FRONT PAGE COMMENT: Kufuor, do what you have to do

PRESIDENT Kufuor is a gentleman extraordinaire. His admirers call him the Gentle Giant.

Since he assumed the highest office of the land in January 2001, he has behaved himself accordingly- dignity, decorum, humility and has displayed a high sense of urgency towards his work.

Human as he is, President Kufour has had his faults, yes we agree. Many would cite his many travels outside the country, the botched operations by his security chieftains leading to several embarrassing incidents (the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) invitation to the wife of former Vice President Atta Mills, the arrest of Tsatsu Tsikata at Church, the Odinga Oginga’s arrest and others), the Fast Track court issue et al to buttress this point. But of a whole, no one has heard this man hurl unprintable insults, effusions and alarmist statements at his opponents on any platform he has mounted, be it national or international.

Even as Candidate Kufour during the campaign period, never once was he recorded to have made carping remarks about his political opponents. At a time when those he was challenging for political power were working themselves into lather to retain the Castle and did everything humanly possible to achieve their end goals, this man chose the high road of decency instead of muddying the waters.

Eighteen months down the road, things have not gone very well as expected. The economy is still in a near convulsing state, even though credible efforts have been made by this administration to stabilise the macro-economic environment, which was in a highly advanced state of disrepair. High cost of living and low living standards juxtaposed with the campaign promises by the NPP has without doubt raised the temperature in the country. Emotion among the populace is running thin. Tension is gradually building up creating the infrastructure for anarchy. But it is in situations as related above that Statesman is needed, if anything at all to assuage feelings.

Instead of jumping into the fray to score cheap political points, ex-President Rawlings if he had good advisers could easily have helped tone down the tension that has built up. If even he chose to wear his political hat, he could have said what he said without unnecessarily inflaming passions.

Unfortunately, and sad to relate he chose rather to stoke the flames. The National Concord believes that it would be irresponsible at a time like this in national history for anyone to attack or defend unthinkingly or because partisan identification is one’s supreme interest.

We also strongly believe that it is not responsible or right for ex-President Rawlings to shrink from offering thoughtful criticism when and to whom it is due, and the consequences of incompletely understanding perceived failures of governance are potentially catastrophic. The way you choose to say it and the intention or motive behind it means a lot. And there is the rub. Rawlings has a legacy that could loom large if care is taken. In all that President Kufor also has hindsight to learn from.

During his campaign for President and on assumption of office President Kufuor promised to make security one of the mainstays of his Presidency. In his words “ I would do everything possible to ensure that I serve my full term as President.”

The National Concord is very sure that the Kufuor administration with the loyal support of his security captains would do everything in his power to stop any adventurer from seizing power through a coup d’etat. But as President of Ghana, the National Concord believes Kufour owes the good people of this country a duty and an obligation to do everything constitutionally acceptable to safeguard our nascent democracy. In deed this is a constitutional obligation he swore to undertake. Article 57 (1) states: “There shall be a President of the Republic of Ghana who shall be the Head of State and Head of Government and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ghana.” The Armed Forces of Ghana includes the Army, the Navy, the Air force, the Police Service, which includes the BNI et al and as Commander-In-Chief, the buck stops with him.

By extension the 1992 Constitution makes him (Resident Kufour) the watchful guardian of our national security.

Whether Rawlings’statements were potentially treasonable is not for us to say. What the National Concord would like to say however is that as the watchful guardian of our national security, President Kufuor owes it to all Ghanaians and posterity to do everything constitutionally acceptable to protect and safeguard our democracy.

So we call on PRESIDENT KUFUOR TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. IT HAS COME TO THAT.

National Concord