Confused NPP And Frustrated Nana Akuffo Addo

It is becoming so clear that the NPP as a party is getting more confused d ay- in- day- out and the commander in chief; Nana Akuffo Addo is equally frustrated. In an attempt to find solution to their frustration and confusion, Nana Addo is moving from one place to another contradicting himself.

Right from the blast of the whistle even before the president could complete the sworn -in process, the NPP headed by their commander made their intention clear that they will make the country ungovernable to the NDC administration and true to their word, they are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to achieve that diabolic agenda. As far as NPP is concern, if it’s not them then it mustn’t be anyone else.

It all started, with the calling on HE President Asomdwe Attah Mills to fulfill his campaign promises by the NPP while the president was at the sworn -in grounds. While some were calling for the school uniform, others were demanding for reduction in fuel price drastically as if the president promised to deliver them on the same day of his assumption of office. The airwave was choked with this call and castigation on the president became order of the day. Unfortunately for the president, the statistics were given a glooming picture of the economy: inflation was galloping, cedi was free falling and the utility services were nothing good to write home about. All these were within the first three month of the NDC’s administration and that was when the commander in chief Nana Akuffo Addo deemed it fit to call on the president to FIX IT during one of their hypocritical press conferences. Of course, it’s been a worthy call and no wonder all Ghanaians embraced it.

Nana’s call at that time was based on the fact that the ex-president Kuffour, reduced inflation to 18%, GDP growth rate was 9%, the cedi was quite stable, the size of the economy had quadrupled from $4 billion inherited from ex- president Rawlings to $16 billion, and that any fall of such figures under the regime of HE president Attah Mills needs to be fixed. Again, Nana Akuffo Addo relied on these figure during his campaign in 2008 and promised to continue the good work done by the ex- president Kuffour to suggest that the achievement of the ex-president was unprecedented.

Not while ago, Asomdwe Hene, manage to turn things around. The school uniforms were provided, the cedi begun to out muscled the international currencies, inflation started falling and the economy begun to take shape. It all happened as if the president had responded to Nana Akuffo Addo’s call, and one could expect NANA Addo to commend the president for a good job done. Unfortunately that did not happen but rather they changed the gear by calling on the president to reduce the fuel drastically. Again, the fuel was reduced briefly and the world market price pushed it up again. As if the NPP are only praying for worse things to happen to mother Ghana, welcomed the high price and begun to chastise the president.

Now, as we speak, inflation has dropped to single digit, a feat NPP could not achieve within 8 years. The cedi is rubbing shoulders with the major international currencies. The size of the economy which Nana Addo used as a campaign message had more than quadrupled from $16 billion to $64billion (according to statistical service) all within two and half years as against 8 years of ex-president Kufour.

Again, within two (2) years, the president has fully paid the TOR debt, even though NPP denied ever incurring such debt but went silent when the debt was paid to the GCB. Ghana is experiencing more development within this short period under God- sent President; Asomdwe Hene as compared to the 8 years of NPP administration. Besides, every programme instituted by the NPP has seen improvement. Metro mass transport has received a boost from this government and is covering more routes than ever before. NYEP has seen more programs ranging from apprenticeship to road maintenance. New programs like Eco brigade, youth in agriculture and the most recent LESDEP, which is aimed at equipping the youth with employable skills. Again, for the first time in the history of Ghana, the president travels without per diem. By the current statistical figure, the economy which Nana Akuffo Addo and the entire NPP could not stop praising ex-president Kuffour for moving it from $4 billion to $16 billion within 8 year is now $64 billion within 2 years.

Ex-president Rawlings and Kuffour ascended the throne with the vision of accountability and zero tolerance for corruption respectively. However, they failed to achieve this before their exit. President Asomdwe Atta Mills promised to be a father for all, and has excellently proved that even at the peril of his party and this explains why he is the most criticized president by his own party in the history of Ghanaian politics. The rule of law is at its peak under H.E Atta Mills administration, to the extent that, even the opposition feels more comfortable facing the government at the court than ever before. Asamoah Boateng’s wife could slap a police officer and yet get judgment at the court. Nobody has been arrested at the church even when it’s so clear that public funds were misappropriated.

