The true wrinkles behind the President's mask

(Part One).

There is no doubt whatsoever that when the history of Ghana is written, the name, Professor John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills would find a place in it. But, it will obviously not be on the list of those to be remembered for their contributions towards the stability and improvement in the standard of living of the average Ghanaian. The rightful place of Mills' administration would be next to the era of Kwame Abeh, the legendary highway robber of Ashanti, Sadaam Hussein Iraq, Iddi Amin's Uganda, Sanni Abacha's Nigeria, and Al-Capone, the never-to-be-forgotten, gangster, cheat and terrorist of the United States.

This is because after many years at the helm of affairs, first as Vice President and Chairman of the Economic Management Team and later as President of the Republic of Ghana, all that he could heap on Ghanaians is a catalogue of woes, sufferings, cries, gnashing of teeth, impoverishment, servitude and deceit, then he doesn't deserve a second chance to superintend his wills and caprices over the peace loving people of Ghana. President Mills NDC has taken Ghana back to the State of Nature where life was very short brutish and nasty.

Some people go to school in the morning to answer, “Present, Sir” and are heard no more. The situation in which President Mills finds himself is similar to what Macbeth says in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' about a poor actor who frets himself on the stage and is heard no more.

Here is a President who touts his credentials as 'King of Peace' (Asomdwehene) and a Christian of the highest order. But recent revelations have shown that he has a can of worms in his closet. Yes, this is the worst President we have had since the creation of this nation. Ask me why and I will tell you. The sycophants and boot lickers in the Nefarious and Cancerous Contraption can call me all sorts of names, but I will not be distracted from my verdict on a fumbling and wobbling President who has by all standards failed the litmus test in his major assignment.

This is a President whose performance is so woeful that he has come under a barrage of attacks from within his own party, including the Founder who unilaterally foisted him on the party at Swedru. Not to be outdone in this criticism is the wife of the Founder who put up a strong challenge to the incumbent for the soul and body of the Nefarious Destructive Cancer. Honourable Tei Nyaunu, Herbert Mensah and Spio Gabrah who are now being maligned by the hawks in the party, have added their voices to those constructively criticizing the President. Sekou Nkrumah, whose declaration for the NDC was received with euphoria bared his mind on the lackluster performance of the President and got the sack.

Do not forget that Honourable NDC MPs, Albin Bagbin, E.T.Mensah and Nii Affotey Agbo, now hereby being referred to as the “Gang of Three” were vociferous in their criticisms of the President. However, all the criticisms ceased as soon as they were offered plush portfolios by the President. You see what “noko fio” could do to the integrity of some Ghanaians.

Now, you listen to me well and good. Members of the Nefarious Destructive Cancer have a particular mindset different from that of the ordinary Ghanaian. If your comments suit them, they hail you. But when it goes against them, they demonize you. When Rawlings was criticizing Kufuor, almost on daily basis, they hailed him and said nobody could gag Rawlings for the man was being his real self. But when he started hitting them hard, calling them “greedy bastards” and the President “Atta Mortuary man”, “these greedy bastards and those living fat on the toil and sweat of suffering Ghanaians”, sent their rabid dogs, ravening wolves, venomous vipers, snarling and vicious snakes after their mentor, leader and founder. Wonders, they say, shall never end. Whoever thought the marriage of convenience between these two incompatible partners could come to an end so soon? Well, that is a warning to all those who build mansions and castles with their spittle.

When it comes to corruption issues, members of the Nefarious and Cancerous Contraption always cite P.C.Appiah Ofori as its source. They claim that since the allegation is coming from P.C. who is a member of the NPP, then the allegation is true. When Kwame Pianim said 'Mills was incorruptible” the NDC had a field day. They said that a member of the opposition party has touted the incorruptibility credentials of their wobbling and fumbling President. When Arthur Kennedy wrote his book, “chasing the elephant into the bush” it became the reference point for the NDC in all their deliberations. When Haruna Esseku, then Chairman of the NPP made his infamous allegation that the Castle has become the focal point of bribery, the NDC made a loud voice over the allegation of the NPP. And now the equation has changed. Founder has stated, and I don't doubt it, that after the results of the Presidential Elections were announced in favour of the NDC, President Mills visited him at home and attempted to buy his silence in exchange for noko fio. “Now that we are in power, do not worry. Money will flow “waa waa”, “fuka fuka”, “nyafu nyafu” to you. Just keep quiet and see what I will do for you!”. I am not the one saying this. Their own Founder is the person making the statement... I am only an impartial observer trying very hard to recast what our President might have told Ex President Rawlings.

