Opinions of Thursday, 6 August 2009

Columnist: Mohammed, Chief Obosu

Open Letter To The President J.E.A Mills

Dear Mr. President,

I will want to congratulate your modest person on the assumption of the high office of the presidency.Undoubtedly you are one of the finest politicians Ghana has produced in our generation in terms of individual’s personality and character. On the 7th of January 2009 during your inaugural ceremony as president, you made a pledge to your fellow country men and women that you were going to be president of all and that honesty, fairness, compassion and sincerity will be the hallmark of your administration.

Mr. President, Seven months into your administration has seen our democracy which was built under the principles of freedom and justice witnessed severe lapses in terms of achieving social justice for the masses. My heart is saddened as I write to you this letter due to the high rate of unemployment both at the formal and informal sector with no clear cut policy on job creation and the enabling platform for free enterprise.

I was perplexed when your government secured loans from the Bretton Woods institutions in spite of the numerous diabolical conditions such as the freeze of employment into the public sector for the next two years. This palpably negates your promises to Ghanaians when you were then candidate Mills, to create more jobs and prosperity for Ghanaians. Are we to say for the next two years, our able men and women who graduate from both the tertiary and technical institutions to hang on to their faith and face the real hardship of life? I do not want to believe you are becoming insensitive to the plight of these increasingly unemployed youth.

My President I ask, do we have an NDC Ghana or an NPP Ghana? All we know which the constitution acknowledges is The Republic of Ghana, of which we are all citizens of, irrespective of ones ethnic or political background, of which you pledged to be father of all, if it is so, then why is a long list going round all governmental institutions relieving of peoples job due to the assertion that, they hold allegiance with a certain political party. Some recent examples of these are the termination of appointment of some national security personnel as well as the mass cocoa spraying workers recruited during the erstwhile Kufuor administration with the notion to fix in your party sympathizers and members. These Mr. President does not augur well for national development and peaceful co existence among the citizenry.You must call members of your administration to order. Frustration has set in on the faces of your people with an increasingly high standard of living which has plunge many in unlawful activities such as armed robbery,419,prostitution,extortion etc.

Education which is the bedrock of our national development is increasingly becoming a privilege instead of a right Mr. President. Its obvious the less fortunate in society are not able to see their dreams materialize due to the high tuition and hostel fees at both public and private institutions, these has worsen with the recent introduction of the full cost recovery at our public tertiary institutions. The annual intake of students to study in any discipline at the various public institutions has been reduced drastically due to lack of facilities to accommodate the numerous potential students who apply to these institutions.Mr president these has left more students redundant and created a problem for not only potential students but their parents who are uncertain about their wards future. Your government is loosing the responsibility to harness our human resource and the right to educate every individual been it a child, man or woman, which is mandated in our constitution.

Mr. President as a former teacher and a tax law professor with an in-depth knowledge of our educational system, education should be a priority to you so as to enable the destitute to have the chance to be like you.

Mr. President with all humility you signed a social contract with the people of Ghana and I urge you not to renege on your promises for a better Ghana for all Ghanaians. Do not let complacency set in your administration and think there’s more time and that Ghanaians will understand and bare with you. Remember what ever action you take today will reflect in the 2012 national elections, therefore if you cause pains on to Ghanaians we will also reciprocate that to you and your administration during the next elections by voting you out.

I wish you long life and wisdom to help achieve social justice for all.

Best regards,

Chief Obosu Mohammed Obosu.mohammed@yahoo.com