Opinions of Friday, 13 January 2012

Columnist: Fiagbeto, Yao

Rawlings Disenchantment With His Party Must Be a Wake-Up Call

By Yao Fiagbeto

Rawlings Disenchantment With His Party (NDC) Must Be a Wake-Up Call for His Hardcore Supporters in This 2012 Election.

The recent outcry of Rawlings is long overdue, most Ghanaians saw the abuses of power and irresponsible attitude of many members of his inner circles, MPs, and Chief executives. The same abuses were experienced during Bubunator Nkrumah’s Republic. Therefore Bubunator Rawlings realization and his own admission of dishonesty among his trusted aides are no surprises for example to the people of the Volta Region. Togbi Bubunator Kwame Nkrumah suffered the same fate with no iota of business or infrastructure development in his own constituency which has Chief District Executive and MP representations. The frustration of most grassroots or loyal NDC voters were that during the campaign, the leadership levied serious allegations against the NPP among them were corruption; misused of public funds for personal financial comfort and aggrandizement of their status. Therefore with these convincing gross misappropriations of public trust at the time, the Ghanaian voter gave the NDC the mandate to expose all these allegations against the NPP. The NDC accused Bubunator Kufuor for accepting donor countries HIPC initiative for Ghana (heavily indebted poor countries IDA and IMF debts relief program), accused Kufuor for travelling all over the world asking developed nations for handouts, loans and donations to build our infrastructure. In short the NPP sold our birth rights for Gold Medals.
But here we are after four consecutive years of NDC rule, not even a single legal investigation was initiated by the NDC government. The President if the truth be told is on the verge of scoring higher marks over Kufuor’s travel trips, handouts, donations and loans. The NDC is quick to accept money from any country in the world without questioning the motive of all these nations throwing money at the Ghana government, yesterday was China, today European union donate additional 52million euro for maternal health in Ghana. The leadership ignorant of the long-term implication for generation yet unborn, gave them the audacity to announce all these development very proudly without no reservation.
As we enter this important election year, there are no accurate, honest accountability, no public knowledge of itemized disbursement of all these Western food stamps and welfare infrastructure assistance.
The question the Ghanaian voter must ask in this important election as a wakeup call and run far far-away from dishonest leaderships and MPs are,
1. Where is the evidence levied against the NPP government?
2. What and where is the practical evidence of success of four years NDC rule in our constituencies, employment, investment markets for rural and constituency existing resources?
3. When they speak the long and fluent English grammar we must ask these leaders the meaning of what they say in layman understanding.
4. The economic, social, and educational situation in our constituencies, towns, and villages better, worsen or the same.
5. What are the short and long term implication of all these donations, loans, foodstamps, medicare, etc on us and generation yet unborn?
Honest answers to these questions will enable the voter in this election to make an informed decision and judgment on whether this current leadership is a dishonest, greedy, and ignorant and vote for an alternative preferably independent candidates with no party affiliations.
Fellow distinguished Ghanaians let us take a close look at Rawlings own constituency, for example, which was controlled by the P/NDC for God knows how many years. Greater portion of one prestigious economic vibrant Keta is gone under the sea under the watchful eyes and governance of P/ NDC leadership, MPs and Chief Executives. Take a look at Nkroful where Kwame Nkrumah hailed from during his tenure of presidency “zipped, no iota of economic investment” while Kwame Nkrumah and Rawlings are busy creating general atmosphere to promote indigenous skills for enhancing our economic sustenance their MPs, Ministers, and Chief Executives were looting the national treasury to fill their pockets. The same fate Rawlings suffered under his passionate leadership and undeniable love for Ghanaians. While using his ability to bring back the dignity and stability Ghana needs for growth, his MPs and Ministers were busy amassing wealth nyafu nyafu.
Therefore, I would like to remind the Hardcore NDC that, what they are waiting for is Rawlings permission to make up their minds in this 2012 election. Rawlings will not fault anyone for following the realities in their constituencies and acting on those realities for the betterment of their constituencies.
My late father Bubunator Togbi John Kofi Kunorwli Fiagbeto, may his soul rest in perfect peace called his children during PNDC transition to NDC and cautioned us about the bitter rivalry among we his children over which party is best suitable to govern democratically. “My children he said, does it really matter which party we belongs to? I am a hardcore NDC he continued and I am very proud of you my children for such a clear distinction in your views for NDC and NPP. You must also be proud of yourselves because we are a family and the success of any of these parties is the success of the whole family, in other words if NDC wins there will be food in our house likewise when NPP wins there will be food on the table so why fight and insult each other over your different of opinions? Rejoice and let us toast to our young democratic dispensation.”
Therefore, let us shine our eyes well-well as my wife will say and vote MPs base on what they are saying and how convincing they are to transform our economic and financial status not because of their party affiliations.
Remember what my Dad said all these candidates are our own native citizens irrespective of been an Independent, NPP, CPP or NDC but which of them (brother or sister) can you trust, not only build schools, roads, electricity, but who has the agenda first and foremost to flood our local industries with long-term investment which interns attracts our graduates to remain in the constituencies to work and improve upon their skills and innovations in creating other economic spinoffs for the constituencies.
Our current democratic dispensation is in big trouble and it needs bold action and determination from the Ghanaian voter to rescue it from all these “wanton ntsi ni” western educated elites who has nothing to offer but their long coats and a well spoken English grammar. They are ignorant about the environment, the resources, and the people they represent. Vote for individuals regardless of his or her PARTY affiliations, a man who speaks directly to the core issues of your constituency and who has practical and hands-on programs to resolve them. A man whose program you can trust to bring meaningful economic prosperity to you as an individual and the community as a whole.
All that we want is to individually experience Bubunator Kwame Nkrumah and Rawlings dream for better Ghana in which ordinary Ghanaians will have ends meet without humiliation and degradation. We want our educational system to produce graduates to fill Ghanaian factories, industries and offices NOT western markets.
Ghana our beloved country if managed and run properly can provide far better economic opportunity for her citizens and sister nations. Ghana’s complete and total independence must be linked to investing 60% of our oil revenue into agriculture then all other economic opportunities and infrastructure development can be realized and sustain for generation to come.
Long live Ghana. Vote for the person you trust in this 2012 election not the Party.
NDC grassroots Rawlings will not fault you this election. He knows where your hearts are.
Akpe namikata, nago de, mi da moase, nye wra don. Je vous remerci,

Yao Fiagbeto
CCDAG
P. O. BOX 222
Jonesboro, Georgia. 30237. USA
ccdaghana@yahoo.com, gbenufia@yahoo.com, hedevodu@yahoo.com
P.O. Box 30
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