Now, if people from their own contraption are making similar allegations against Baba Go Slow and his moribund administration, they want to shift the goal posts. They are saying the allegation cannot be true. If they believe Appiah Ofori, if they believe Kwame Pianim, if Arthur Kennedy's book, “Chasing the Elephant into the Bush” has become their reference point, if they believe what Haruna Esseku said, why should we not believe what their own Founder and other members of their nefarious contraption are telling us?

These same political neophytes alleged Herbert Mensah is on a vengeance mission against the Rawlingses. What for? Was Herbert Mensah not one of the financiers who brought in consultants to analyze election patterns in Ghana and advise the NDC on how they could turn the tide in their favour? Was Herbert Mensah not one of the financiers who sponsored some stranded NDC supporters at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium to watch the World Cup in South Africa? Why did they not say at that time that he was on a vengeance mission against the Rawlingses? Now the same agents of the devil are alleging that Owusu-Bempah is not a member of their notorious contraption. All the time he had been parading himself as their member, they never disowned him. But as soon as he joined the Konadu Camp, they all want to disown him.

But the most criminal and perhaps interesting aspect of the whole “show” is their allegation that Kofi Adams, an executive member of their notorious contraption is a Togolese. Haba! What do the “criminals” making this criminal allegation against Kofi Adams take Ghanaians for? And the “criminals” elected him a member of their contraption in contravention of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana!

Let it be said now and for all that the husband of Mrs. Betty Iddrissu Mahama, Alhaji Iddrissu Mahama was originally a member of the UNC. Samuel Okudzeto was a member of the National Alliance of Liberals and was walked out of Parliament by the Speaker for refusing to withdraw a statement which the Speaker deemed to be inimical to the integrity of the House. Today, he is a top member of the NPP. Mr. A.A.Munufie was a Cabinet Minister under Dr K.A.Busia led Progress Party Government. He joined the NDC and was made Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire where he donated some “opepeepee” in local currency to the NDC without resort to the banks. How could these “criminals” and nation wreckers say they saw Kofi Adams campaigning for the NPP in Cape Coast during the 2008 elections?

Yes, you see the utterances and actions of the President and his appointees make concerned Ghanaians come to the conclusion that the President is the greatest hypocrite in the political history of Ghana. He has been giving tacit approval to his devotees to insult his perceived political enemies and in return rewards them with plush portfolios. He tells Ghanaians in public, “My brothers and sisters, I detest politics of insults” but does not reprimand them when such appointees go against his “edict”. In private, he tells them, “My devotees, do not pay heed to what I said. That was political talk. Go ahead and do what you know best and are being paid for”. Thus, characters like Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Omane Boamah, Kwadwo Twum Boafo, Kobby Acheampong, Richard Quarshiga, Allotey Jacobs, Inusah Fuseini, Fiifi Kwetey, John Abu Jinapor, Baba Jamal, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Agyenim Boateng, Asiedu Nketiah, Ama Benyiwa Doe, Hannah Bissiw and many others have had a field day trying to outdo one another - all in their efforts to please their sponsor, President Mills as to which of them could reel out the worst insults on perceived enemies of the President.

Okudzeto Ablakwa called ex-President Kufuor, Nana Akufo-Addo and Ministers in the Kufuor's regime “thieves and “criminals”. Kobby Acheampong refers to Akufo-Addo as a fruit cake. He also refers to “Sir John” as having too much of the “Kumasi thing” in him because he has stayed there for a long time. He exhibited the disdain he has for his parents at Atonsu when he refers to people from Kumasi as “kookoase nkurasefo”. Omane Boamah says Akufo Addo needs a psychiatrist, Kwadwo Twum Boafo says Akufo-Addo makes sense if he keeps quiet, whilst Koku Anyidoho says he hates to see the face of ex-President Kufuor. But, between Kufuor and Koku Anyidoho, who has a face resembling that of a medusa? I leave the answer to your own judgement. Agyenim Boateng went to the ridiculous extent of saying unlike Kufuor who appointed taxi drivers into his Cabinet, President Mills was wise enough not to follow the footsteps of his predecessor. Rojo Nunoo Mettle was a consultant to three Venezuelan drug barons on how to go about the drug business in Ghana without detection. These Venezuelan drug barons “oiled” the NDC machinery with their drug money. In return, the President has rewarded Rojo Mettle Nunoo with the Deputy Minister of Health's portfolio for his innovation in bringing on board the “expertise” of the Venezuelans on the NDC thriving drug business in the country. And it was this Rojo of a Deputy Minister who called striking nurses at Okomfo Anokye Hospital “foolish people”.

