Opinions of Monday, 9 November 2009
Columnist: Sarpong, Justice
"President John Evans Atta Mills has taken a swipe at Ghanaians for complaining that they were suffering too much under his presidency.
He emphasized that those complaining of severe hardship were not being fair to him as a person, and his administration as an institution, because the government was only 10 months in office.
“I get worried when I hear people complain that they haven’t seen anything yet and that they were suffering,†the tax law professor emphasized. President Mills noted that if the people could not find the voice to amplify their suffering during the eight-year rule of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), he could not fathom how they had suddenly found the voice to intensify their complaints of hardship under his 10-month-old government. The President made these remarks whilst addressing Zongo supporters of the party at the forecourt of the Kumasi Central Mosque as part of his three-day ‘thank you’ tour of the Ashanti region."
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Waow, I thought Mr Mills was a Royalty in the NDC Party of primogeniture but President Mills is now showing his frustration on the job, maybe he thought being President is as easy as standing infront of wide eyed students in search of knowledge,President Mills might have bitten more than he could chew. My fear of Atta Mills becoming President was that, he might turn the reins of government to Rawlings who proclaimed after the Tain constituents voted that, "I AM BACK", knowing full well the promise Agya Atta gave him about the 24/7/365 days consultation. Murderer Rawlings never imagined Agya Atta has an Ace in waiting, 'Prophet' soccer Magician T.B Joshua.
Maybe the "O" level failure was right when he said President Mills is surrounded by fools and his Ministers are illiterates. Mr Mills, Ghanaians complained during the NPP administration and if you can't see it, maybe you should ask yourself why you are the President instead of Mr Akuffo Addo. Ghanaians registered their frustrations by using their thumb to bring you to the Presidency and should not insult their intelligence by telling us we complain too much, Sir, do what you promised during your campaign for the Presidency and you would not hear any complaints, until you do that, you are going to hear a earful from Ghanaians. Â
President Mills, maybe you want me to take you back to the memory lane. You were the chief pompom waiver in the complaining department when you accused the government of selling Petrol at 51,000 cedis when a barrel of oil was selling at $147. You and Kwasi Pratt led the NDC demonstration around the streets of Accra at the top of your voice that, the government was insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians for selling Petrol at such a high price. You promised citizens of Ghana that, if you are voted to the Presidency, petrol would be sold at two cedis(20,050) a gallon .
Now fast forward to November 2009, a barrell of oil is at $75.00 and you are selling petrol at 52,000 cedis, a far cry from the promised 20,050 you promised us and when we try to bring your attention to your promises, you are telling us Ghanaians complain too much? What were you doing Sir when you led a march to complain about petrol prices, were you not complaining? May God forbid us to see a barrell of oil goes back up to $147, how much would you sell it to Ghanaians? 100, 000 CEDIS(GHc10.00)?
You promised to rid the country of armed robbers in your first hundred days in office. Now Armed Robbery is worse than when you assumed office ten months ago and when citizens are voicing out their frustrations, you are telling us to shut up because we complain too much? Don't forget the power of the thumb, President Mills, 2012 is not too far away. You continue to make new promises without fulfilling the old ones you made.
President Mills, our families are suffering with high prices of all commodities, they can't go to sleep without one eye opened because of armed robbers, the cedi has lost about 30% of its value since you assumed office, you have put an embargo in hiring new applicants to the Ministeries at the insistance of the World Bank. People are jobless and can't put food on the table to feed their families, Sir, do something about the Economy because your "Ecomini" is not working as it should be because you have no policy regarding that sector except setting up committees. Ten months after your Presidency, you are blaming your woes on the NPP, Sir, stop it now, President Obama of USA inherited more problems from President Bush led Republican Administration but he is not complaining and blaming the Afganistan mess, the bad Economy on Mr Bush, he is tackling the the situation head on, Sir, you tied your apron strings to Obama, learn from him and do the right thing.
President Mills, Ghanaians are not 'whinners' but when things are going bad as it is now in your government, Sir, allow us to voice our frustrations, at least that is better than what your Mentor Rawlings would have preferred, a violent removal of your administration. Mr President, do the right thing and steer our economy to the vibrancy it was when you assumed office. Sir, things are not going well in your administration and unless you change the situation for the better, prepare to hear more complaints, the next step might be demonstrations.
Justice Sarpong