100 Days Exit Of Mills And Entry Of Mahama

Thursday, November 1, 2012, officially marked the 100 days of the demise of the late president, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills from this planet earth for eternity. 100 Days Exit Of Mills And Entry Of Mahama
Thursday, November 1, 2012, officially marked the 100 days of the demise of the late president, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills from this planet earth for eternity. Coincidentally, that same day marks the 100 days of the entry of former vice president, Mr. John ‘The Goodluck’ Dramani Mahama also as incoming caretaker president. The writer does not need to bother readers as to how Ghanaians and the world watched the unique but solemn change over process and how they were glued to their television sets and radios. We were lucky because there were no slips of tongue as before except that as a result of nervousness, he was caught up with too much excitement that he nearly landed himself in the vice presidential seat after the swearing in ceremony. However, he was re-directed after a quick correction to occupy the presidential seat to allow the function to proceed. As you read this piece today, nobody understands why he has opted not to relocate from his existing office to occupy the late master’s office. Meanwhile, tongues still keep wagging for the clues and certainly, one day, not too distant from now, the truth shall pop up like cork suppressed or submerged under water. The rest is now history for posterity.
SHOCKING NEWS ABOUT MILLS’ DEATH
Ghanaians woke up one Tuesday, July 24, 2012 to be flashed in the face that our president was no more. How? Only God knows best. This shocking news was aired by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Henry Martey Newman, some minutes past lunch time and emphasized that the death occurred at the 37 Military Hospital at 1415 hours in Accra. Immediately after the announcement, as if by design or telepathy, almost all the radio and television stations had been hypnotized; each kept repeating the ‘BREAKING NEWS” chorus as if they were right at the bedside to catch a glimpse of him in pains and to record his last message to Ghanaians before he gave up the ghost. News came through again that the replacement ceremony would take place at 20.00 hours that fateful Tuesday night at the Parliament House. The author does not need a soothsayer to predict the kind of funeral mood that was to ensue to bind us all as one nation, one people with common destiny devoid of partisanship.

GHOST TOWN
By 6.00 p.m. almost all the streets of Accra had been ridden of vehicular traffic, because many shopkeepers and traders closed very early. In fact everybody wanted to get home quickly to glue to the radio or watch the television. That day became historic since it was the first in Ghana’s history for a sitting head of state to die while in office. Also, the curiosity with which most people wanted to learn about the death was the main catalyst that sent them home ahead of time. The whole country; the regional capitals, district and even the hamlets where one could get a television and/or listen to radio in connection with that function was not left off without being gripped with sorrowful fever. The ceremony finally dawned at 20.32 hours. Ghanaians actually believed in their eyes that their beloved president had died when the then vice was elevated from the second spot to the top. The speculations surrounding or pertaining to his sudden death was anybody’s guess. One school of thought said he was poisoned, while another said he died naturally; but when people spotted him in an alleged Ford Explorer 4x4 vehicle, that conveyed the half-dead or dying man to the hospital with blood oozing from both nose and mouth, tensions grew high and speculations became rife. Rumours were all over the place as to how the late professor died, and whether it had an atom of truth or not, we had to believe it, absorb the shock and gear up for the funeral.
JOHN MILLS’ EXIT
The irony of it all was that he had earlier on Saturday, July 21, 2012, prior to his death on Tuesday, feted some group of journalists including some ‘rented’ press to a garden party on the occasion of his 67th birthday at the Osu Castle. That garden party surely must have both been the most enjoyable and sorrowful one that the almighty Koku Anyidohu and the all-conquering Nii Lante Vanderpuye, presidential spokesman and special aide to the ‘old man’ did their best and worst that would never ever be surpassed again in their lives. Reliable sources attest that they showed their guests where power actually lay. But where are they now? They have gone to the oblivion and never to resurface because, no condition was ever permanent. The poor voice and nasal dysfunction of the big man’s speech could tell any right thinking person that it would not be long he would pass on but how soon, was the multi-million question, so when the managers who should know better failed in their duty and forced him to go the extra mile to Mamprobi (Accra) to unveil the commissioning of a school block named after him and other energy-sapping assignment over the weekend, finally broke the camel’s back. When they noticed that he had developed bad nasal voice not befitting a president, there and then, quickly, conjured the magic wand to ignite the dynamite with a deadly blow. However, your guess could be as good as mine, as the unexpected happened when least expected. But one would dare ask, where was the ADC and what function did he perform till he was rushed to the hospital? The funeral and burial slated for August 10, had come and passed. The rest is however history. His Excellency John Mahama is now the president, whether Ghanaians like it or not. Until the elections on Friday, December 7 and thereafter till January 6, 2013, if he should be victorious, which is unlikely, he dictates the affairs of this country.
