Opinions of Saturday, 17 January 2009
Columnist: Amankwah, Nana Kofi
One of the most negative dramatic moments in all of Ghanaian political history is when the newly crowned President Atta Mills has instructed Victor Emmanuel Smith former aide to Jerry John Rawlings to go to the Osu Christiansburg castle with soldiers in uniforms and muftis from defunct the 64 infantry battalion. These men, popularly known as commodores, were trained by Jerry John Rawlings and also tried many times to overthrow the Kufuor’s NPP administration in coup d’etats. The actions of John- Atta Mills in allowing this political monster criminal Victor Smith to carry out this mission in coup d’etat fashion on his behalf reflects their PNDC violent regime. His motive for going to the castle with these criminal soldiers to retrieve State vehicles with violence is total nonsense. This idiot Victor Smith continues to think Ghanaians will approve his violent behavior from their previous administration. However Ghanaians will never allow their violent past to come and haunt them anymore. As the saying goes, “nearly all men can stand adversity but if you want test a man’s character give him power”.
Atta Mills government won’t last for even a four year term if he does not watch his back carefully from Rawlings and his sycophant commandores who are using Mills to pave a way for their egocentric political motives. Many Ghanaians who voted for Attah Mills are very disappointed in these actions from Victor Smith and these criminal soldiers. They should realize that Ghana does not belong to Victor Smith, Rawlings and his NDC members. They may think the time has come for them to use the State properties as theirs, as they did in their previous administration, but times have changed Victor Smith should acknowledge that for their 19 years in power the NDC administration could not provide the vehicles that NPP administration has provided for the State. This shows Victor Smith and his cronies were envious at NPPs administration during their time in office.
The selections of Atta Mills Ministerial appointments do not reflect the change that he has been preaching on during his political campaign. For him to invite someone such as Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah back to his so” called change” administration as his National Security Minister, the man who was behind all the murders that took place in their (PNDC) era. Means Attah Mills thinks he can now tell Ghanaians “Do what I say” because he has hegemonic powers to treat Ghanaians as they did in 1980’s and 1990’s. Mills will be only a four year president. They should wait and see because he cannot fool anybody. His cabinet selections reflected his motive of sending the country backward. I’m very disappointed in Mills.He failed to use his own common sense to make judgments on issues such as this. These NDC members should know by now that the whole world is watching their behavior of intimidation, harassment and violence but such policies will not come back and destroy the peace the nation has enjoyed for the last eight years. Nobody is afraid of them, whatever they think they are, The nation is ever ready to face them including the opposition parties across the country. I urge the parliamentary committee members to reject these nominations. They should not confirm anybody whose past behavior has contributed to the history of our nation that has led to the reconciliation settlement.
From: Nana Amankwah (New York)