Opinions of Friday, 8 April 2016

Columnist: Poku, Kwadwo N Y

Something about Ghana doesn't smell right

Kwadwo Poku


For the past couple of years, following events and the seeming incompetence on parade across the fruited plains of our country have been depressing to say the least. To tell you the truth, I don't even know where to start. We have a government that seems to thrive on the political illiteracy of Ghanaians and have been doing so with reckless abandonment. Truth be known, should our elections be based on economic growth alone, then this piece would have been an exercise in futility to write.

In 2006, God in his rich mercy and great grace blessed us with the discovery of oil and it was to be a shot in our economic arm. In December of 2010 production of crude in commercial quantities commences. Fast forward 2014, we dashed into the arms of IMF for a paltry $983m just to stay afloat in a self inflicted economic malaise. You see, besides the oil revenue, our GDP was approximating 9% at the time the NDC took over in early 2009 and because of the crude exports, our GDP fattened before the end of 2012 to 14% and if you were alive at that time the kenspeckle braggadociosness of the NDC gave you an ear infection due to the noise amplifications of that pseudo feat. Today our GDP strolls in the neighborhood of 3.5%.

And what can I say about the bus branding! It is incompetence married to wickedness to put it mildly given the recent hike in utilities and tariffs. Folks l live in New York City and the agency in charge of the city bus service is called MTA. It has about 5,700 buses in it's fleet and about 97% are festooned with ads. The front, back and both sides of each bus are plastered with different ads. The inside also have about 6 different ads and a conservative estimate gives it $60,000 a month in ad sales for a bus. Juxtapose it to what this administration did with our buses. Our buses have become campaign vehicles for the NDC with their campaign slogan glaring at the backside #changinglives. There are 116 buses and if about hundred can generate at least the equivalence of $10,000 each every month, that is $1m monthly revenue. And this is happening after the so called senchere consensus a couple of years ago? Are you kidding me! Something is really wrong.

In fact Mahama has disappointed. You don't need a degree in economics nor have to be a member in any of the opposition parties to know this truth. This man was full of hope especially for the youth and we were even told his communication skills alone can grow the economy but today the miserable outlook of our nation makes him a glittering jewel of colossal failure. I don't care who wins the next election as long as it is not him. He has no business leading a nation with such putrid governance with all the resources at his disposal. We must divest our minds off tribal politics and vote with common sense.


Kwadwo Poku N Y