Opinions of Friday, 3 May 2024

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

Mahama is on the cusp of leaving more indelible prints

Former President John Dramani Mahama Former President John Dramani Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama is on the cusp of leaving indelible prints in the sands of time and I will explain.

Ghana had a total motorable road network of 71,063km, and one of the key planks of President Mahama's transformational agenda was to expand and modernize the road network to open up the country in order to reduce road traffic accidents and congestion, boost economic activities and move goods and services freely.

Matchless investments were made in road projects across the country during his tenure as president. The five-year, GHC3 billion Cocoa Roads Improvement Programme (CRIP) commenced with the construction of several roads in cocoa-growing areas.

Other projects are; the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Awoshie-Pokuase Road, American House to Ashaley Botwe Road, GIFFARD Road (37 Roundabout to Labadi Junction), Burma Camp Road, Phase 1, Burma Camp Road, Phase 2, Spintex Road Bypass, near KIA, Agona Junction to Elubo, Asuboi Road, Enchi- Asankragua Road, Battor-Dove-Sogakope Road, Suhum Apedwa Road, Juaboso- Bodi Road, Yendi-Gushegu, the Eastern Corridor Road, Sawla-Fufulso Road, a continuation of the Sofoline Interchange in Kumasi, massive rehabilitation work on Adomi Bridge, and many more.

Other special projects include:

Expansion of Tema Port, expansion of Takoradi Port, expansion of Tamale and Kumasi Airports, Atuabo Gas plant, exploration of major oil blocs, namely: Ten, Gye Nyame, and the Volta Basin, Rehabilitation of Komenda Sugar Factory, construction of Elmina Fish Processing Factory, CIMAF Cement Factory, GIHOC Shoe factory in Kumasi, just to mention a few.

I want to ask a question: is it fair to tag someone who has done all these within an unbelievably short period of time incompetent? Can we look into the eyes of God and give an affirmative answer? Is this the kind of human beings politics has turned us into?

I see what has been done by President Mahama as the key steps a country needs to kickstart a major economic breakthrough, and I can see prosperity and comfort ahead in the coming years when he becomes president again. Please enjoy my rendition of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see a land of peace and prosperity too
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The flag of Ghana is flying high in the sky
I see the faces of people with smiles
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
But they're really saying I love you.

I hear the laughter of children, and I watched them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Yes, I think to myself what a wonderful world.

Folks, let's appreciate the good things people do, let's learn to show gratitude, ingratitude is the worst of vices; it is a kind of weakness and the clever and the strong are never ungrateful. Our love for JDM must be unrequited. Let's encourage him to do more. Posterity will never forgive us if we let him slip through our fingers.