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Opinions of Monday, 22 August 2011

Columnist: Asare, Noah Dugubrame

President Mills Was Misunderstood - NDA

There are a lot of things nature teaches us. One of them is that, when a dog is on
his own compound he can bark at anything small or big. In the language of the dogs,
bravity is exhibited in ones own house. So is it that President Mills can stand at
the world bank of his party and open his mouth as loud as he wish. He was sure of
the galvanised seal built around him by enthusistic die hard voltarian supporters.
The ecstacy made him utter words that people read different meanings into. I
can't believe he said he will hand over a peaceful Ghana in 2017. No he
couldn't have said that. 2012 is closer than 2017.

Prior to the 18th of August 2011 when president Mills made this infamous
declaration, he had been asked by journalists on different platforms for his
intentions with regard to the conduct of the upcoming 2012 elections. The president
conspicuously refused to answer the question until when he was in "The Eyigbe
Peoples Church" in Ho, the regional capital of the NDC strongest hold. His
declaration, expectedly, was met with wild cheers from the "Eyigbe" dominated
congregation. If he had dared saying those same words in another place, he could
have been linched, trust me. Where one speaks is very important. The place where
he made this unguarded declaration is very significant. He did not declare it
throughout his tour of all the other regions, but in the Volta Region. And it was
wise he did it where he know they will urge him on for whatever he says.

Two and half years into office, Ghana has become so polarised that all well wishers
are sitting on tenterhooks as everyday seem to threaten our peace with violence from
nothing else than NDC foot sodier nonsense. As he was in Volta promising a 2017
peacedul handover some citizens of this country carying out their normal dutiea at
Ashaiman lorry park were being harrased and chased out of their offices and from
their posts. And that is the peaceful Ghana he was promising to leave behind. A
Ghana where any four boys can shout at the president and he will panick into firing
his ministers, MCEs and DCEs. A peacful Ghana when peaceful demonstrators are
arrested in the same place he was doing this declaration. A peaceful Ghana where
agrieved teachers and fishermen are made to face the tear gas for daring to soeak
their minds. A peaceful Ghana where ordinary Assembly member elections could be so
chaotic that authorities will come admitting things did not
go well. People did not hear him well.

When percived opposition members' car doors are broken and their laptops and pen
drives taken away, can he say he will be handing over a peaceful Ghana? When
members of his own party who happen to sympathise with his opponent in primaries are
arrested without any charges and thrown behind police bars, do he call that a
peaceful Ghana. Unless of course the president has another meaning of peace, just
as Anyidoho has a different meaning for token, I cannot believe that he will call
Ghana a peaceful place when people are killed in broad day light and still walk our
streets free. A Ghana where suspected murders are found under the beds of ministers
can by no means qualify as a peaceful country.

If the first two and half years of a Mills led NDC has brought Ghanaians all the
horrible incidents we have witnessed with our own eyes, then I wonder what Ghana
will be like if he really meant that 2017. Consider the chaos in his own party
alone. The division in the country; how people are forcibly chased out of their
offices and replaced by NDC sympthisers, how justice has been so partial that when
you even kill an opposition member you go scot free but you don't dare suggest
that somebody burnt down his own house from your circumstancial evidence. Fear and
panick law will be quickly remembered. In this short time we have witnessed brutal
violence from murders to the burning down of properties. If this is what he will be
handing over how can he still say he is handing over the same Ghana Kuffour handed
over to him. What he said was he will be handing over a pieces Ghana if he happens
to stay till 2017 which he knows is absolutely impossible.

We all know the president has a special way of pronouncing his words. His economy
could be another thing else. The same his piece may have been wrongly taken as
peace. The president is aware that if things continue the way they are being run
now, Ghana will be shattered if he should get another two years. Deep throat
sources say he even wanted to throw in the towl but those in charge of the
government won't allow him to. Yes he wanted to step aside because some people
are eating into his beards. Those people are really building the mansions whilst he
is given just "tokens". With the state of Ghana today I don't know where Pres
Mills can gather that courage and predict a win in 2012. He was totally
misunderstood. Even in his hallusination, it can't come out of his mouth. 7th
January 2012 is a break of a new dawn where some fresh ideas will be brought on
board to steer this country to the path of development in freedom.

God bless our homeland Ghana.

Noah Dugubrame Asare. Frankfurt, Germany.