Quite recently I stumbled upon a huge billboard erected at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle; I have also seen similar billboards and branded STC buses by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation. These billboards have pictures depicting some of the achievements of President Kuffuor’s government since he took over the reigns of government. I see this ploy as a deception and a grand scheme to score cheap political point for the NPP during this years’ election.
In the first place the government of President Kuffour is not only for NPP supporters or the NPP.It is a government for all Ghanaians.
The message in that advert makes one to believe that all the roads in Ghana have been tarred and there is an excellent transportation system in place. I would like the Minister of Information and National Orientation to take a trip to Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s constituency to be precise a place called Ablekuma or Hon. Theresa Amerley Tagoe’ s constituency ( Dansoman control area) and other suburbs in Accra. He would realize why I say his advertisement is a deception. Most of the roads in our capital have been rendered unmotorable by the rains and the shoddy work of some contractors who get paid with our tax. If we have such roads in Accra our capital, How much more the other regions of Ghana?
The use of our tax to project the image of one political party is unfair and discriminatory. The CPP government of Nkrumah if for nothing at all constructed the Tema motorway, built factories and provided other developmental projects. The same can be said of other governments. The NDC constructed the Ako Adjei overpass, the roads in the Central Business District; it also provided infrastructures in the other regions. So for a government ministry to use the tax of its citizen to project one particular party is wrong.
I would plead with the Honourable Minister to channel such resources into orienting the citizenry on their responsibility to the state. This country is facing a lot of challenges on littering, drug abuse, armed robbery and other social issues. The money for these billboards and branding should be use to educate the citizens on cleanliness, patriotism, good working habits and dangers of crime and armed robbery.
If President Kuffour’s government has performed well, it is there for all of us to see, it is not billboards or branding that would tell his story. Let’s use our resources prudently.
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