Akufo Addo’s first month in office - What has changed?

Asks Dr. J K Bokor

Folks, the fanfare that ushered Akufo-Addo into office on January 7, 2017 has subsided. Right in front of him is the screen that showcases the Ghanaian conundrum (why his predecessors couldn't solve problems to make Ghana the paradise that he thinks he can turn it into in 4 years---even when Rawlings had almost 20 years to do so but couldn't, when Nkrumah spent 15 years trying to do so only to be booted out for not succeeding, and when others had 8 or more years but failed).

The speed with which Akufo-Addo nominated his appointees to help him run the affairs of government seems to be raising some dust instead of moving his agenda forward, especially with the bribery scandal dogging his trusted pal, Boakye Agyarko, and the needlessly childish and undisciplined behaviour of Otiko Afisa Djabah that has cast a long shadow on everything.

Even before that shadow gets properly shaped, underhand moves have come to notice----the increase in prices of commodities, utility services, and many others that one would least associate with an Akufo-Addo administration barely a month into service, having all along told Ghanaians that no increment in tariffs or whatever would be done once the voters kicked out John Mahama.

Let's even not talk about the deteriorating rate of the Ghanaian Cedi against foreign currencies, especially the US Dollar. Since Akufo-Addo took over, the Cedi has lost value and is now well pegged at 4.4 something to the US Dollar, which wasn't so at the time that Mahama lost the elections.

How is Akufo-Addo faring now? He has sworn into office those nominees approved by the Appointments Committee (a mere window-dressing) and created the impression that he is on course to implement policies to make the difference between his government and its predecessors. Hurray to high hopes!!

He has begun removing from office public officials appointed by his predecessor(s). Nothing strange to write home about here. It is the norm. Behind it all is a campaign to sustain the "NPP's rally-ground political rhetoric", which is being spearheaded by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice president, whose status is threatened by that of Yaw Osafo-Marfo (dubbed as "Senior Minister"), the prime-mover of the Akyem mafia.

Persistent public utterances to denigrate the Mahama administration comes to mind. Whether it is about the economy or state assets, the rhetoric suggests that the NPP team is still fixated on political grandstanding.

Thus, Dr. Bawumia says the Mahama administration hid information about 7 billion Cedis, a shortfall that will hurt the NPP administration; state property have been stolen by operatives of the Mahama administration (as is woefully being justified by the unwarranted attack on Kofi Adams and the dragging away of vehicles, and many more).

Meantime, operatives of the NPP are on the rampage, attacking state institutions (or others, including public toilets and toll booths) and locking up offices, threatening just anybody not in their camp, and behaving as if the coming into office of Akufo-Addo is the trump-card that they need to play in their effort to turn Ghana into whatever they have in their demented minds. Many more issues staring at us for comment. So, as of now, what exactly is the direction that Akufo-Addo has moved Ghana? Nothing particularly clear. No clear departure from the known trajectory; no drastic policy change to prove that an Akufo-Addo administration is ready for action to do what its predecessors failed to do.

It's all talk, talk, talk, and the flexing of muscles. A mere show of power/force, which Ghanaians haven't seen before. What exactly has changed since Akufo-Addo took over on January 7? Your question, my question, folks!! My answer? Nothing but the irresponsible behaviour of NPP hoodlums (especially those constituted into the obnoxious "Invisible Forces" rampaging all over the place to very soon become a national security problem.

Ask me what I expect and I will tell you that I don't see anything new to prove that the "interrectuals" will do better than those we've had hitherto. I remain the "prophet of doom" until proved otherwise by the performance of the holier-than-thou elements now wielding political power in Ghana.

Mind you, I will return if anything drastically important happens to prove that this Akufo-Addo administration will do things in ways and means that we haven't seen before. Until then, it is all "dukadaya" ("the same old story") as my Hausa friends will put it.