On Mahama’s second coming: Is it in Ghana’s interest or parochial interest?

The recent announcement by former President Mahama to stage a presidential comeback has sent shock waves across the length and breadth of the country, especially amongst the reflective critics of the Umbrella fraternity.

Despite all the harsh economic conditions amidst corruption allegations (Bus branding, Brazil World Cup, SADA, SUBA, GYEEDA, SSNIT, NCA, Ford Expedition Vehicle, amongst others) which led to his 2016 humiliating election defeat, Ex-President Mahama can still have the courage to stage a comeback.

While some of us do appreciate the discerning Ghanaians apprehension over Mahama’s desperate attempt to reclaim the presidency, some NDC loyalists seem oblivious to the apocalypse of Mahama returning to the Jubilee House.

Make no mistake, it would be extremely disastrous if Mahama was to reclaim the presidency given the calamitous errors in judgement which led to the massive economic meltdown.

Why wouldn’t discerning Ghanaians dread and express grave concern over the return of a former president who has more bribery and corruption scandals hanging on his neck than any other president in the history of Ghanaian politics?

Let us be honest, no true nationalist will ever shrill and thrill over the return of a former president who has serious questions to answer over the puzzling corruption scandals such as the STX housing deal, the Brazilian aircrafts, the Ford Expedition Vehicle and the Armajaro saga.

Take, for instance, more recently, we read that four courageous Ghanaians had petitioned the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to probe into the alleged E.O. Group’s $13 million corporate social responsibility fund towards the development of the Western Region which the petitioners claimed to have been diverted by Ex-President Mahama (See: ‘Mahama diverted $13m E.O. Group money; probe him – Four citizens petition Amidu’-todaygh.com/ghanaweb.com, 18/06/2018).

Why wouldn’t patriotic Ghanaians dread the return of a former President who can accept clandestine gift of a brand new Ford Expedition vehicle worth over $100,000 from a Burkinabe Contractor called Djibril Kanazoe?

Not long ago, we were greeted by yet another news of corruption scandal in the erstwhile Mahama administration, this time, an alleged oil money of GH40.5 million clandestine transfers to the presidency, via the then Chief of Staff (See: ‘Group explains why Amidu must probe Mahama, Debrah in GH¢40.5m BOST payment’; myjoyonline.com/ghanaweb.com, 19/09/2018).

It beggars belief that despite the wanton corruption, the arrogance of power and the crass incompetence exhibited by the erstwhile Mahama administration which resulted in massive economic collapse, the NDC faithful would still have the moral authority to clamour inexorably for the return of former President Mahama.

Given the illimitable rot in the Mahama’s administration, some of us cannot help but to giggle over the NDC’s faithful renewed zeal to return to power so soon.

I recall prior to the 2016 general elections, I had an interesting telephone conversation with my mother about politics and socio-economic standards of living in Ghana.

In fact, at no point in time during our interesting conversation that my mother indicated her willingness to detach herself from her unbridled loyalty to the NDC.

It therefore came as a surprise to me when my mother confided in me recently that she has ceased being a die-hard supporter of the NDC.

Wonders shall never end, they say. In fact, I never envisioned for a minute that my mother could one day cease being a brassbound supporter of the NDC.

And what was her excuse for detaching herself from the Umbrella fraternity?

According to my mother, the straw that broke the camel’s back was the panorama of sleazes and corruption amid the business crippling dumsor under the erstwhile NDC administration.



In fact, it is quite disheartening to see the NDC loyalists whose businesses were terribly affected by Mahama’s appalling dumsor are squeamishly clamouring for the return of Ex-President Mahama and their beloved NDC.

With all due respect and no intention to be condescending on this occasion, former President Mahama must accept the fact that his woeful errors in judgement which sent Ghana’s economy deeply into the mire to some large extent, cost him the presidency, and not any juicy promises by his political opponents.

I have always maintained that whenever the experienced politicians like former President Mahama keep holding on to vague rhetoric and political insobrieties with a view to misinforming the unsuspecting public, it gives some of us the energy and reason to confute the apparent misconception.

Let us however admit, despite the apparent economic downslide back then, President Mahama and his apologists kept trumpeting their vague rhetoric , political insobrieties and meaningless slogans-‘Mahama Tuaso’; ‘We care for you’; ‘people matter, you matter’; ‘we are transforming lives’.

Given the erstwhile NDC government’s sheer incompetence, discerning Ghanaians decided to put their trust in the NPP government to set them free from the Mahama government’s ostensive economic enslavement.

And, rightly so, the good people of Ghana embraced NPP’s advantageous policies such as one district one factory, one constituency one million dollars, one village one dam, free SHS, tax deductions and many others.

As a matter of fact, if President Akufo-Addo and his government managed to fulfil all those promises, trust me, it would be an illustrative case of “heaven on earth”

Incredibly, back then, whenever the suffering Ghanaians complained about the economic hardships, former President Mahama and his appointees would ungraciously chastise the same people who gave them the electoral mandate.

Believe it or not, the NDC’s ‘Babies with sharp teeth’ would insult every Ghanaian who would dare complain about their maladaptive governance.