Opinions of Sunday, 3 November 2013

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Either President Mahama Kills Corruption or Corruption Kills Him

Which way you "dey go, abi?" I am humbly asking President John Dramani Mahama to choose between killing corruption in Ghana and letting himself engulfed in suffocating corruption. There is corruption everywhere you go in Ghana. Corruption abounds in the office of the President, in the government ministries, in the judiciary, in parliament, in the hospitals, in schools and in work places. ? ? The President himself is corrupt. He does not live on his salary and allowances alone, I am certain. He dips his dirty fingers in the coffers of the nation to top up his immense income. Can he challenge me on this claim? Is he ready to invoke the lesser gods to exonerate himself of this blame? He once offered to present himself in Court to clear his name or exonerate himself from these consistent accusations of him being corrupt. ? ? He said, "Whoever believes I am corrupt can take me to Court. I shall come to clear my name". Who trusts the Ghana judiciary with judicious judgment upon the entire corrupted verdict pronounced by William Atuguba JSC on Election 2012 petition? He had better take me on by invoking some powerful fetishes I shall nominate in attempt to clear his reputation if indeed, he has never involved in any corrupt practices since he became the Vice President until today as we speak. ? ? Anyway, does he not know that the Constitution of Ghana does not in its present state allow for taking the President to Court even when nicking from the coffers whilst executing his duties normally or fraudulently? Nonetheless, the fetishes do not give a fuck about whether or not one is a President. They will deal with him or her once he/she fails their test of prove of truth. ? ? Court Judges are corrupt. They accept bribes to twist the truth to decide cases in favour of the highest bidder when they put forth justice on public auction. This was alleged to be the case in Election 2012 petition where some rogues adorned in Supreme Court robes delivered a miscarried justice to the bewilderment of the world public. Heads of colleges and schools are corrupt. Heads of Civil services are corrupt. Municipal and District Chief Executives are corrupt. ? ? What is Mahama doing about the corruption that is permeating the social strata? What can he do? Nothing! A thief has no moral grounds or the balls to arrest his fellow thief. Will it not resemble the case of the pot calling the kettle you are dark if Mahama was to order the mentioned categories of thieves to give up their corrupt attitudes? ? ? His inability to exterminate corruption or curtail its propagation from the system will lead to a point where the people will rise up to quench the fire of corruption in their own way. It cannot be allowed to continue to ravage havoc on the people for good. ? ? President Mahama, I entreat you to give up corruption to fight corruption. Who suffers when corruption takes over the country as it now is? The poor masses do. You end up asking them to pay more into the nation’s coffers by way of higher taxes, placing taxes on even condom, but which you and your guys in turn do steal. ? ? I am afraid if the perpetuation of corruption at crescendo is not stopped now, the anger of the people you currently underestimate will boil over. If it does spill over, the end result will be unpalatable for all. Therefore, muster courage to stamp out corruption before corruption stamps you out, Oh President "Ede bii keke" ? ? A word to the wise is enough. HATE ME IF YOU LIKE BUT IT MUST BE FOR A GOOD REASON". ? I love it when I chastise or criticize the President constructively. Do I not often offer him good advice upon whatever I say to him? Can he expect better from me than this? Yes he can, but not until he behaves responsibly according as admonished. ? ? Rockson Adofo