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Opinions of Friday, 27 June 2014

Columnist: Yawose, John

Posterity to condemn NDC two-faced tribal politics

The other day in an article captioned – ‘Ashanti Region is a cow and the other regions are other animals’- I challenged verminous loudmouths Murtala Muhammed, Kofi Wayo, Joseph Jammin, Allotey Jacobs, Sampson Ahi and NDC as a whole for variously describing Ashanti region MPs and people of Ashanti who demonstrated some three weeks ago, against the hardships being experienced by Ashanti Region and the fact that the region was being neglected as: criminals, saboteurs, riff-raffs and called on the government to put its feet down and crack down on and arrest the demonstrators. According to them the agitators were making the country ungovernable and doing tribal politics because it is so dangerous for the unity of the state. Later on, Kwasi Pratt, a treacherous and agelong Asante heritage executioner not uncharacteristically joined in the condemnation fray.

.I asked questions, especially as to why it should be regarded as a mark of sabotage when Ashanti Region should agitate through their MPs against the abandonment of major projects like Sofo Line Interchange, Kumasi Airport, NHIS capitation and other neglected projects in the region together with hardships associated with the infamous and almost perennial –dumsor phenomenon. I entreated them to loosen-up or relax and seek to be fair to Asantes and Asante Region in this regard to the extent that the latter broke no regulation by their conduct and that they rather expressing their democratic rights enshrined in the constitution just as people of any region could do freely.

I have come back to the subject- encouraged by some significant happenings this week. Now, just last sunday, the media reported that -Volta Chiefs hit President Mahama with a demo - President Mahama had paid an unannounced visit to Volta Region to water down on a planned demo by Voltarians. Togbi Anikpi , Togbe Afede, the youth of Ho and Voltarians generally had expressed worry that Voltarians are being neglected and being taken for a monkee ride by the NDC government and that Ho dual carriageway, Eastern Corridor, Volta Regional Police Headquarters, Ho water project and other regional projects are virtually abandoned in the government scheme of things. They asked authoritatively whether they are not part of Ghana. I learn, a massive demo slated for the following Wednesday on the regional neglect was on the table.

I expect Kofi Wayo, Murtala Muhammed, Kwasi Pratt and their bunch of wicked mouths to be consistent in their reckonings and come again and describe Voltarians as saboteurs and criminals who are doing tribal politics and making dangerous statements to threaten the peace of Ghana.and seeking to isolate Volta Region from the rest of the country and therefore call on the security forces to arrest Togbe Afede and his people just as they unjustly charged on Asante Region MPs and people of Kumasi.

These wicked mouths are now ‘mumu’ bathing in villainous perfidy and mischievous rabble rousing against Asante Region for their selfish political interests. Two egded
Of course, President Mahama the divisionist, is in the same Jacuzzi bath in the villainous treachery and the hypocritical stance. In fact it would have been news if he is not seen to be part of the display. It would have been unnatural. Listening to Mahama speeches directly in front of Togbe Afede and Voltarians to calm them during the visit, Mahama talked with respect and humbleness as President of Ghana which surprised me.

Listen to Mahama – ‘‘I am pleased that I came here today and I am very appreciative of your frankness in talking about your frustrations. It does not anger me. It rather makes me understand that there is more that we should do to make our intentions known’’ – shieee, is that Mahama talking? The degree of deference and his total demeanour throughout the visit was couched in humility and due regard to the feelings and aspirations of Voltarians. I applaud him but why did President Mahama not tell Voltarians his famous statements that—Yentie obiaa: Akoko sa te sen den a enye akoroma fe and all that distasteful jazz? The setting really deserved those statements but President Mahama realised that in his exalted position he had to calm down and speak as a statesman, which he did.
So why can’t NDC/Mahama extend such courtesies to Asante Regional people anytime he deals with them? When it comes to Asante Region’s turn its all contempt, disrespect and a show of arrogance by Mahama and his appointees. And they expect Asantes to keep quiet and stomach all this. President Mahama has clearly demonstrated he cares about the inconvenience and frustrations of commuters at Senchi and Adidome-Ho. As President, why can’t he show equal understanding to commuters at Nsawam-Suhum and Sofo Line? I condemn President Mahama’s two-faced position.

The Asante Region NDC top-dogs, don’t you see this and advise your NDC colleagues and commentators to calm down with Asante sentiments - Dr Opuni, Kojo Bonsu, Dr. Agyeman Mensah, Yamoah Ponko, Gabby Assuming, Brogya Gyamfi, Piesie, (PV Obeng), Sarpong Mensa, etc where are you? These stomach politicians should wake up to the realities about the treatment given to their own people.

The aftermath of the 19th June 2014 barbaric killing of Na Andani Dasana and four others in the Bimbilla palace attack in the NR, is another case in point which depicts the NDC and their agents’ two-faced positions in national politics.

The gruesome murder of Dasani had the following ingredients: -- He was an Overlord of Bimbilla, he was attacked and killed in his palace, he was the target of long drawn-out chieftaincy clashes, there was security failure. And we are reminded of the YaNa 2002 murder which had similar ingredients but NDC, then in opposition charged Kufuor administration of staging the YaNa murder and politicised the situation which later was accommodated in NDC election manifestoes in three elections in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

Are we now to say NDC murdered Dasani in Bimbilla last month? I salute the opposition NPP for acting maturely and responsibly in commenting on the Dasani gruesome murder.
Kwasi Pratt, Sam Okujeto Bernard Monah etc are sober in their commentaries and urging the people of Nanum to exercise restraint and called on the NDC administration to live up to their responsibilities and justify the trust the people have placed in them so that each of us can go to sleep without thinking of anyone harming us. In contrast, they acted maliciously and viciously with Kufuor administration with Yana. Ex-President JJ Rawlings danced Azonto with YaNa. He and his NDC should bow down their heads in shame with their two-faced stance in Bimbila Na issue.

When there was a sinking boat disaster whereby many commuters sank on Volta Lake in Kufuor’s era, Voltarians agitated against Kufuor’s neglect of the needs of Voltarians and Hon Joe Gidisu, MP stated officially rather preposterously, divisively and provocatively in parliament that, Kufuor had deliberately refused to put in measures to prevent such disasters in pursuance of NPP deliberate Ewe ethnic-cleaning agenda. NPP took it coolly.

In Mills’ era a more serious boat disaster occurred on the same Volta Lake and as many as 36 commuters died. On 14th June 2014, another boat disaster on the Volta Lake at Tokroase claimed 18 lives. Just three days ago 9 fishermen are feared dead in another boat disaster in Tapa Abotoase incident. So where are Hon Joe Gidisu and his evilish commentators? Are NDC on ethnic cleaning agenda? And in all these, NPP have remained matured, focused and responsible in their utterances to stay clear of politicization of the issues and in the process exposed NDC separatist and two-faced positions in national situations. How I wish NDC go back to opposition to do general reflection about their behaviour as a political party and learn about remorse, penitence and patience and stop the pollution of Ghana politics of their tension-packed criticisms which are clearly borne out of hatred, jealousy, envy and deep-seated anti-Ashanti sentiments.

I contend that NDC have inflicted great damage to our body politic and posterity will condemn them forever. Is it any wonder, they get the power all right with their fraudulent politics but they can’t rule. They are empty.

John Yawose