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Opinions of Thursday, 27 October 2016

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

I offer to debate President Mahama on any public forum

President John Mahama President John Mahama

President Mahama, probably out of fears of being exposed for having many scary skeletons in his cupboard, categorically refused the invitation by the IEA to present himself for 2016 Presidential debate they had intended for some aspiring presidential candidates.

He did not offer any tangible reason for refusing the invitation to attend the debate which could have given Ghanaians the chance to know and understand the plans of their aspiring future leaders and how they could use such plans to help better the living standards of all Ghanaians.

All that I read and could hear and read from some NDC members and supporters of President Mahama and the NDC was that, the IEA is biased; they favour the NPP hence President Mahama should not present himself for any public scrutiny through the debate.

“Adie ankye, adie ansa” (in less than no time), but truly after several months, President Mahama and NDC for no apparent reason, are drumming the message of willingness to debate only Nana Akufo Addo but probably on their own dubious terms and conditions.

Who is the convenor of the debate? Is it President Mahama himself, the NDC or who, I want to know. Why has President Mahama now had a change of mind to be so desperate to debate Nana Akufo Addo?

As dubious and cunning the NDC have always been, Nana Akufo Addo is no longer interested in debating President Mahama on his (President Mahama’s) own terms. It is too late for President Mahama, after probably consulting with his juju men, although a Christian of Baptist Church that he claims to be, with my own senior at former Kumawu Tweneboa Kodua Secondary School as his pastor, to come back to desperately want to hold a public debate with Nana Akufo Addo.

However, I, Rockson Adofo, will offer him the opportunity for the public to hear what he has to say to them through a public debate. I am ready to engage him in a debate on any public forum of his choice but on the mutual terms of both of us.

He will set half of the questions and I will set the other half. We shall both be the convenors of the debate with the auditorium or arena paid for by the government.

He should be ready to be asked questions on how he finds Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the believed Ghanaian swindler of the 21st Century (duping Ghana out of GHC51.2 million) campaigning for him? Does he agree that Woyome stole from Ghana and if yes, what is he, combined President and presidential candidate, doing to retrieve the money from Woyome in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling directing Woyome to pay the money back to the State because he obtained it fraudulently?

President Mahama will be queried to explain why his government is disproportionately full of only members of his northern extraction to the detriment of the other tribes from the other parts of Ghana?

He will be asked why he keeps shuffling and promoting his corrupt Ministers and Government appointees when they are caught to have committed financial crimes instead of sacking and/or prosecuting them?

On the economic issues, he will be questioned on SADA and others on their relevance to the economic emancipation of the nation knowing how corrupt these organizations headed by people he had, or had helped to, appoint?

Why should trees be planted in the dry season in the north knowing the scorching Sun there will not be merciful to their flourishing?

Why was GHC33 million given to a company and person of his choice to rear guinea fowls in the north only to have nothing to show to the people of Ghana as accruing from the investment, but only to be told that the guinea fowls had flown to Burkina Faso to return to Ghana no more? Does this not make him, President Mahama, a corporate criminal and a thief, he will be asked.

He will be asked to prove why he is not incompetent, clueless and corrupt. He will be questioned on how he thinks his one pupil/student one tablet or e-reader with doing away with paper reading/textbooks from schools is feasible?

I shall ask him many simple questions and I hope he will not be fumbling for words to explain or answer them intelligently.

I would not like to see him slurring when I ask, are you corrupt Mr President, or have you ever been corrupt whether as President, Member of Parliament or an ordinary person.

I am sure President Mahama and the NDC will not turn my offer down only to come later begging me to grant them a one for one public debate as they are currently forcing it on Nana Akufo Addo, the Ghanaian version of the biblical Joseph and David in the making.

The ball is now bouncing in the court of President Mahama and the NDC.

Lest I forget, he will be questioned on why the NDC and he, do support Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Chairperson of the EC, on every policy or suggestion she puts across no matter how repulsive and unthinkable it may be to the majority of Ghanaians and all the other political parties. Are they in bed with her to rig the upcoming election for them?

On that day, trust me, President “Mentie Obiaa Ede bii keke” Mahama beye hot”. Rockson Adofo will not spare him. He will put him through the oven and if he comes out at the other end of the conveyor belt, without singeing, he will sparkle and then be a credible leader worthy to be voted for. However, he will surely come out in a bundle of ashes as he cannot withstand the heat. He will be sweating, or if not burnt beyond recognition, trust me.

Rockson Adofo