... VALUE OF NOTHING

President Kufuor did not mention names at the State of the Nation Address in Parliament when he said that “let us be careful that we do not become known as those who know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.” But this can be said to be a description that fits Prof. Mills and his NDC very well.

Comments made by Prof. Mills of late are questionable. One cannot tell whether it is because the Professor is desperate or it’s due to the attacks and insults on his person to win power at all cost by his 24 hour consultant, Mr. Rawlings.

Prof. Mills in his door to door campaign has been trying to set the people of Ghana against the NPP government for what he sees as misplaced priorities. According to Prof. Mills, government is building Presidential Palace and renovating Peduase Lodge whiles Ghanaians are suffering.

It is very obvious that this non – traditional political party called NDC knows the value of nothing and has no single trait of culture of maintenance in them. If they do, Prof. Mills and the P(NDC) wouldn’t have turned a magnificent edifice like Peduase Lodge into kangaroo court where fellow full blooded Ghanaians were ostracised, jailed and some killed.

Prof. Mills having been a Vice President before should know how costly it is, finding lodging places for dignitaries and important personalities that visit our country on a daily basis especially during important occasions. It is also important that the seat of government be moved from the castle where our fore fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters were reduced to lesser human beings and some even killed, through the Trans – Atlantic Trade. Clearly, the renovation of Peduase lodge and the building of the Presidential Palace will save this country a lot of money as well as generating income for the country. That is the value President Kufuor was entreating Ghanaians and especially the NDC to concentrate on and not the cost. Besides the fund for the lodge is a grant from the Indian government.

There is no single country in this world that has no poor person or somebody who cannot feed on one good meal a day living in it. Not in America, UK, or Europe. When Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was building Akosombo Dam, Tema Harbour, Motorway etc. people were complaining like what Prof. Mills and the NDC are doing now about the cost of these projects. Now we can all testify to the importance of these projects. No one can compare the cost of those projects to their value now.

After the Cold War, in West Germany, people carried wheel barrow full of money to buy ONLY one loaf of bread. Poverty in that country at that time was bad but they put complains like that of Prof. Mills and the NDC behind to build the infrastructure and the rest that has made Germany attractive as it is today. Ghanaians should reject this kwashiorkor and virus infested politics of the NDC by letting Prof. Mills and the NDC know that we appreciate the value of viable projects than the cost.

When NDC was booted out of power, GTV and TV3 showed pictures of how horrendous and dirty the castle was looking. People like Prof. Mills, because he does not know the value of anything was living at the castle in that condition. Our fore fathers did not think about how much it was going to cost them even with their lives but thought of the value of gaining independence for this country. Prof. Mills and the NDC are certainly stomach politicians who think about their stomach alone but not development.

If they know about the value of infrastructure and other developments, they wouldn’t have demolished the Airport Hotel and the old Makola Market. Prof. Mills and the NDC also left City Hotel and Ambassador Hotel to rot. Monies that were meant for important projects like Job 600 was directed to food and drinks during the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) conference held at the time they were in power.

Prof. Mills also complained about the cars for the 50th anniversary. There is going to be AU Summit in Ghana in July this year and the government has to provide cars for the Summit. Again the government is supposed to buy cars costing about US$ 5 billion for CAN 2008. But President Kufuor’s government having in mind all these pending activities bought those cars to be used for the 50th anniversary, AU Summit and the CAN 2008. All with the same funds, so they did not have to spend thrice, that is prudent financial management something the NDC cannot fathom. Like they say, killing three birds with one stone.

Is it not better to use US$20 million to celebrate our birthday than giving US$20 million to one beautiful American woman, Mrs. Cotton (the infamous Quality Grain Scandal)? To Prof. Mills and the NDC, given US$20 million to Mrs. Cotton was important to them than NPP using US$20 million to celebrate Ghana’s 50th anniversary. What a world!

The NDC is a drowning party, trying to hold on to anything that comes its way. Prof. Mills and the NDC should make VALUE be of essence to them than always the COST.