Hypocrisy at its Heights

Why did Rawlings sack Tsatsu Tsikata as CEO of GNPC? This is a question which the adherents of the NDC have refused to answer in spite of numerous challenges thrown to them. I wont relent on it. Ghanaians deserve to be told the answer.

Now judging by the criteria with which the NDC as a party has set that any official who losses his position in the government is guilty, it follows that Tsatsu was guilty of some malfeasance which we, Ghanaians have the right to know. Or was it on account of some personality crash between Rawlings and Tsatsu? Please, Mills, Rawlings, Ayariga, Fuseina Inusah, John Mahama, Asiedu Nketia, Kwabena Adjei, Ama Benyiwa Doe, Haruna Iddrisu, Koku Anyidoho, Kobby Acheampong, Ofosu Ampofo, Bagbin, we are anxiously awaiting your response. I have thrown this challenge and at least one of you, the power brokers must come out with a statement. And if I may further ask; why was Kojo Tsikata sacked as Rawlings National Security Advisor or Coordinator? Was it in connection with attempt to compromise the security of Rawlings and his family? You see, human memory is very short, otherwise Rawlings, Mills, John Mahama and his men should be the last people to talk about Tsatsu’s integrity.

“O justice that art fled to Brutus beast And men have lost their reasoning”

You see, the NDC should not talk of arrogance. Were they not those who, when the going was good for them, had their leader, J.J. Rawlings, after the Supreme Court verdict against the celebration of the June 4th and 31st December, put on his military uniform (as a civilian President under the guise of Commander in-chief of the GAF) dragged his ministers to BBC and in full view of the Camera hurled insults on the justice system and the generality of Ghanaians? That was not arrogance! Was it not their leader, Rawlings who took his Ministers/ Secretaries including women old enough to be his grandmother through a marathon race and at the end of the whole show treated them to a meal of kenkey and fish while he and a few chosen ones soaked themselves to some delicious meal and bottles of expensive alcohol.

Was it not Rawlings, with Mills watching sheepishly who mounted a public platform and openly warned Ghanaians not to patronize products of hard-working Ghanaian entrepreneurs including Messrs Appeah Menka, J.A. Addison, Kwame Sarfo Adu, and Kwabena Darko and a host of others? If that was not arrogance, then I wonder what the NDC refers to as arrogance. Infact, since I came out of age, I have never come across a group of great liars as members of the NDC. Even Hitler’s, propaganda machinery led by Goebbels will pale into insignificance when it comes to throwing dust unto people’s faces. And anytime, they commit some terrible deeds, they will start to preach and make it appear as if they were the victims.

Now, the NPP were the first to come out with its manifesto, which the NDC condemned. About two weeks after, the NDC came out with their own, and presto, it was all that the NPP’s programme? They even included the NHIS which they condemned and staged a walk out when bill was tabled before Parliament. If really, they had some reservations on it, why did they not stay on and make their inputs to fine-tune it into bringing it to an appreciable level? The Northern Regional development Fund which the NDC has christened ‘Savannah’ Fund found its way into their manifesto. Nowhere, in the course of their campaign have they made mention of establishing a fund to take care of the three Northern Regions. All that they have been doing is to criticize every aspect of it - that the take off grant is minimal and that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo will not be able to raise the amount he is proposing as take-off grant. Yet when they were asked how they were going to raise money first, the came up with an untenable explanation that $200 million will be generated internally while the remaining amount would be sourced from donor communities.

But this is a party, which since inception, have been condemning donor countries. Even when the India Government gave us a grant to off set some of the cost involved in the construction of the Presidential Palace, these NDC men said it was unwise and misplaced priority to build a Presidential Palace. Oh when will these men learn to be patriotic and put the interest of the country ahead of their parochial interest? Nana says these are what he will do when he comes to power. The NDC comes out to say they are not feasible. But when their Presidential candidate makes his incoherent claims they applaud him. I want to re-iterate with emphasis that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo will fulfill all the promises he has made as are captured in our manifesto. For sure, I want to refer readers and Ghanaians to the statement made by Ekow Spio Garbrah when after they had lost power, he made his infamous cantankerous statement to the effect that Kufuor had made so many promises and that it remained to be seen how he was going to fulfill them and also pay off workers.

However by the Grace of Almighty God and belief in the capacity and determination of hardworking Ghanaians to rise when the odds are heavily stacked against them, coupled with sound pragmatic economic policies put in place by the Kufuor- led NPP administration, the country surmounted the initial difficulties and obstacles deliberately placed on its path by the Mills led Economic Intelligence team. The men of foresight in the New Patriotic Party realized that the only way they could reverse the down trend in the country’s economic situation was to go HIPC- a decision which attracted the wrath of the NDC, but when the dividends started accruing, NDC members were the first to clamour for them. Fate or destiny was on the side of Kufuor and the NPP.

