Opinions of Monday, 17 October 2011

Columnist: Quaye, Stephen A.

Another Four Years For What?

From: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto-Canada.

The other day, President John Evans Atta Mills was heard appealing to Ghanaians to give him and his government another four years term of office after 2012. Did you hear the president making the appeal?

Oh you did not hear that story? Okay let me tell you that the president has appealed to the people to give him another one term so he can finish his set out projects that he has started since according to him one term of office can not fulfill his better Ghana agenda.

When I opened the webpage of Peace F.M. and spotted that story, I heard myself laughing out and asked the simple question,” another four years for what?

No but to be sincere with you the reader, why is he asking for another four years so soon? Has he been able to present to the good people of Ghana who gave him the mandate to rule them, projects he set out to accomplish and the percentage of completion to convince them for another four years term of office?

To many who received the news, treated it as a joke because looking at the rate of performance of the present government, they do not think he must be given another term of office.

Before coming out to appeal to Ghanaians to give him and his government another four years, did he ask himself the simple question whether he has been moving forward in leading the country or not.

It is sad for the country to observe a whole lot of demonstrations, strikes and malfeasance in almost every sector of government and no one seems checking them. Thanks to the media which keep on exposing them.

Let the good people of Ghana begin to ask him whether has been moving forward as far as running the country is in his hands.

Ghanaians should be asking him this same question because his campaign slogan for 2008 was,” we are moving forward”. During this campaign time he was moving forward.

When he assumed the reins of power he made it clear that he was moving forward. So we have to still ask him whether he is moving forward now looking at turn of events which are not good for his administration. Medical doctors and other health workers are on strike as they continue to battle government for payment of their allowances which are in arrears. Teachers are on strike fighting for the same salary adjustments.

Filth is engulfing the whole country resulting in outbreak of certain diseases such as cholera, disrespect for elderly, exchange of political insults by his ministers, fatal accidents being recorded every day due to failure to construct good roads by his government.

He has appealed for another four years but did he ask himself whether he has been able to even reduce the rate of corruption not uproot it as he promised Ghanaians if elected as president?

“We are moving forward. When elected as the president I will uproot corruption from the system. If someone told me that CEPS officers were collecting bribe I would not have believed it.

“But I saw it with my naked eyes” he said during the campaign season and aftermath of Anas Aremeyaw Anas tape at Tema Harbour. Chiefs and their subjects believed him of his “we are moving forward promises” but are Togbega Gabusu and other chiefs praising him, complaints everyday?

The money is not filling the pockets, the ministers and party strong persons are grabbing properties left and right, insulting the intelligence of the people least they are angry.

He has appealed to you the eligible voters to give him another four years term of office but looking at what is hap pening in your life do you think he deserve another four years term of office? The ball is in your court.

End.