Opinions of Tuesday, 13 January 2015
Columnist: Boasiako, Peter Antwi
.....Is A Grievous Assertion And An Insult To The Memories Of The First President.
The on-going who-is-who grand competition between Prez John Mahama and late Prez John Atta Mills by NDC members to determine which of the President's performance is somewhat equal, better or commensurate to that of the first President of the republic of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, is such a shameful and the biggest malappropriate utterance to his memories.
Frankly, as Dr Nkrumah is pointed to as the founding father of Ghana, if indeed his 15 years rule, from 1951 to 1966, with all the socio-economic development projects, such as his industrialisation policies that he embarked on, can now be reduced to the level comparable to a supposed "two years" of John Mahamah administration, and struggles to surpass the "three and half years" administration of Prez John Mills, then this can only be described not just as a matter of, seriously speaking, insolent contempt, rudeness and ruthless desecration of Dr Nkrumah's achievements, but one of contumelous humiliation, reducing Dr Nkrumah's Presidency to a level of Uselessness.
In discussing John Mahama as President of Ghana for "two years" in office that was marked on 7th January, 2015, Mr Eric Ametor Quarmyne, an NDC Communications Consultant on NHIA, is reported to have stated that, none of Ghana's presidents can be compared to the first president of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah except the incumbent Prez John Dramni Mahama. "President Mahama is next to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in terms of governance and development." This statement, does not only downgrade the performance of Dr Nkrumah, it mangles the dignity of the late President John Atta Mills, yet a fawning NDC communicator would make such a glory-seeking comment, conscious of the fact that their "All Hail" founder of NDC, and Ex-President JJ Rawlings is still alive in Ghana.
Not too long ago, Ghana's world diplomat, His Excellency Mohamed Ibn Chambas, whiles delivering the second Annual John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Lecture in Accra, also claimed that "the two, all of blessed memory, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Prof. John Evans Atta Mills are the only leaders whose leadership is worthy of commendation and emulation, supposing that in Ghana's history, it is only these two leaders who cannot be accused of being corrupt and did achieve a lot for Ghana. From this tacit inference, Rawlings and John Mahamah on corruption index and achivement are yet to be assessed.
Dr. Chambas, said "it is significant to note that, in the period of increased public scrutiny of their leaders and the obsession with corruption, no one in Ghana or abroad has been able to point accusing fingers at the two Leaders- Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Prof John Evans Atta Mills - for corruption or accumulating wealth at the expense of the country or the taxpayer."
Chambas concluded by saying "from the above, it therefore stands to reason that successive presidents should walk the path of the two Leaders (Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and President John Atta Mills); of how they both hated corruption, if only they want to be remembered in like-manner."
I hope Ghanaians would wish to know from Eric Ametor Quame if John Mahamah has learned anything from these Ex-leaders in terms of Ghanaians obsession with corruption? Can Ametor Quame tell Ghanaians, what actually has happened to the successes they claimed Ex-President Rawlings chalked during his nineteen years tenure of office.
If John Mahamah, the supposed governance magician who could use two years to surpass a 15 year record achievement of Dr Nkrumah, has been able to transform Ghana's socio-economic woes to successes within two years, then, why craving for World Bank bailout intervention today? No wonder the political Magician Mahamah won 2012 Presidential elections with only three months campaigning. What a magic!!!
It is unbelievable for this deafening silence of the so-called Nkrumshist and the defenders of Dr Kwame Nkrumah's achievements in Ghana over such contemptuously and impudent propaganda to compare John Mahama's overt corrupt and incompetent administration to that of President Nkrumah.
The NDC, is clandestinely increasing its agenda to rubish Dr Nkrumah's achievements, because of the recent truth speech made by the CPP General Secretary, Mr Ivor Greenstreet, expressing the voice of majority of Ghanaians on Mahama's govt that has made the eceonomic situation unbearable, at the just ended NDC National Delegates Congress in Kumasi.
The aim is to make the Mahama's 2.5 years and 3.5 years of the late Prez Mills administrations comparatively far better than Nkrumah's 15 years rule. This creeping dangerous propaganda by the NDC to destroy Dr Nkrumah's image and legacy, should not be allowed in any shape, form or size. This is very typical of the NDC Who develops No Ideas, initiates Nothing and Achieves Nothing, in terms of policies and programmes that can truly move the country forward. The NDC only invests in propaganda!!
This is the time one would expect the CPP members and Nkrumahists such as Kwesi Pratt, to show that they have not indeed sold their birthrights to the NDC cheap politics.
Peter Antwi Boasiako. London.