On 7th December, 2012, millions of Ghanaians had to queue in their various polling stations amidst unfriendly weather conditions to cast their ballots for a president who will lead us to achieving our aspirations as a nation for the next four years. The outcome is well known although happenings in Ghana today leave many a wondering citizen whether the announced results/verdict did actually reflect the mandate of the majority of voters/masses. This is not the thrust of my article and I will leave it there.
With so many promises thrown at gullible Ghanaian voters, one would have thought that any party or presidential candidate that got elected will reduce the talking (propaganda) and concentrate on delivering their campaign promises. However, my beloved Ghana is still saddled with a lot of nauseating justifications from government quarters why they have proven to be lucky, unworthy, inefficient and insouciant occupants of the Jubilee House. Ghana’s current economic outlook is one that even die-hard optimists like myself find it difficult to be hopeful about. This is because with each passing day, there is an unpleasant policy from government which instead of conventionally cushioning lives of the citizenry is making lives unbearable. No wonder some refer to President John Mahama’s Ghana as “hell annex”.
Despite the bleak future this country seems to have under the ‘communications expert’ president, I remain hopeful that just like how NDC especially President John Mahama turned the hitherto blossoming economy into a withered one within a short span of two years, things can turn around if Ghanaians give NPP and hopefully, Nana Addo and the erudite Dr. Bawumia their mandate in the next elections. This is not just optimism but it is optimism backed with facts from the erstwhile NPP government under President John Agyekum Kufour which although professes liberal ideology embarked on massive social interventions aimed at ameliorating the plight of Ghanaians. Sadly, these worthy social interventions as Metro Mass Transit, School Feeding, Capitation Grant, National Health Insurance Scheme, Free Maternal Care and the National Youth Employment Programme are currently the avenues for looting state coffers with wanton impunity.
When I think of the fact that under Mills-Mahama, Ghana’s debt stock has skyrocketed to alarming proportions with virtually nothing noteworthy to show for it, I wonder if the talk about President Mahama and his appointees being a “looting brigade” is true. I don’t find evidence to the contrary. Under the last NPP government, all public sector workers were paid all their arrears regardless of how long it took them before the payments. Now under ede bee keke’s presidency, one is entitled to only three months arrears even if you’ve worked for a decade for the government. Annoyingly, they intentionally frustrate you for more than a year before you are finally captured into the records of Controller and Accountant General. So what have they been using all the loans for, if added to the looming infrastructure deficit they cannot pay public sector workers?
I never voted President Mahama and his performance in office thus far is vindicating me. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to all Ghanaians to forget about our affiliations to political parties and vote for personalities that can ease our sufferings and not some so-called ‘youths’ who will exacerbate our pity conditions with bad policies, corruption and ineptitude. It is better for an old and not so handsome person who is intelligent, caring, visionary and efficiently to lead us than for a young, handsome, inept and corrupt person who is clueless, officious and bereft of vision to do so. After all, na age we go chop?
Finally, I’m hopeful of the future because;
1. Chairman Afoko’s New Plan for Power will unite NPP and secure victory in 2016.
2. NPP delegates will retain Nana Akufo Addo as flagbearer
3. Nana Addo will also nominate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as his running-mate
4. Nana Addo/Dr. Bawumia presidency can turn the fortunes of this country around from the current economic doldrums
If you are disillusioned by the trend of events in Ghana, please don’t give up. Pray for long life, health and wisdom. With life, we can live till 2016 and beyond. With health, we will be able to turn up at the various polling stations to vote whilst with wisdom, we will make the right choices by voting massively for Nana Addo and the NPP. Only then can we turn these current hardships around and begin to feel that Ghana belongs to all of us, not just for a few corrupt privileged masquerades. Long live Ghana, long live the NPP.

Author: Simon Suayam

Mobile: 0207854685

email: suayamsimon@gmail.com