of government, one that governs in the national interest, not for private gain". - Akuffo Addo.

This "Man" after winning the poll with an overwhelming 53.80% of total votes cast showed appreciation by telling the masses, "The president of Ghana is a president for every "single" Ghanaian without discrimination, malice or ill-will".

Actually the citizenry developed so much confidence in him in the essence of not repeating the former president’s blunder that made the electorates vote him out.

In disparate to that, President Nana Akuffo Addo was going to rule without prejudice and protocol.

In the power vested in the president at article 78 of our supreme Constitution, Ghanaians are expecting the president to hit the nail on the head by appointing capable Ministers on the basis of their qualifications from both caucus as they are all Ghanaian citizens, since the constitution did not specify the caucus a minister should be coming from. All his ministers are from the majority Caucus other than both caucus.

Surprisingly, it is alleged that many of his appointees are his friends and family.

The president appointed his own daughter as the Director of the creative art industry. Hon Atta Akyea, his cousin is the Minister of Water and Housing. Ms. Gloria Akuffo the Attorney General and Minister of Justice is his half-sister.

The president’s half-brother, Nana Asante Bediatuo been the executive secretary to the president, Hon. Kwasi Amoako Atta the Minister of Road and Highways is also the president’s cousin.

The finance and economic planning minister being his direct cousin, et al.

Recently, the president swerved Justice Dotse a justice of the Supreme Court and a potential candidate for the office of the Chief Justice and gave it to his half-sister Ms. Sophia Akuffo who has just two years of active service left and is set to retire from the Judicial Service.

President Akufo Addo who on several occasions promised to serve all Ghanaians without discrimination immediately authorized the office of the presidency to terminate the appointment of Dr. Opuni as the C.E.O. of COCOBOD.

The former Governor of Bank of Ghana Dr. Issahaku as was alleged, was forced by the powers that be, to resign from his post.

Akuffo Addo recently sacked Mr. Ogbamey, the communications Manager of Ghana Gas which was not a political appointment and employed Mr. Ernest Owusu Bempah, the NDP communications director in his stead. Picture a trained journalist taking over from a communication expert.

Lately, Dr. Thomas Anaba the Medical Director of Ridge Regional Hospital whose contract was supposed to last till 2020 had his contract repealed and was asked to vacate his post within 2 hours in a typical military fashion and sources within the medical circle have cited "political reasons" as the cause.

The health Minister stated "he is no longer useful to him" to work at Ridge Hospital as the reason for his dismissal.

The dismissal of over one hundred workers at DVLA on 18th May, 2017 cannot be left out of question.

So the question now on my mind and most Ghanaian citizens is that, are Dr. Opuni, Mr. Ogbamey, Dr. Thomas Anaba et al not Ghanaians?

Late President Professor Mills tried to end the politics of recriminations and vindictiveness and what this current administration is doing is only vindicating those who were opposing that idea and showing that late Prof Mills of blessed memories had it all wrong.

Prof Attack Mills allowed serving MMDCEs to stay in office and continue to serve the good people of Ghana for 6 good months whilst he put things in place to get others to take over after he also pronounced during his inauguration that He would be a father for all. On the other hand, President Nana Addo who also promised same to be father-for-all sacked all MMDCEs within 3 weeks after His inauguration as president only to appoint substantive representatives 4 months later. One can only ask,” what was the essence and motive behind that act”?

Mr. President please remember "a promise must never be broken", page 31(e) of NPP manifesto stated and redefined basic education to include Senior High School (SHS) which covers vocational, agricultural and technical schools, hence was to be available for free on a universal basis to all Ghanaians".

This received several applause and in most ways won the hearts and thumb of many electorates especially the poor local folks who saw it as a relief from their burdens. I was so stunned to read a news headline on Starfmonline that read, “only Brilliant Students Will Enjoy Free SHS-NAPO’.

Stating categorically that "Free SHS would apply only to brilliant JHS graduates". Is the government shortchanging Ghanaians by replacing the free SHS policy with a scholarship policy? Is this the promise the President made to Ghanaians? That is for well-meaning citizens to decide.

Mr. President on one of his campaign trails made a very pleasant statement on the 22nd day of June 2016 at Suame Magazine that; "God has not placed us on this rich land to be poor. Ghana is not a poor country.

The money is there in abundance. It's just a matter of priority". In less than a year after the country, land, economy and people were placed in your care and control, the story now has changed to, "We are in difficult times, “Times are tough”, “We are poor”, “We don't have money", on 15/5/2017 in a meeting with UTAG.

You only kept on demonizing your predecessor as always. We thought you were the "Messiah" sent to rescue us from the Subjective democratic governance, austerity and sluggish economy.

I don’t want to believe that you mean to tell us you were only "naive" during your period in opposition?

The president made another promise to the citizenry that his government will not countenance upon acts of vandalisms and impunity. On page 43 of the NPP 2016 Manifesto, the first paragraph reads;

"The NPP Government will secure peace and security for all Ghanaians. Under the NPP Government, Ghanaians will feel safe on the streets and in their homes. Ghanaians will go about their daily business in the secure knowledge that their persons, properties and lives are safe under an NPP Government".

Why then does the government and the NPP keep quiet as their security wing “the Delta and invisible force” terrorizes Ghanaians from all angles? Some of the members of these groups were apprehended and they came out strongly to claim they have been promised they were going to be set free.

True to their words, the prosecution on the advice of the Attorney general file a “nolle proseque” to the suit and tells us there was no evidence to prosecute these men who stormed a court to free members of their group in broad daylight.

In less than 5 months in your new office, see the chaos Ghanaians are facing. This can only remind me of the local adage, "if the corn eye will grow bigger, it starts from germination".

I Goodnuff, will be so embarrassed to hear from the Electoral College that, they feel disdained in your role as a president coming 2020.

I believed in Change, as you also did and made us believe.

"Prosperity is the surest breeder of insolence they say". I wish you every kind of prosperity, with a little more taste.

Mr. President, I wish tonight, you can meditate with Our First Lady, Mama Becky, on Proverbs 6:2 & 3;” If you have been ensnared by your promise, caught by the words of your mouth, do this, my son, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor: go and humble yourself and urgently plead with your neighbor”

As you have ensnared by your promise to Ghanaians, we humbly await the fulfilment of such assertion. We pray the Almighty aid you to do so.

My ink stops in this Arabian proverb "a promise is a cloud, and its’ fulfillment is a rain". We live to see the rainfall of your heavenly made promises to Ghanaians.

Student Activist
Goodnuff Appiah Larbi