I say with pride that the NPP as a party has the men with ideas and vision to take the country to greater heights. What did the NDC have to show Ghanaians for the almost twenty years it had been at the helm of the nation’s affairs, apart from deprivations, torture, intimidation, denial of fundamental human rights, discrimination identification marks? With such a history of violence and inconsistency, how does the party hope to attract external assistance to help implement its policies and programme if Ghanaians make the mistake and vote for the NDC? Now listen to what one voter told me during a friendly a discussion on Ghanaian politics. I want you to listen well and good. “How can I go back to the land of Egypt which is synonymous with darkness? Voting for the NDC is like bringing somebody from the village to the city where he is exposed to all the good things of life. How do you expect me, after I have got used to city life with its attendant electricity, pipe borne water, good roads etc, to go back to the village? No, it will not happen. No, not with me!” Oyiwa!

The NDC, for all the years it was in power never thought of adding a single stadium to the existing ones. But, with a single master stroke, Kufuor has constructed new ones to the chagrin of the NDC. Fate or destiny was once more on the side of the NPP government.

We have not forgotten the dangers travelers on the Accra-Aburi road were exposed to. For all those years Rawlings, Mills, Mahama and co. were in power, they felt that nothing could be done to make the road safer for motorists and travelers. But since the NPP has the men of vision and foresight, they devised a plan, and today, the road is a first class one just like the Apian Way in the Greck City States. This is a testimony of Kufuor’s excellent agenda for Ghanaians.

Now, the liars in the NDC would like to rewrite history to suit their own arrogant eyes. Hitler said that “if you tell a big lie, the people will believe it” Those who never lived through the period but are basing heir arguments on distortions claim Dr. J.B. Danquah was a traitor and CIA agent who aided in the overthrow of Nkrumah. How nasty could people degenerate to in their attempt to let their views prevail! I say in all sincerity and faith in the Living God who shall one day call us to account for our stewardship that Dr. J.B. Danquah was not a traitor. He, together with Paa Grant and a few patriotic ones realized the direction the nation was going. They were not selfish for they felt the need to get someone to man their Secretariat for them. They were professionals in their own right and so put together their resources which were used to bring Nkrumah back to Ghana. If they were traitors, they would have led a life of luxury. Therefore, attempts to link Dr. Danquah with the CIA won’t hold water. All those making such spurious allegations are historical ignoramuses. J.B. Danquah died one long year before the overthrown of Nkrumah.

One needs to be educated on the fact that the cold war was at its peak at the time Nkrumah was overthrown. The forces of the West and the East were at play, trying to undo each other. If people claim that Afrifa, Kotoka and others were agents of the West, it would be equally good to conclude that Nkrumah and his men were equally agents of the KGB and the East. Nkrumah wanted to take the country to the communist enclave and Afrifa and others also wanted to take us to the Western block. There was nothing wrong with competition for it brings out the best in a person or system. Why have the NDC never condemned Rawlings for coups he staged which sent the country several years back? Was Rawlings not a traitor for staging coups which resulted in the death of several full blooded Ghanaians? Yet today, Rawlings, the traitor is the founder of a party and members see nothing wrong with that. We have never forgotten the event that preceded Rawlings becoming the Presidential candidate of the NDC. One lawyer from Kumasi, I think it was John Billson (I am not very sure) took Rawlings to court in Kumasi on a charge that Rawlings was not a Ghanaian. Please quote me. A large mob was organized outside the precincts of the court and throughout the proceeding; the crowd yelled and sprinted forward in their desperate attempts to lynch the plaintiff who together with members of his family had to relocate to an unknown place to escape from the wrath of Rawlings organized mob. Not once did the court come to the defence of the plaintiff during the entire proceedings.

Now the NDC refers to Obetsebi Lamptey’s father as the person who was distributing bombs to others to be used to main children and kill Nkrumah. But nowhere is it documented that Dr. Obetsebi Lamptey was involved. Rather, it was CPP members, Kofi Crabbe, Tawia Adamafio and others who were convicted of attempts at killing Nkrumah. No member of the UP tradition was involved. And for your information, Jake’s father was buried alive. This is an uncontested fact. We don’t want to bruise our national psyche and so it is better to let some of these facts lie fallow. Nkrumah was a nation builder, no doubt. He did a lot to make Ghana what it is today. But he also committed many mistakes. Let us leave it at that.

