Opinions of Sunday, 28 April 2024

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

Compassionate Mahama in his element

John Dramani Mahama, is the flagbearer of the NDC John Dramani Mahama, is the flagbearer of the NDC

Having sympathy is showing concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others and essentially imagining oneself in their place.

In September 2016, during his campaign tour, President Mahama did something that blew the minds of many.

As narrated by the Daily Post Newspaper, when President Mahama's convoy entered Sabon Zongo, the passage was narrow and the crowd following him was very heavy. From the top of his vehicle, he saw a little girl with a tray of boiled eggs in the crowd being pushed by the cheering crowd amidst the jostling. The tray fell from the girl’s head and the crowd trampled on the fallen eggs.

The girl then burst into tears. Touched by what only he could see because of where he was standing, he ordered the man who commands his convoy (who was in his vehicle) to stop the convoy.

President Mahama then took GH¢50 from his ADC, pointed to the crying girl in the crowd and then reaching down from the top of the vehicle, gave it to a woman standing by her thinking she was with the girl.

However, he was surprised to see the girl still crying so he asked her if the woman was the mother. When the girl shook her head and he noticed the woman had moved away, he took another GH¢50 from his ADC and gave it to the girl. This drew wild cheers from the teeming crowd."

According to leadership assessment experts, compassionate leaders perform more than 40 percent higher in overall performance.

H.E. John Dramani Mahama is sympathetic to the plight of the suffering Ghanaian, and his goal of winning power on December 7 to rescue them is within reach. We can achieve it! We must achieve it! We will achieve it!