JJ Rawlings! What a scum. You want to know about massive corruption? Look into the mirror. Why are you so hypocritical? The people of Ghana are now suffering just as much as they suffered under your stupid dictatorial rule. You stayed in power for centuries. How many jobs did you create? How better was our hospitals than it is now? You are never but a failure. In spite of all the advantages you had, you still claim to be poor. Well, let me tell you something: some relatives of your so-called innocent regime members are living like Bill Gates right here in America. Yes. They hold no jobs yet they have bought homes, pay mortgages, and even use the services of plastic surgeons to improve their Breasts, noses, faces, and tummies. I suppose these people I mentioned also depend on their friends for all the expensive lifestyle they are leading here. Your utterances have been very idiotic as usual, but lately, I am seeing something else in you. You are trying to play a God. Just like the late 70s. The good thing is that you have realized the truth. Ghanaians won't take your shit anymore. If you really want the suffering masses to live better lives, create an atmosphere where investors will be willing to come to Ghana to create businesses and jobs. Stop using the poor as an excuse for your twisted, egocentric, Quixotic, and selfless agenda. All you want is to be in power and further sink Ghana into the stench of sewerage.
There was a time that some people called you Junior Jesus, but after a while, the same people gave you a fitting name as the Junior Judas. You betrayed the trust of Ghanaians. Remember what Jesus said about tearing down a church in one day, and rebuilding it in three days? That same logic applies to Ghana. It took you twenty years to screw Ghana up. If we go by that logic, then it will take Kuffour sixty years to build Ghana back to where it was before we had the misfortune of considering you as a Ghanaian. If your Mother had just stayed on the east side of Ghana, we would have been better off. You talk of corruption and poverty? Your revolutionary decade prompted and accelerated that mess. By the way, stop using the poor of Ghana as an excuse. You are not one of them, and certainly do not give a hoot about them. How many poor folks in Ghana enjoy the wealth that you have? You have a steady flow of income, bullet proof cars that you brought into Ghana through dubious channels, evaded tax in the process, and really have a much better place of abode than What you had before you seized power.
You have been making a lot of shameful noise about the increase in petrol. Let me tell you this, it is not just Ghanaians who are slammed by this increment. Americans and the rest of the world are feeling the pinch too. How do you expect the government to sell petrol at the same price you sold to Ghanaians when the price per barrel was $35 (thirty five dollars) when the going price now is about fifty-six dollars ($56)? Do you remember your favorite phrase, "The unjust world economic order"? That is what is happening to Ghana now. And by the way, if you are so powerful, influential, and concerned about the plight of Ghanaians, why don't you go to the OPEC members and demand a "CONTROLLED PRICE" from them? You are so out of touch with reality to the extent that your speeches are really disgracing Africa. The question in many people?s minds is "what kind of a people are ruled by such an idiot?" While the likes of Clinton, Carter, Snow, and Thatcher are all doing something positive for their respective countries, you are tearing yours down.
You want to see corruption? Flash back to 1997. The man in power was the one and only JJ. Chairman, Air Marshall, man of the poor, man of the people, President, the people?s savior John Jeremiah Rawlings. A relative was involved in an accident, and was driven to Komfo Anokye hospital. Three hours later we heard the news and rushed over there. From the injuries this man had sustained, it was clear that he needed prompt attention right there and then, but no, there was a new policy in place called ?cash and carry?. You have to pay up before you receive any medical attention even if you are in coma. Yes. That was what happened to my father. By the time we got to the hospital and paid up, it was too late. He had had a massive internal bleeding, and the doctors could not save him. Some nurses had the impudence to ask us for money to buy pen and paper for the ?report?. Who introduced the ?cash and carry? system in Ghana? I hope Ghanaians are not so ignorant, forgetful, and blind to the extent that they can?t see through your misguided, selfish, and sadist way of doing things. The way you talk, it?s as if you created a lot of jobs for the so-called poor people, then Kuffour came in and closed all those jobs down. If you want to help the poor, do not kill or drive away the very few people who have the vision and entrepreneurial spirit to start something big. Encourage them to take risks, and then reap the benefits of their risk when they become successful.