In all these, President Mills has not deemed it expedient to call his appointees to order. Is this the kind of inspirational leadership Ghanaians expect from our President? Absolutely, not! He pretends not to know what is happening. He should not play the ostrich and behave like Nero, the “Mad Emperor” who was playing the fiddle while Rome was on fire. President Lucky Jonathan of Nigeria exhibited his good leadership traits that are missing in President Mills, when he suspended his Campaign Director for insulting General Mohamadu Buhari, his political opponent. Yes, that is the type of decisive leadership style Ghanaians expect from our President. But what the President and his Team B Ministers are giving us is the docile and inept leadership reminiscence of Iddi Amin's Uganda and Stalinist Russia. What offence, what crime have Ghanaians committed to be saddled with such an ineffective and uninspiring leadership style as epitomized in President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills?

The President, whilst his party was in opposition had accused Kufuor of tribalism in favour of Ashantis. But against the candid advice of the Founder of his contraption (ex-President Rawlings) and other well-meaning Ghanaians, President Mills appointed a hotheaded and tribal bigot, Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State. Kofi Awoonor has written a book “The Ghana Revolution” which is full of insults and innuendos against Ashantis. His hatred for Ashantis knows no bounds. He stated in his infamous book that the Nkrumah's Government fell because of the presence of corrupt Ashanti elements in the CPP government. And he revealed his hatred for Ashantis when on his assumption of office, he replaced an Ashanti appointee of the President with somebody from his own tribe. I am not lying for this information was put in the public domain by no other person than the Founder of their own contraption, ex-President Rawlings. And this tribal bigot is the person President Mills has found worthy amongst Twenty Four or so Million Ghanaians to appoint Chairman of the Council of State.

Let someone take a trip down memory lane and read about allegations of tribalism leveled against the NPP Government in the Ghanaian Lens of which Koku Anyidoho was the “Sports” Editor. Instances of ethnic cleansing in the Ghana Armed Forces and the GBC against Ewes were put as screaming headlines in the paper. I have copies of those papers to buttress my point. I learnt Koku Anyidoho was the one in charge of both Uncle JB and the letter to Kofi Diawuo's columns. And this is the man the President has appointed to be in charge of his Communications!

But the funniest and most criminal and hypocritical aspect of the whole melodrama is that Kofi Awoonor book has disappeared from virtually all the bookshops in the country. Does this go to confirm the notion that the President has used our money to buy copies of the book from all known bookshop to be burnt? Where have the books gone it? Does the appointment of this tribal bigot augur well for the peaceful co-existence of all the ethnic groups in the country? And does this act of the President make him a Christian? I doubt it. No wonder he prefers to wear a juju ring to his wedding ring!

A President who chooses to close his eyes as his air-conditioned car in a convoy sweeps past the under-nourished, suffering and destitute Ghanaian which his repressive and inhuman Government has helped to create is not what the country needs. Why should he close his eyes when he encounters such miserable looking Ghanaians? Is he ashamed of the havoc his inhuman, repressive, unrealistic and inept policies have wrecked on their mental psyche of the Ghanaian? See what this President has done to you and me?

What necessitated the changing of everything in the office of Mr. Alex Tettey Enyo when Betty Mould took over as Minister of Education? And they are of the same contraption! By the way, where are the things that were removed from the office before the renovation


The policies of our President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, aka Baba Go Slow are absurd, alien, unthinkable, unwise, unfair, unfriendly, unethical, ungodly, unprecedented, unGhanaian, unhealthy, undemocratic, unprincipled, repressive, retrogressive, “capricious” and “whimsical” and are calculated to cause fear and panic amongst the people as to whether there country has a future.

But trust me; this country which is being destroyed by a rapacious bunch of bootlickers, sycophants and unpatriotic elements has a bright future. Our people say where there is a will, there is a way. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the will, and he definitely has solutions to most of our problems. He leads and we follow. The Late Attorney General of Nigeria, Chief Bola Ige said. “We must draw a line from where our immediate predecessor stopped and move forward than to be waisting time criticizing.”

The New Patriotic Party, The Nnipa Pa Party, Ameyo Tuwo Party, had Seventy Four (74) Ministers during the First Two Years in Office. The Nefarious Destructive Cancer now has Seventy Six (76) Ministers. Which of the two has a Lean Government?

I shall return. Stay Blessed.
Daniel Danquah Damptey ([email protected])

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