President Akufo-Addo’s regime is a glorified failure: Ghana deserves better

It is regrettable to witness how low Ghana has sunk under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led regime after Ghanaians were virtually hoodwinked to vote him as a better presidential candidate and the NPP party into power in 2016.

There were those social commentators and opinion leaders in society who were highly critical of the erstwhile Mahama-led government’s efforts then to invest in the future with visionary developmental projects and running a responsive government.

Interestingly and curiously, such loud voices have now gone dead silent under this Akufo- Addo-Bawumia-led regime. I have been wondering if the visible failures of this government are glorified in the face of the reality on the ground. I am tempted to hold such a view for obvious reasons.

This governing NPP government under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia has not only taken Ghanaians for granted now but also engaged in glorifying itself in failures on various fronts. Here is why!

Economic front

As a presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo complained of increasing national debt, economic hardships, and corruption, and promised how to deal with such developmental challenges when voted into power together with his vice president, Dr. Bawumia leading the Economic Management Team.

Apart from the above-stated complaints, Nana Akufo-Addo then made categorical
statements to the effect that Ghana was sitting on a lot of money and those NPP persons who might have thought of making money in his government would be disappointed.

Other comments like moving from taxation to production and other mouth-watering
promises, which are struggling to either survive or are simply abandoned now such as the struggling FSHS program, the dead NABCO program, etc.

Nana Akufo-Addo in opposition talked about the mismanagement of the economy under Mahama’s regime, which has led to many Ghanaians suffering. Mr. President Akufo-Addo, where is the money in the land when you came to meet in the office, and yet Ghanaians are even facing excruciating pains?

On the economic front, president Akufo-Addo abysmally performed, which is diametrically opposed to his colorful political speeches and mouth-watering promises, which can best be described as white elephant promises.

Corruption front

When it comes to the discourse of corruption fight in the country, president Akufo-Addo has indeed been fought and defeated by corruption itself. Although Nana Akufo-Addo promised a lot while in opposition to fighting corruption by
using the ‘Anas’ principle’, it is even during his regime that the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas is more silent with his work than before and lost a key fellow Journalist, Ahmed Suale through broad day murder.

The former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu had to resign his post and nicknamed
President Akufo-Addo the ‘mother Serpent of Corruption’ after Amidu attempted to
conduct some investigative assessment on the botched Agyapa deal. The other tag for Akufo-Addo as a ‘Clearing Agent’ of corruption is not enviable either.

There are countless instances of corruption in this Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led regime, which strongly confirms that corruption is rather flourishing or poorly fought under his leadership.

Security front

As soon as this Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led regime was in place, the invisible forces of the NPP Party visibly noticed signs of insecurity with the casing away of a judge in a Kumasi High Court.

A mention can be made of the brutal Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, which was a war scene in just a by-election. Among other insecurity situations, the killing of Ahmed Suale, who was working for the Tiger PI company, happened under this Akufo-Addo-led government.

The general insecurity situation in the country under this government cannot be deemed any better than before. The World Press Freedom Index has rated Ghana very low, which is highly unfortunate.

Environmental front

The phenomenon of the galamsey operations in the country has become worst under
President Akufo-Addo’s regime after he put his presidency on the line. The Prof. Frimpong- Boateng Anti-galamsey report said it all and suggested ‘presidential Galamseyers’ who were directly thwarting the efforts of the government to seriously fight this environmental and human cancer.

The worsening galamsey menace can be equated to an ‘environmental murder’ as aquatic, terrestrial species are destroyed with careless abundance, and human lives are also badly affected and will have long-term socio-ecological consequences. Once again, President Akufo-Addo has lost the galamsey fight big time.

Conclusion: Where are the wise ones who are silenced now?

Although Akufo-Addo has been performing unsatisfactorily on various fronts
mentioned above, there is deliberate silence on the part of those who were so critical of the previous Mahama-led government. Almost nothing seems to be working properly in Ghana nowadays under this government.

The questions remain: Where are those wise ones now in our society? Why are you not speaking with the same intensity and vigor about the uninspiring governance of this Akufo- Addo-led regime? President Akufo-Addo’s regime has disappointed many Ghanaians.

Therefore, such loud silence on the appalling performance of this government is a glorified failure, and Ghana deserves better leadership.