Opinions of Monday, 31 October 2016
Columnist: Damptey, Daniel Danquah
The NDC Government in one breath says it wants to make life meaningful for ordinary Ghanaians.
In another breath, it has put a tax on almost everything that has a name. It has sacked poor pupil teachers from its employment. Are the two positions not contradictory? Very soon, a tax will be imposed on anything that has a name.
Some time ago, a clarion call went out, “Help, for the Cedi is dying”. What was Government response? Our Clueless, Fumbling and Wobbling helmsman directed that the bulk of the country’s reserves be used to shore up the waning strength of the Cedi. Instead of being sent to the political gallows where it rightly belongs, it thumped its chest as if it had done something reasonable.
That unwise decision and almost everything this clueless regime has done since has been reactionary, retrogressive, capricious and unprecedented in the history of the country, which has risen from the doldrums to become an economic giant under Former President Kufuor.
Under this clueless Fumbling and Wobbling President the country’s currency was worth less than the Zimbabwe Dollar. In fact, in mid 2014, the Cedi became clueless and its worth was less than tissue paper. Why then did Government thump its chest if the Cedi was resuscitated from that of used tissue paper to become an unused one?
In those days, Clueless and Fumbling and Wobbling John Dramani Mahama did not exhibit any signs of worry. But in Nigeria, the then President, Chief Matthew Aremu Okikiade, Olusegun Obasanjo summoned Chief Executives of leading Banks and other Stake holders with an Executive fiat that the beleagued National Currency (Naira) be rescued.
A summit at the Presidential villa in Abuja with Joseph Sanusi, then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in attendance was held on Thursday, April 12, 2001. “I will not sit here and allow Nigeria to hemorrhage to the point of death”. These were the exact words of the Nigerian President.
Almost all the Bankers blamed the situation on Government spending. Chief Segun Osoba, then Governor of Ogun State said “in most cases, government comes up with projects which are not included in the budget”.
Yes, Ghana has a terminal illness carved in the mould of avarice, greed, corruption, nepotism and vaulting ambition which eventually spread their tentacles to the soul of the poor man. The ungodly oppressors at the helm of national affairs have perfected the act of skilled group mind manipulation so much so that they have acquired physical assets and stock piled them in complete disregard to the words of Jesus Christ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:14).
But do we blame them? Definitely not! Why? Because they must lay up treasures for themselves on earth because they are convinced that there will be nothing for them and their children in heaven.
I cannot end this piece without offering some pieces of advice to Her Excellency, Big Oga Madam, Lordina Mahama.
Ghanaians, especially, leaders of the Opposition NPP have remained unruffled in the face of extreme provocation, insults, vilification, distortions, misrepresentations and misinterpretations of their messages and utterances, believing that the Battle is the Lord’s.
Definitely, justice awaits corrupt NDC Government and its Ministers at the appropriate time. They should not forget what happened to Ahab and his wife Jezebel in the Bible. If the First Lady cannot caution her husband not to embark on anti-peoples policies, then, she too like Jezebel deserves the Armageddon and the tsunami that await them when the roll is called up yonder.
If Her Excellency cannot advise her husband to use complimentary language and call on his appointees, especially the babies with sharp teeth to order when they unleash their uncouth language and venom on Ghanaians who come out to tell her clueless husband the way things really are, then there will be no safety route for her when the tide is turned. She deserves the same fate that awaits her husband. Ghanaians will not find it in their hearts to forgive them.
Doomsday will soon be their portion and they will see how those of us on the other side are experiencing. They have soon forgotten that a few years ago, they were part of us, but have now mutated to become ravening wolves, rabid dogs, snarling and vicious serpents and snakes. They have forgotten where they started from.
In conclusion, let me quote from Ken Saro Wiwa’s speech on 10th November, 1995. Ken was hanged for speaking out against the environmental damage to the Niger Delta caused by Shell Oil through its 37 years of oil drilling in the area.
“In the innocence of the false charges I face here, in my utter conviction, I call upon the Ogoni people, the people of the Niger Delta, and the oppressed ethnic minorities of Nigeria to stand up and fight fearlessly and peacefully for their rights. History is on their side. God is on their side, for the Holy Quran says in SURA 42:41 “All those that fight when oppressed incur no guilt, but Allah shall punish the oppressor, come the day”
And so it shall be, come December 7, 2016.
Daniel Danquah Damptey (Self – Appointed Special Aide to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo) Email: [email protected]