In 1992, my parents arrived in Ghana with my sisters and I, after spending some years in the ‘wilderness’. I was young then, but old enough to recognise Jerry John Rawlings’ exhibition of courage and ability to take bold decisions. He hated corruption and abhored hypocrisy.
As a young boy who hadn’t experienced any other President, I seemed to like JJ, my Dad did too. After him was John Agyekum Kuffour, I liked JAK because of his introduction of new concepts. Capitation grant, Metro Mass transport, repeal of the criminal libel law, introduction of an all inclusive Government, National health insurance scheme etc.
There were some obvious lapses in his regime and allegations of corruption, but I still felt the good side out weighed the bad. After JAK, was President Mills, the humble Fante Professor of Law who previously headed Ghana’s tax agency. I liked Mills for his humility, hatred for corruption and ability to jest, getting people around him to calm down even in hard times.
I must say I was disappointed by President Mills’ overall performance though. He failed to continue the trajectory his predecessors had established and lost the leadership mantle to the boys around him. When death took him, John Mahama came on board as acting President and followed to became substantive President.
I thought since this John had been MP for 8 years, deputy Minister for years, Minister for sometime, Vice President for 3.5 years and President for 6 months, he perhaps would be Ghana’s best.
One and half years down the line, after using the Supreme Court verdict as an excuse for non-performance, here I am today suffering from decisions of his incompetent team. A team not afraid to tell citizens shit. A team which uses dwarfs and mobile phone batteries as excuses. A team with an aim to make $1million before they retire. A team incapable of telling the nation when this Dumsor Dumsor will end after chains of failed end-dates. A team which cannot get water to flow through my taps. One capable of being the first in the world to airlift $3m cash to another continent.
I like Mahama for being first Ghanaian President to read his speech from a tablet, and the first Head of State to attempt to the use of a Teleprompter in our Parliament. When he had the chance to tell us the truth, he lied to us and told us the economy was robust.
The cedi is suffering from Diarrhoea, pooping against all major currencies. And when his team had the chance to unite the nation with football, his deputies made it an opportunity to appease its political foot-soldiers rather. I won’t score Mahama. He has failed to earn that right.
Now I need fuel, water and electricity. Is that too much to ask for?!
By: Edward Tagoe/citifmonline.com/Ghana