You are here: HomeOpinionsArticles2011 12 12Article 225417

Opinions of Monday, 12 December 2011

Columnist: Amponsah, Jerry

Gay Issue: Mills, better respond the U.S. from New York!!!

“MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,” as fresh as it is; as near as he
is; as exigent as it is, too: Tell President Mills to sort it out with
President Barack Obama before he comes back home to probably fire back – or
else, it will be dead on arrival if he chooses the second option.

He is dead seeking to play it safe: Sweeping it under the
rug and hoping no one will notice his extreme silence in the U.S. He either
fire back – or play dumb!

Maybe the tortoise can provide President Mills with some
advice. He should better deal with Mr. Obama’s directive here in the New York. Or he
has some
very heavy baggage to take with him to Ghana.

The attention-grabbing President Mills has recently proven
to his people –through tough political gamesmanship – that he is truly “in
charge” of Ghanaians affairs. In spite, of the extreme pressures from the
opposition over his recent whereabouts, he bemoaned while taking a “rest” in New
York that he is
still in the race – and coming out fiercely to confirm his Friday, December 2
meeting with the UN boss Ban Ki-Moon.
He has even shown to his people that, with his political
macho, he can fire even regardless on the planet he finds himself – branding
himself as a very combative leader.

What Mills has forgotten is that one cannot eat his cake and
have it back: After the blistering attack against the “Western masters,” he
still “holiday,” “rest,” and seek medical treatment in the Western world –
after bludgeoning your own medical system. Not to mention the recent doctors
strike that took away precious lives.

Common Prof, be real!

When the British Prime Minister David Cameron made his case
on the gay rights in Africa, the avuncular President, Atta Mills, braggadocios
fired a salvo from Accra sending a strong signal that British can take away
their pounds sterling: “Britain cannot tell Ghana, a sovereign nation, what to
do, adding that the country would not in any way legalize homosexuality. … UK can
keep its aid if it would attach such conditionalities,” shrugging off the bluff
of PM Cameron.

Political pundits, however, perceived his remarks as a
rhetorical trick – which will eventually become his 2012 campaign pitch.

Mills’s fatwa – who venerate him – congratulated their
chosen-god for a job well done; exhibiting an amazing political showmanship.

Albeit, gay issue has become very crucial, yet the nation’s
leader is only treating it with a wishy-washy attitude and playing politics
with it without a bill to parliament for a debate. As a renowned Law Professor,
he has just being only rhetorical than getting the right thing done. He has
made no intellectually definite position, propose a solution and act on this
much-concerned issue – but canoodles the situation.

Even more telling is that his anger even propelled him to a
higher power to flex muscles and bashing the Western masters on the
international scene, through Canada,
declaring, “a new kind of leadership is emerging in Africa
and he would strive ….” He acted just like Kwame Nkrumah seeking Africa’s liberation
– indeed, defining himself as an
ultimate African Union’s leader in a secret war with the Westerners.

But President Mills – who has demonstrated hysterical hatred
against the Western invention – is tightlipped, playing dumb over President
Obama’s fresh announcement on rights for gays in relation to aid. It looks like
he is leaving his people in the dark while living it up in the U.S.

In a memorandum issued on Tuesday, December 06, President
Obama made it cut and stone, directing U.S. agencies working abroad,
including the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International
Development, to use foreign aid to assist gays and lesbians who are facing
human rights violations.

"The struggle to end discrimination against lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender persons is a global challenge, and one that is
central to the United States'
commitment to promoting human rights," Obama said in a statement.

According to White House, Tuesday's announcement marked the
first U.S.
government strategy to combat human rights abuses against gays and lesbians
abroad. President Obama has declared
deadpanned that the United States will not kowtow when governments
commit or allow abuses to the human rights of LGBT people.

Is Ghana’s
President going to shake off the new blueprint from Washington:
“Ensure that U.S.
diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the rights of LGBT people?

This foreign aid helps the much-tanked economy. Records show
that US is the biggest Ghana’s
foreign donor:

Through US
government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), toward improving
agricultural productivity and food security, in 2011 alone, Ghana has
benefited from $547m. In July this year, U.S. Trade and Development Agency
(USTDA) has given $600,000 to Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) to refurbish
the passenger terminal at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

Ghanaians are obsessed with your long silence – do something
before you fly back!

The people voted for you partly after imitating the then
promising candidate Barack Obama: “CHANGE”!

Now, President Obama, as tough as he is, has gigantically
walked his talk. President Mills, don’t take the people for a ride – walk like
a champion. Now, all eyes on you.

The US
fresh gay-aid threat, as reported, has even provoked a harsh and fetid response
from your “Team B” foulmouthed Deputy Information Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa:
“Obama can go to hell!”

What Okudzeto refuses to admit is that the “hell” is the
present Ghana
created by the Mills-Mahama government.

You orated in Ghana;
you orated in Canada.
Now, Mr. President, you are in U.S.,
do it – and do it good!

Now, he has pulled the plug while he ducks in the U.S. He may
secretly run down home to react after a marathon meetings and coaching. And
that is exactly what political experts think: President Atta Mills is playing
it cool until he returns to Ghana – on a safer ground – and release his piece
of mind – strongly!

Jerry Amponsah (Sabbato)
Communication Group
NPP – New York