Prez Mills, Reshuffle To Deliver And The PR Will Fall Into Place

The victory of the NDC in election 2008 was to me the doing of God. Some of us where uneasy about the NPP managing the first oil proceeds and was one reason I voted NDC. The most important was the promises the NDC party made.

In recent times, President Mills has been appealing for more time and our patience amidst heavy attacks from leading members of the party. Let me state that most of the attacks are well deserved considering the calibre of people he has appointed.

It takes people of competence to deliver on election promises. No one expects all the promises made to be fulfilled all at once but we ought to see some effort and light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with the NDC. That is why there is increasing pressure on Prez Mills to reshuffle his people. His recent admission of having appointed some mediocre people reinforces the need for a reshuffle. We need competent people to deliver on the promises.

It still beats my mind why someone like SPIO GARBRAH was not appointed a minister. It was the first sign Prez Mills was getting things wrong. I have never met SPIO in person but I once picked his contact from a directory in 2001 and solicited his help over phone. Though he did not know me, he directed me on phone to see a couple of people to help me. Though things did not work out, I knew he did his best. The manner he handled my issue, making time to talk to me whenever I called made me grateful. He possess great leadership and personal attributes that can help shore the fortunes of not only the party but Ghana as a whole. He also brings in a lot of competence from many diverse fields. These are the kind of people who can help the party deliver on its promises and take off the pressure Ghanaians are putting on Prez Mills.

Some of us wondered from day one how and why some of the Presidents appointments. They either didn’t deserve it or were not competent for those positions. One ministry that has come under serious attack is the information ministry. Much as I believe the minister, Zita is not well cut out for that job and needs to be moved somewhere else, I disagree with those who think the problem with the government has to do with PR. The Ministry, especially the two deputies are doing their best but there is just no real achievements to talk about yet. As it is now, the government is giving the information guys too much hassle.

If Prez Mills does not reshuffle now and appoint competent people like SPIO GARBRAH, no amount of press conferences and radio interviews will help the government. Ablakwa was just struggling at his last press conference to articulate the government achievements. Ghanaians are putting pressure on you Prez Mills because, we do not see any real direction or hope at the end of the tunnel after nine months.

The NDC has very competent people like Spio Garbrah and many others. Prez Mills should bring them in immediately or risk being a onetime president. Even if he doesn’t want to run again in 2012, he should still deliver on the promises to give others(preferably SPIO) the chance to move Ghana to the next level. Please remember the sacrifices party activists made and don’t let us down.

Mr. Prez, we gave you a four year mandate and do not expect you to deliver on all your promises in nine months but from the low calibre of people in terms of competence you have appointed and the slow pace at which the party is governing, it doesn’t look like you will deliver any real achievements by 2012. That is why we are complaining, so please correct the mistakes now and stop trying to look tough by resisting ‘supposed pressure’ from people within certain quarters of the party to reshuffle. Its not good to hear headings as ‘Prez appeals for more time’, ‘be patient with us’, etc so please bring competence into government.

JOHN MUSAH

musah2005@gmail.com