Opinions of Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Columnist: Gyabaa-Mensah, Felix
To any critical observer of Ghanaian politics, it will be an understatement to say the NDC government, headed by Prof. John Atta Mills is a failure, in fact a complete mess.
Since assuming power almost three years ago, this administration lacks direction and leadership. It has been characterized by indiscipline and violence among the rank and file of party members. There is also ineptitude, arrogance and corruption of unimaginable proportions. Any attempt by outsiders to criticize the government is met with intimidation, swift verbal, and in some cases physical attacks. Thus, well meaning Ghanaians’, have recoiled into their shells, while the greedy bastards are having a field day.
Even the founder of the party, his Excellency Mr. (or is it Dr. or Togbe) “probity” JJ Rawlings, the supposed owner of the party, has come out to describe the present crop of ministers and government appointees as inefficient, greedy bastards and hangers on. Others have described them as team B and standard seven boys. But whatever description it is, the facts are that they have done terribly poorly.
IN 2008, then candidate Mills promised to turn Ghana into a paradise, a better Ghana. He promised to pacify the Andanis of Yendi and Tamale by jailing all Abudus. He promised to build/establish a University for every region, deepen the pockets of every Ghanaian with cash and gold. Ghanaians’ are now the wiser, since we have seen through all the lies, the deception and the propaganda. He even swore that he never promised Ghanaians with jobs. He is now going on a “promising spree,” cutting sods to commence construction of universities even where there is no seed money or even land for these projects. He has abandoned the Cape Coast sports stadium, even though the NPP administration had acquired land and signed the contract for work to begin. In his quest to jail all Abudus, he rushed to court with hearsay and lost miserably. He is blaming everybody, especially the courts but his team B administration.
November 2012 is a just around the corner, and Ghanaians will have a choice to make. One thing is clear, that the NPP will contest for political power with Nana Addo Danquah AKufo-Addo as the flag bearer. On the opposite side will be Professor Mills the winner of the NDC primaries, but it will be more of the same, ineptitude, arrogance, corruption, violence, etc.
It is on this note, that fellow Ghanaians, I will like to present to you the NPP and Nana Akufo-Addo as the best alternative to the disastrous and deceiving NDC. In 2008, I wrote a piece “Nana Akufo-Addo for President” in which I outlined the reasons why Ghanaians should vote for him. My advice fell on deaf ears and the outcome is what we are all seeing today.
In Nana Akufo-Addo we have the real deal.
1. Nana has lived a life of integrity. He has always upheld the standards of conduct in his private, professional and public life. He in honest, incorruptible and believes in transparency and government accountability.
2. Nana can get things done. He was a successful lawyer and performed creditably well as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
3. Nana has demonstrated a willingness to serve. From the days of the infamous Unigov, through Kumepreko to his days as Minister of Justice and Attorney General and as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has served Ghana well. These activities have prepared him for the Presidency, given him the ability to confront challenges decisively and make decisions in the best interest of Ghanaians.
4. Nana has a proven ability as a leader that transcends tribal, ideological, and religious affiliations. This rare ability will heal our country and unite us once again. Now he has seen a bigger threat, the NDC hegemony and is willing to turn the country back to the road of freedom, justice, and prosperity. Like Roosevelt, he is committed to work Ghana out of our present mess and put the smiles back on the faces of Ghanaians once more.
5. Nana lives what he believes in and respects others beliefs even when they disagree. That is the beauty of democracy.
6. In Nana Akufo-Addo God has called him out of a bubbling confusion to become a peculiar new person, to be President whom God will entrust to redeem Ghana. God has set him apart with a new Ghanaian culture and attitude, a new destiny for Ghana that will be nothing short of redemption.
7. Nana Akufo-Addo is humble, very humble and has a bubbling confidence. Because he is fearless and confident, his political opponents have disingenuously tagged him as arrogant. He is independent, a self made man and richly blessed by God. He has reached his current status by dint of hard work. He will project that onto the Presidency, and his administration will be for the betterment of all Ghanaians, not a select few.
8. Nana has self restraint. He has good moral judgment and the ability to make decisive decisions on positive grounds without reaching for extreme solutions.
9. Nana is courageous and understanding. These are qualities that government leaders need. He says it like it is. Nana has great respect for Ghanaians and the freedom of her people. He believes in the rewards of hard work and minimal interference from government.
10. Nana is cool, calm and collected. He listens and reflects very well, and that lets him solve problems with maturity. His appointees will be strong men with strong opinions, not just satraps.
11. Nana is experienced. From his childhood to the present, he has learnt very well, behaved very well. He is self accomplished, and the many jobs and positions he has held, both in the private and public sectors have fully prepared him for the crises of the presidency.
Fellow Ghanaians, 2012 is just around the corner. We are all witnesses to this retarded administration led by Prof. JEA Mills and his out of control NDC. The past two and a half years have been a complete disaster, hypocrisy, corruption, intimidation, violence, murders, lies propaganda and deception. Ghanaians will have a choice to make, and it will be suicidal to keep the visionless Atta “Mess” Mills and his clueless and conceited NDC in power. Even his own political benefactor and most of his own political appointees have cast him as a total flop, a President do nothing undeserving of another term.
In this age and time, we need a president with strong leadership skills who can redeem us and send us to new heights. It is therefore our shared responsibility as Ghanaians to elect a smart, intelligent and knowledgeable person who will work to bring prosperity, true freedom and stability to all Ghanaians. Ladies and gentlemen, and this man, the real deal, is the man of the people, Nana Addo Danqua Akufo-Addo. Next year, please let us vote wisely, vote for Nana Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party.
Author – Felix Gyabaa-Mensah
Cincinnati, Ohio USA.