It is often said, that perception is everything, in the fractious and byzantine world, of Ghanaian politics. Perhaps that is why, sadly, despite the fact that President Mills has done a yeoman's job as president thus far, so many ordinary people in Ghana continue to feel that precious little has been achieved, since he came to power.
Yet, the reality is that not only has President Mills led a regime that has successfully stabilised the national economy - which was literally near-collapse when his regime assumed power in January 2009: with a huge and burdensome deficit - indeed, it has also actually been very successful in inducing some growth in the non-oil sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
Then there are the many projects executed in all the districts of Ghana, since the Mills regime came to power - but again, it would appear that even those don't seem to count for much too, as far as most ordinary Ghanaians are concerned: and that is evident when one listens to our nation's many radio stations.
On top of all those achievements mentioned above, luckily for Ghana, this is also a regime that is led by the most honest individual to lead our nation, since the overthrow of President Nkrumah, in February 1966 - in what has unfortunately become one of the most corrupt societies anywhere in Africa.
Surely, that ought to count for something in the minds of discerning, patriotic and independent-minded individuals, who actually care about Mother Ghana - especially as President Kufuor's New Patriotic Party (NPP) regime was so incredibly corrupt: with kickbacks being marshalled and distributed at the Osu Castle, with Kufuor himself acting as the kingpin of that egregious crime-against-Ghanaians?
Furthermore, during the campaign for the December 2008 presidential election, the NPP's propaganda machine claimed that if elected, a President Mills would be a mere puppet of Flt Lt Rawlings. As we are all aware, it simply hasn't happened: because Mills is very much his own man. Yet, even that important fact doesn't seem to count for much too - as far as most ordinary people are concerned, it would appear.
Clearly, the many positive stories that make up the narrative of the Mills presidency, don't seem to have made much of an impact on the ordinary people of Ghana. So, obviously, this regime has not been very successful in connecting with the masses of the Ghanaian people - and making them identify with it.
It has also become obvious that in order to win the all-important 2012 presidential election, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will have to find the political equivalent of a mobile smartphone's 'killer-application' - and pretty fast too.
In that regard, they need not look too far, luckily for their party - for it can be found in the contents of the very sensible and restrained speech, delivered by ex-President Rawlings, in a public lecture organised to commemorate his 31st December 1981 military coup, at the National Theatre on 28 December, 2011.
If President Mills and the more honest individuals in his administration, are guided throughout the year 2012, by the contents of that politically important Rawlings speech, it will enable them put clear blue water between their NDC regime and the opposition NPP.
Like many Progressives who don't want the NPP to return to power again, any time soon, I have often been very critical, of what I consider to be unwarranted public criticism of President Mills, by President Rawlings. Indeed, I have even gone as far as accusing him of being disloyal to the commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, and undermining him unjustly - and suggested that that is totally uncalled for: especially coming from a retired officer and gentleman who has also been Ghana's president before.
However, even I, have to admit, that few can fault this particular Rawlings speech. It gives the Mills administration very useful guidelines, which if followed to the letter, will enable the NDC win back the trust of ordinary people in Ghana, again.
Above all, it is important, if he wants to leave behind a good legacy as president, that President Mills does not make the same mistake President Kufuor made, when he first came into office.
For, alas, unlike the perfidious, sly and utterly ruthless President Kufuor, Mills will not survive, if he fails to seize the historic opportunity Providence has now given him (amounting to a second chance for him, more or less), to make a real difference, in the fight against corruption in Ghana. Rawlings' latest speech, will help him do so, if he has the wisdom to follow the advice it gives him and his hard-of-hearing regime.
As Rawlings reiterated in that speech, it is still not too late for President Mills to put the negatives of the past behind him - but he must accept the former president's very useful guidelines, and move quickly to take all the necessary steps, which will enable our nation to finally begin dealing effectively with ending endemic corruption amongst public officials, in our country.
As a first step, and to establish a convention in Ghanaian politics, which will be followed by all successor-presidents who follow him, President Mills must now publicly publish the assets of both himself and those of the First Lady, Naadu Mills, as soon as it is practical to do so. It may not be a constitutional requirement, but it has now become a moral obligation, for our elected leaders to do so, in what after all is now an oil-producing African nation.
After that, he must make doing same a precondition for anyone wanting to continue serving in his administration, in 2012. Ditto any new appointments he makes, going forward. There are far too many doubtful characters in his administration, riding on his coattails.
The time has now come for him to rid his regime of all those dubious individuals. Closing down the so-called Brand Ghana Office, must be a priority in that regard, in what one hopes will be a new era of positive action.
This really is President Mills' last chance to save his legacy as president - and win re-election to a second term in office, in the December 2012 presidential election.
In the past, the rogues who lurk in the shadows in his administration, have invariably deployed faint-heartedness and procrastination, as weapons of mass destruction (WMD), to kill off anti-corruption measures. Alas, time is not on his side - so he must be bold and decisive in this instance. A word to the wise...
Tel (Powered by Tigo - the one mobile phone network in Ghana that actually works!): + 233 (0) 27 745 3109.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment