50,000-dollar insult!

“In democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme”: a thought of the legendary philosopher, Aristotle, from Democracy’s land of birth, Greece. Unfortunately this thought from this great man is turned upside down in Africa.

Did I hear $50,000 loan just for a car? What kind of car with such a sinful price tag? This must be a joke to make news. Indeed, if this is a joke, then they should know that some jokes are expensive! Anyway, I have to open my eyes to verify whether it is a dream or not.

For now let us assume that it is true with this question: will those cars they ought to buy with that filthy sum of money make those MPs live forever for mother Ghana? I believe the kind of cars they want to ride in will not be consuming fuel. I think they want something sophisticated than Hummer, Omega, Outlander, Phantom, Quantum, Scrambler, Titan or what car???

Who are those MPs who are pushing for this car loans? I think all of them are pushing because no MP saw the outrageousness and sinfulness of that colossal sum. At least an MP should have rubbished this nonsensical move. Has power robbed their conscience! This was not part of our contract terms.

Can anybody help me identify those who told us that the economy was broke? I agree fully that the economy is broke. Are we not all aware that the economy globally has gone on vacation? When the majority is trying to get three square meals a day, some think of a $50,000 worth of car. I hope these people are not trying to tell us to tighten our belt once again! This is outright exotic nonsense!

The earlier these MPs rethink and reconsider their decisions the better. Better Ghana cannot set off with $50,000 car loans. Our thumbs await those pushing this offensive agenda. We cannot be bamboozled to accept this as a loan because the taxpayer stands as collateral in this issue. What is the guarantee that all of them will complete the four year term (these days there are lot of surprise deaths). Besides that any maths phobia can worked out that this supposed loan cannot be repaid even minus interest within the remaining years of their term. These MPs have tested our patience for quite too long.

Oh God! The paradox of life seems unending. The less you work the more you get. For instance, the mere presence of an MP in parliaments earns him/her an allowance; he/she sits under comfortable roof to make noise or sleep; eats sumptuous FREE meal and walk away awaiting the month to pick about GH¢3,000. All MPs are salaried and therefore qualify for a loan from any financial institution to buy their own cars. So, why more these freebies!

Education, the very foundation that saw these MPs in that chamber is through the efforts of the teacher. How much do teachers take in a month? Do teachers receive allowance for presence in school? Do they have car loans? Why this dichotomy between the politician and the ordinary Ghanaian. How long should the civil servant be stifled?

Ghanaian MPs with all due respect cannot claim prominence over the Senators of House of Commons in America, yet doctors are better paid than the 100 Senators in America who equally do a legislative work. Compare the scenario in broke Ghana. When doctors recently cried, were they not told about broken economy, global economic recession and hard times? And MPs have the moral justification to ride in plush cars in hard times.

MPs came knocking and begging for our consent to represent us in that cacophonous yeah-yeah chamber. No one force them to parliament. What makes them feel that we have to use our collapsing petty businesses capital to buy them cars? MPs should be bold to tell us that they now represent themselves in parliament and make sure that 2012 never comes. MPs should not be insulting us fools; that will be ungratefulness to the wrath of God. Prior to Election 2008, I never thought MPs across the divides could unanimously come to terms on any issue. Observably, MPs always come to loggerheads on amount of money that needs to be expended in providing basic amenities to the commoners.

This free loan for cars can make miracles in the lives of jillions of Ghanaians in a form of microfinance, especially the stifled northern folks. This GH¢75,000 (cedi equivalent) car loan can help at least 750 people in the various constituencies of the MPs to resuscitate their dying petty businesses that will eventually push them on the streets. Our MPs should be bold at least once in their lifetime and reject this “sin” as we all agree that we are in hard times.

I can see the resurgence of pre-1979: elitism, aristocracy, ostentation, fascism, and all that the American will say “motherfucker” “goddamn” shit!

Our elders say “bad attitude is contagious”, so I will entreat the good president not to allow his idiosyncrasies to be overridden by forces of political apparitions within and without.

Aristotle observed that “what it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.” Over to you President Mills.

Salaam!

*Abdulai Hanan R. Confidence*

*confidencegh@gmail.com*

*NTC, Tamale*

*TEIN (P.R.O.)*