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Opinions of Friday, 3 August 2012

Columnist: Nyantakyi, Kojo

President Mills Left Us With Sorrow And Deceit

By Kojo Nyantakyi, Toronto-Canada

July 24th would remain cursed in the annals of Ghanaian history for that was the day Ghanaians and those around the world received the shock wave with the sudden death of President Mills. This sudden news completely devastated his supporters and his most acerbic critics as well.
One of the old adages in life is never judge someone until you meet them, I didn't like President Mills and members of his government while he was vice president but when I met him in 2006, I found him likeable and a person determined to do something better for Ghana. My opinion of him from then changed.
President Mills was gentle, respectful and likeable person who will not just be remembered for his presidency but the exceptional service he rendered to the nation as civil servant; sportsman and an educator. He was a man of impeccable character and integrity but one will wonder why he was surrounded by deceivers and opportunists. As we mourn the death of our dear president we also have to berate those who deceived Ghanaians to believe that it was all well with the president.
President Mills did well enough to include the youth in his government but the type he got have been nothing but trouble to the nation, they deceive, lie and now betraying the country by helping complainants claim judgement debts.
Just 4 weeks (June 25) after the infantile showboating of clean bill of health at the Kotoka International Airport where the president was urged on by his handlers to jump from the middle of the airstairs to the ground; jogged on the tarmac for a while; Ghanaians were hit with the sad news of his death. Every Ghanaian is traumatized and somebody must own up to this tragedy. Even up till now the official report of his death has still not been made available to the nation. The few pieces of data that is around are bitty, chaotic and lacking cohesion.
The failure to divulge his illness which members of his handlers thought will threaten to ruin his presidency is unethical and virtue ethics maintains that deceiving is morally wrong. When individuals decide to run for elected office, they sacrifice part of their private lives. Ghanaians should have been informed of the President’s illness and the traumatic news could have been averted. My recollections of former Presidents suggest that the Ghana presidency requires an exceptional level of energy but his handlers managed to hide his illness and urged him on to live his normal political life. As an experienced clinician, I can perceive the drudgery and torcher these deceivers put our late president into until he had absolutely no energy left for deception.
To recall few deceits, the president left the country on November 12, 2011, for "a two week official visit" to Canada to be followed by "a two week vacation" in the United States according to Daily Graphic. The president returned to Ghana on the Dec 9, 2012 only to leave on Dec 25 for US supposedly on business trip. This is important time where the high echelon of power in Washington and all business tycoons are on holidays.
In early June there was communal violence between Ewes and Fantes at Ekumfi Narkwa in the Central Region. In the Northern Region, Kokombas and Bimobas clashed over the ownership of a parcel of land at Kpamale, a village near Nankpanduri. In Hohoe in the Volta Region was on fire with Moslems and Ewes fighting over the exhumation of the body of the Chief Imam. At this time the nation wanted the president to take action to calm down the tempestuous situation in the country but it was rumoured that the president was in very serious health crisis. His handlers however denied that fact and maintained that the president wanted designated officials to deal with the situation.
On the campaign front, Okudzeto Ablakwa, Fiifi Kwetey, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Nii Lantei Vanderpuiye, Chief of Staff John Martey Newman, Deputy propaganda secretary, Solomon Nkansah, Alex Segbefia, all stated the President was ready to campaign and win 2012 election. The NDC Propaganda Secretary, Richard Quashigah said the President would only be waving without speaking at rallies. Koku Anyidaho claimed the President would campaign, Nii Lantey insisted the president would stay at the office and work. Bunch of liars!
This pattern of lying has fundamentally undermined the credibility of these people. They have consistently lied to the nation, please President Mahama, “rid us of this turbulent” deceivers.
May the soul of our beloved departed president rest in peace..