Your ineffective revolution chased away the likes of Siaw of Tata Brewery fame out of Ghana. The man died of a broken in a distant land. The problem with you is that you are filled with so much hatred to the point where if anyone disagrees with you, that person is an enemy that needs to be killed. You ruled Ghana for over twenty years with the same violent and deviant mentality that you are now preaching. Nothing came out of it. The only people who prospered were your cronies. In those days, your revolutionary comrades could afford to go to British hospitals and clinics, so in your warped twisted little mind, people could afford healthcare. This is your reasoning, but the truth is, things were just like it is today. Many could not afford to go to the hospital, rent a room, buy food, or send their kids to school. Why do you think Ghana is called a third world country? It is because of our sub-standard way of living. You are either rich or poor. Most of the rich people like you got it their wealth through looting our country blind. As a result, I do not really admire African politicians. All of you are the same. The only difference to me, between you and Kuffour is that the latter respects the rule of law. You on the other hand, are just like the ex-major in Ola Rotimi?s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again who sees the world in military and violent terms. You are extremely and naively loyal to those you consider friends in that in spite of all the corruption that your regime members practiced, you still see them as doing their patriotic duty. Some of us happen to know a lot about your so-called ?patriotic duty doers ?of your nefarious regime.
I live in Atlanta, and followed the Juliet Cotton fiasco on local TV. Can you imagine the embarrassment and nagging questions people asked me? Some of them just could not understand why a woman of Juliet?s intellect could swindle a whole country out of $ 20 million. If your guys are so patriotic, they should not have made the decision they made to line and fill up their pockets with the booty of the deal. Your wife and Cotton are friends. I know this because during the trial, she said the MADAM used to stay in her mansion anytime she visits the Atlanta area. That makes me wonder, did madam know miss Cotton before she was awarded that dubious contract? If so, is that not called nepotism? The very charge you are accusing the present regime of? It is so shameful and sad that Africa cannot produce any outstanding, sensible, and effective leaders. How could the first lady of a nation convince her husband to help secure a loan in the name of a nation for another woman from a foreign land who is on the verge of living on public assistance (welfare)? I don?t think patriotic leaders will con their country out of a fishy 20 million-dollar deal. If you are so patriotic, why don?t you let your wife cure her ailment by using the facilities you bought for our nation?s hospitals during your ?glorious? and ?prosperous? regime? You want Kuffour to give you foreign currency to go abroad to treat your wife. How many poor Ghanaians, the very people you claim to love, have the privilege to ask Kuffour for pounds sterling to treat their wives in London? Be patriotic and use the services of the Hospitals your twenty years in power created.
One more thing, as far as I am concerned, corruption in Ghana may never die. You know why? It is because we as a people mostly do not think about national honor or pride. It is always me, me, me. That is one when someone get s the chance to be in power, all they do is loot. Just consider this, if the guy works at the Tema harbor wants you to pay up before you can clear your goods from the place even after you have paid the required expenses, what makes you think that if that same guy gets to be a minister, he would not continue taking bribes? The western embassies are dealing with the corruption of ministers in chiefs who take people?s money in exchange of visas. Why do you think this is happening? It is because of our greed and shortsightedness. I know many parliamentarians (both current and former) who charged people thousands of dollars, wrote letters to claim these people as relatives, and got them what they wanted. That is corruption. We all know this happens everyday in Ghana. During your regime, a lot of people were helped to travel abroad. The same trend remains today so do not go about talking like an innocent man. You are only trying to create chaos, but the good news is, I think Ghanaians are much smarter now. They know that all politicians, coup plotters, dictators, and power drunk imposters like you are the same. They will wait for kuffour?s judgment day, and vote his party into or out of power, depending on what they see at the time. Just as they did to yours, so until such a time, shut that foul mouth of yours if you really love the poor.
Keller Graduate School of Management
Atlanta, GA
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