The difference between the NPP and the NDC is like the gulf between Heaven and Hell. In the NPP, we cherish our in-born freedoms. But that is not the case in the NDC. In our party, a member took Kwame Pianin to court on account of being convicted on a charge of plotting the overthrow of an illegal government. The Supreme Court was teleguided into giving a verdict of guilty on Kwame Pianin, thus nipping in the bud his presidential ambition. But the same Supreme Court looked the other way and ruled that Rawlings - a two time coup plotter was qualified to stand for the highest office of the land. The Law on precedence should have applied in Kwame Pianin’s case. But the party and Kwame Pianin accepted the verdict in good faith. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander

Now, isn’t it an irony that the NDC should steal the laudable programmes of the NPP which the former had condemned without giving credit to the latter? The School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, National Youth Employment Programme, National Health Insurance Scheme, Northern Development Programme, Free Medical Health for pregnant women and many others which the Nnipa Pa Party had publicly outdoor found their way into the manifesto of the NDC. The most pathetic aspect of the whole show was that, they never gave us credit for initialing them.

These programmes and many others which the NDC has stolen from us did not just originate from nowhere. It took men and women of vision, ideals and foresight several years of brainstorming before these ideas were arrived at. This is an aspect the Nnipa Pa Party has but the NDC does not. We have such men and women in abundance. The only thing the NDC as a party has, but the NPP lacks are men and women with lying spirits. They are many in the NDC.

Has there been any time that the NDC told us they were dreaming of such programmes? If there had been any such time or period a thing like that had taken place, please, tell me, for him have I offended. Why did the NDC wait for us to launch our manifesto before theirs? The CPP launched theirs before ours, but we never stole any of their ideas or programmes. That is NPP for you – the party of principles. Even if they have stolen our ideals, shouldn’t they be courteous to admit that, indeed, they have done so with the belief that they would improve on them? But to state with disdain that the programmes and ideas are their own ideas make the party look like one without principles. Wouldn’t I be right to say that what they have done is tantamount to stealing, which in effect makes them thieves as well as pirates?

Now, consider the belated attempts made to create the impression that it was rather the NPP that had stolen their ideas. They are alleging that their computer with all those ideas got stolen from their headquarters and that the computer had been traced to the office of Jake Obetsebi Lamptey. What has Jake done to the party that it always picks on him?

If indeed, their computer got missing, did the party report it to the police? If it did, which police station? And if they allege that they do not trust the police as an institution, why did they not report it in any of their numerous newspapers doing propaganda work for the party? If they have traced it to Jake’s house or office, why haven’t they got him arrested on a charge of stealing? And like what the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Peter Mac Manu said, is that not an indictment of the way they would administer the country when they gain the governance of this country? How could a computer be stolen from a party Headquarters which serves as the engine room of the party? Can Ghanaians trust such a party? If the party could not effectively secure its engine room, what is the guarantee that Ghanaians could go to bed with even one eye close when NDC is in power? This is one of the reasons why I am calling on Ghanaians to reject the NDC come December 7, 2007.

You see, people of myopic minds have no inhibitions when it comes to assassinating another person’s character just to gain political advantage. Do such people believe in the existence of an Omnipotent God who will one day call us into account? I doubt not!

Ofosu Ampofo also attempted to create disaffection against the Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation when he alleged that the DG personally instructed that the launching of the party’s manifesto should not be aired. Later events were to prove otherwise. GBC issued a statement of disclaim stating that NDC refused to pay the amount the corporation was demanding from the party and that the party opted for just news coverage of the event. NPP’s own launching was aired live because the party paid the money the corporation demanded. Since GBC came up with their disclaimer, neither the party nor the office of their flag bearer has countered it. I throw another challenge to Mills and his campaign team to tell Ghanaians that the statement put forward by GBC is a complete fabrication and not what transpired between the two parties. I and concerned Ghanaians are waiting

You see, those of us in the NPP believe in the vision and programmes of the Great Osono Fraternity, and that was why, even in opposition, individual members contributed money to enhance the fortunes of the party. Party members are fully committed to the ideals of the party and that was the catalyst that aided the party to maul, annihilate and dislodge the NDC from power. And come December, 2008, we will repeat the dose. For the NDC, the future appears like a big void. Members do not have hope in it, and that is why they do not want to make any sacrifice to help their party. They can shout, yell, insult and heat up the body polity but all will be in vain.

I listened to an open discussion on Metro TV hosted by Yaro Kasambatta between Nana Akomea and Inusah Fuseini on Friday and I was disgusted by the latter’s contributions. Inusah Fuseini claimed to have known some members of the NPP before the party came to power and that Kufuor was driving a rickety 4 by 4. But today…… He was obviously echoing the voice of his leader, Atta Mills.