Mother Ghana has regained its hard won international reputation which was mudded under the NPP administration. The enviable name of Gold Coast was substituted for Cocaine Coast, just because Ghana was under a government whose members are so obsessed with drug business, no wonder one of the NPP financiers (Amoateng) was arrest and languishing in US jail till date.

In spite of all the above, frustrated Nana Akuffo Addo is going round telling the world that the president is practicing poverty democracy. The question is, if by moving the economy from $4 to $16 billion is unimaginable achievement, then what has gone wrong for Nana Addo to condemn an achievement of quadrupling the economy within 2 years. What does the NPP say about the single digit inflation? And what is their view on the most stabilized currency (cedi) in Africa? I am left with no choice than to say that, the achievement of the Asomdwe Hene has overwhelmed and dazed the NPP.

It is amazing to hear the NPP disputing the figures statistical service puts out there today, yet it was the same outfit and leadership, whose figures formed the bases for Nana Addo’s praise to the ex-president kuffour and called on the president to FIX THE ECONOMY. Where lays the sincerity and honesty of Nana ADDO; who want mother Ghana to be entrusted in his care?

Probably, my advice to the NPP is that, when they call on the president to fulfill all his campaign promises, then they should not lose sight of the fact that the president did not promise Ghanaians to evacuate sons and daughters from Libya, respond to cholera outbreak and many more, but some funds have to be rechanneled to these unexpected occurrences.

It can be recalled that, Nana Addo in one of the face- saving speeches in Germany told the whole world that, the president is practicing poverty democracy and based his argument on the fact that, the president is not spending. However, the budgetary allocation for 2011 (Gh 13 billion) has been sank into the economy within the second quarter of the year and plans are far advance to present supplementary budget to the parliament for approval. Of course, this year’s budgetary allocation is 40% higher than that of the previous year which are far higher compared to NPP regime. So where from Nana’s criticism? or is Nana suggesting that NPP made Ghana paradise such that everyone was employed, all roads were tarred and poverty was totally eradicated and within 2years, all these fortunes had been wiped away by the NDC administration?

Probably a little refreshing of the achievement of the God sent president within two and half years would reduce this mischievous attitude of the NPP. In education, the president within his first 6 months provided 1.6million school uniforms to deprived school children, exercise books to all basic school children nationwide. Class rooms were provided for all secondary schools to accommodate the mess NPP created with the extension of the 3 years to 4 years. The shift system has been abolished and the cut-off point has increased from 24 to 25 to reduce the JSS drop out.

It is therefore not surprising that, Ghana’s economy has been predicted to be the fastest growth in the whole world in 2011. According to the statistical service (Daily Graphic, 22nd June 2011) the economy grows at a rate of 23% as against estimated annual growth of 12% in the 2nd quarter. Inflation is 8.9 %; the size of the economy has grown from $16 billion to $64 billion. TOR debt has been cleared with no outstanding debt. The finance minister was nominated the best in Africa in the year 2010.

Ghana’s international image has been restored, and the ordeals Ghanaians go through when travelling with suspicion of carrying cocaine is a thing of the past. The FDI The rule of law is at its peak. The era where judgment is written for judges has become a thing of the past and there is nothing like political arm twist or interference.

Infrastructural development is in chains. Every single community in Ghana is seeing one or the other development ranging from roads to electrification across water, and I dare anyone who claims there is no infrastructural activity going on in his or her community to come out and let the whole world know.

Social interventions are on the increase. The president has been named by the UN boss, Mr. Kin Moon as the president of Africa in 2010. It is therefore a foregone conclusion that Asomdwe Hene Fifii Atta Mill will be retained come 2012 general election.

Long live Ghana; long live President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills!

Paul Atitsogbui (Hildamamaa@yahoo.com)