General News of Sunday, 5 March 2023

Source: peacefmonline.com

People died because of you, you never cared - Dennis Miracles replies Mahama

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President play videoDennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President

Dennis Miracles Aboagye, Director of Local Government Services at the Office of the President, has fired at former President John Dramani Mahama over his bid for another term in office.

Former President John Mahama has launched his campaign and promised to effect major changes if elected President of Ghana during the 2024 elections.

During the launch of his campaign which took place in the Cedi Auditorium at the University of Health and Allied Sciences at Ho in the Volta Region on Thursday, March 2, Mr. Mahama promised to scrap the payment of ex-gratia under Article 71 to members of the Executive saying “the payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped. The necessary Constitutional steps to take this will start in earnest in 2025. We will also persuade members of the other arms of government to accept its removal”.

He also promised to restore trust in State institutions by addressing “issues pertaining to the exercise of powers of the President, proper separation of powers, strengthening of Parliament, restoring the independence of the judiciary, independent and quasi-state institutions and depoliticizing them".

John Mahama argued that Ghana’s current situation requires a leader with experience like him.

“Ghana needs experience and not experiment. Ghana needs a leader who will hit the ground running on 7 January 2025", he said, adding "Ghana needs a leader who will not be given an orientation and excursion through the Flagstaff House – the seat of government. Ghana used to be the shining light on the continent of Africa and I am of the strongest conviction that we can attain those heights again. I believe it and we’ll lead by example”.

But Dennis Miracles is least enthused about the seeming second coming of John Mahama.

He reminded Ghanaians of Mr. Mahama's track record, alluding to when he refused to pay nurses and teacher-trainees allowances, the era of dumsor and the return of cash and carry system in the health sector under the Mahama leadership among other things that plunged Ghanaians into abject sufferings and hardships.

"Our health insurance was destroyed. In this country, they threw the card somewhere when you go to the hospital. Everybody knew about it. Are we going to pretend? You left a health insurance bill in excess of about 2.5 billion in this country. Are we going to pretend that it wasn't so? In the midst of dumsor when we had no lights, you increased electricity bills. Are we going to pretend?", he exclaimed on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show.

He continued; "This is even not what worries me a lot. What disturbs me is when, in our difficult times when we shared our concerns, you insulted us by telling us that you are a dead goat. In fact, there was a particular time you told us that even if you will go into opposition for doing the things you are doing, you will do it and go into opposition. You never cared about us. You never bothered about us. You were never worried about the people. People died. People lost their jobs."

He asked Ghanaians not to make a mistake to bring back John Mahama because, to him, he is "the person we are not sure about how you are going to treat us. So, you, John Dramani Mahama is the experiment".