The NDC talks about Kufuor’s convoy. Do the vehicles in the convoy belong to the President? These are vehicles in the presidential pool, some of which were bought during the regime of the NDC. Mills talks about corruption in Govt and makes reference to the President’s son owning a Hotel. Let us be dispassionate and look at issues objectively. He is the son of the President and so he should not engage in any lucrative business. Is that what they want? What about the contract the [P]NDC gave out to import that brownish uniform for the use of Junior Secondary School pupils throughout the country? Do we have to condemn people unjustly just because others are saying so, without providing any outer of evidence? Someone even wrote in response to one of my articles that everybody knows the NPP Government is corrupt. Haba!

When we were children, we had the erroneous impression that some people had “nsaman bayie” or “sika aduro:” [money making ritual which enables a person to get rich quickly without working]. We could cite instances of people who did not go out of their houses but were stingingly rich. It was when we grew older that we realized that one need not get out of his house everyday before he could make money. Someone could stay at home and deal in stock, bonds and shares and make his bucks.

Now, Alban Bagbin, that little Napoleon from Nawdoli and minority leader, who is enjoying all the privileges attached to his office but criticizes those attached to other office holders took the President to CHRAJ on charges of illegal acquisition. For the first time since 1992, the President is the only one who has submitted himself to be probe. But halfway through the investigations, Bagbin recanted and refused to continue with the case. Why do they have to bring up the issue again? Shouldn’t Bagbin be charged with causing financial loss to the State? Just think of numerous hours that were spent on the investigations and the time the Presidency wasted on the case, which could have been utilized on finding solutions to the country’s problems.

Then the President’s son acquired a Hotel with loans from the banks and all hell was let loose. To the opposition, the son was fronting for the father. The case went to CHRAJ which carried out its own investigation and cleared the President of any wrong doing. That should have been the end of the mater, but no it wasn’t. What at all do they want in this country? If a suit went in their favour, there is nothing wrong with the judicial system. But let a member of the NDC be convicted and the allegation victimization would be leveled against the government. When Victor Solormey was convicted, some members of the NDC were exonerated. Why should the court jail Abodakpi and let off others? It did that because, it did not find any wrong doings on the part of those who were exonerated. Tsikata was jailed and the same accusation comes up. But there are avenues for Tsatsu to challenge his conviction in court. The Appeal Court and the Supreme Courts are there for him.

When Tsatsu challenged some aspect of his trial and the case came up to the Supreme Court which ruled in favour of Tsatsu, Mills, Rawlings, Mahama and the NDC hailed the ruling as the best thing that ever happened to the judiciary in the country. Now, the Constitution makes room for judicial review at the Supreme Court, if a party is dissatisfied with an earlier ruling. The Government took advantage of this clause and another Judge was added and Tsatsu was floored. Then another barrage of insults was heaped on the Government. The question is, is there any provision in the Constitution for Judicial Review of Supreme Courts ruling? If there is and the Government applies it, what is wrong with that? The fact that the NDC never thought it wise to apply it does not mean that that law is an ass. Is Mills, who is being touted as the best thing that ever happened to the legal profession in the country aware of the existence of such provision? If he is what has he done to educate the NDC on it. Between Mills and Tsatsu, who is better?

Now, this appeal goes to the youth of this country. Some of you were kids or never born when the nation went through a tortuous journey which made us wander in the wilderness for many years. They never know the history of this country and what some of us went through. They should learn to be circumspect in their utterances and actions. Heaping insults on elected representatives and others who do not share in their political thought or ideology is alien to civilized and decent people of this country. Let Atta Mils and all those people talking about corruption among the rank and file of the NPP compile names of those they feel are corrupt with relevant evidence against their names and we shall also do same to their members who are today living luxurious lives, oblivious of the sufferings of others. Let us compile names of those whose children are attending high profile schools outside the country and let them provide evidence of how they pay their school fees. Let us reason well. Who will be worst affected if there is chaos in the country? Is it those whose children are doing legitimate business in Ghana or those who, after sending their children abroad start inciting the masses?

The time has come for all Ghanaians to “shine their eyes” and do the right thing to lay a solid and sound foundation for their children and those yet un born. We owe them and mother Ghana that. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and Mahammadu Bawumia are leading the way. Would you join them? There is no other better time than now. We cannot postpone to tomorrow what we can do for the future of our country. Nana leads and we follow. NPP all the way!

Daniel Danquah Damptey [email protected] 0243715297