General News of Thursday, 18 March 2010

Source: Daily Guide

Editorial: Things Fall Apart

The centre appears not to be holding and things are expectedly falling apart as most Ghanaians ask “what is happening?”

This description of the Ghanaian situation might be unwelcome to the palate of National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists for whom realism is anathema.

The situation at stake is about the security of Ghana, and for us, this calls for candour and level-headedness on the part of those given the temporary charge of affairs.

The team in charge has not showed signs of being on top of the various departments, the fallout of which is the unsavoury situation we find ourselves in.

The National Security Advisor-led delegation to Manhyia might have secured the “all-clear” assurance from the Otumfuo, but this is only a lull. The underlying cause of what culminated in the near security breakdown has not been adequately managed, leaving us with a volcano-like lull waiting to release its hot contents on another day.

The Otumfuo’s rare outburst was not a dress rehearsal for a passing-out-parade in a military training institution, but a real expression of disgust by a King whose strategic position in the country should not be toyed with by any president.

His Akwasidae remark that Asantes are being victimized at various public departments should not be ignored. It still stands and even if he nods “yes” to a request to let bygone be bygones, we should be reflective. Has the President interrogated the King’s worry?

President Mills’ campaign remarks and those following it, including his actions, have muddied the political waters in no small measure.

As we compose this editorial, a section of Dagombas are awaiting the fulfillment of his promise to identify and arrest the killers of the Dagbon Overlord.

The Ga State is a divided one, thanks to government openly taking sides in a matter in which it should have ordinarily steered clear of.

We are waiting for when President Mills would make his announcement about who, between the Asantehene and the Techimanhene, he would go with.

An NDC activist flayed the demand, explaining that it was unfair for the President to be offered such options. He explained further that the President is after all a father for all Ghanaians.

We beg to differ here because a President cannot be a father for all when he directs government appointees to open their doors to NDC supporters and members.

He cannot be father for all when chiefs installed before he came to power are treated like lepers in a leprosarium and when Army potential recruits are turned away, simply because they were processed during the tenure of the previous government.

There is a certain degree of eeriness in the air and it is worrying as government fumbles and wobbles. Who born dog?