All said and done, ex-president Rawlings should be the saddest person in Ghana who must have cursed himself for not fielding a well diagnosed man from the touch line to succeed him when he exited. The Swedru Declaration that was hurriedly done should be a never-to-be-forgotten landmark that should never be repeated if he had the chance again. Mr. Rawlings’ expectations that his darling boy Mills would cause the arrest and detention of the opposition NPP members (who he thought had amassed wealth illegally but forgetting the mote in his eye) but disobeyed him to prove that he was his own man. Instead of ensuring that Rawlings’ wishes were quickly and periodically enforceable, he rather reneged and chose a stray route and this infuriated him the more. The Rawlingses wouldn’t have decided to field ‘Nana K’ to contest the late president, but for the abysmal and non-performing attitude of the deceased, that burning desire precipitated their action of July 2010 to be humiliated at the Sunyani Coronation Park. And truly, the kingpins, the managers and bloodhounds within the NDC knowing too well what was at stake, clandestinely disciplined the couple with that never-to- be-forgotten disgrace by dimming the microphones at the stadium to show they had power. They were presented with an undignified offer of 3.1% after the ballot count to represent the 31st December Movement that she herself founded. Why would insinuations and name calling as the barking toothless bulldog who had been ostracized and flushed out from the party to allow a sweet homecoming for everybody not be a worry to the founder?
JOHN MAHAMA’S ENTRY After 21.18 hours of that eventful ceremony of Tuesday, July 24, many were the skeptics who thought that ‘Jean Baptiste’ was going to be a different man altogether from Mills but not. Soon after, he mentioned that he would do all he could to retrieve the Woyome’s gargantuan fraud money for Ghanaians that put smiles back on our faces but rather turned out to be a hoax. ‘It was, as usual, political talk’ as has been the catchy word of the Akatamansonians. Many were those however who knew that since his master had previously surrounded himself with greedy bastards, he would do well to scrape and detach most of them and inject some confidence, discipline and little hope in the Ghanaian but the worse and worst performance has continued unabated. It was no wonder that his inaction to oust the so-called personalities prompted the founder, ex-president to call names such as old evil dwarfs, etc. If you had persons such as the Yaw Boateng Djans, Johnson Asiedu Nketiahs, the Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwas, the Yamins and hosts others still surrounding you in government and milking the nation dry till she fainted, why wouldn’t the ex-president have chance to vent his anger periodically? Followers of post-Mills events would not disagree that the demise of the former leader has rather given leeway for the greedy bastards to finish their relay race with the pant of breath left in them. Corruption of gargantuan proportion keeps unveiling itself day in and day out. Typical examples have been the arrest of 1.5 tons of cocaine that was busted in London recently, that, till now that you read this article, the NACOB boss, Yaw Akrasi Sarpong, does not feel ashamed to resign honourably to save face. His continued stay in government gives room for alleged complicity and no sane person would doubt this assertion. It is indeed a pity to have such men in authority because it seems, they wash their faces upwards. The most disgraceful aspect was the silly remark by the so-called co-ordinator of national security to justify his ignorance, ineptitude and irresponsibility and to infuriate us more.
THE DISGRACED DUO
The other shameful phenomenon was the arrest of a similar weight of cocaine in Germany; and has further dragged Ghana’s name in the mud – and it all happened in the Mills-Mahama government. Listen to Yaw’s bluff, ‘I’m considering resigning from my position if this news seemed to be true’. This nasty disservice to one’s country could only happen in Ghana and nowhere else in any civilized economy. The actions and inactions of party gurus, ministers and what have you, can never be relieved of their posts because, it is purported that John’s hands were tied to the apron strings that he cannot absolve himself from blame and shame. The reasons were the Korea STX Housing deal plus of course, the Sovereign Guarantee, Armajaro, the African Automotive Galloper scandal, CP’s €94m, the Embraer aircraft purchase, the Gruma Company of South Africa and the indescribable stigma in connection with the 250 Ghanaian medical students’ boarding/tuition and lodging in Cuba that was for free. As for him, it is being rumoured he has every hand or finger dipped in every pie. And because of the traditional Ghanaian hospitality, meekness and the “Fa ma Nyame syndrome” we would continue to lose huge sums of money down the drain and later pay through our noses. These, how -ever, are but a few of the catalogue of events that clearly and strictly undermine/ underpin the credibility of Prez. Mahama as one, who should still be entrusted with the mantle of this nation. Ghanaians should not make a mistake and never ever, allow him to continue to sit in the saddle by voting him out. Did Ghanaians hear a shallow mindset like Yaw Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, MCE for Ejisu-Juaben, on air leveling some derogatory remark about Nana Akufo Addo that, prior to the 2008 elections, he and his group, tried all they could, to eliminate President Mills of blessed memory but were unsuccessful, because God was with him. Does this not sound foolish enough and very puerile of him to have waited for so long till now? Was it political talk as well to win sympathy votes? Why did Yaw, who, allegedly, is on record to have been a replica of Gen. Acheampong’s ‘fa woto begye Golf appointment’ in Kumasi, turn round to slam this childish charge that does not hold water on Nana. Do we tolerate such an unsubstantiated allegation now that the Peace Council was preaching peace to avert any untoward incident before, during and after the crucial elections? A hollow mindset like Yaw Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh’s should never be entertained any longer by any discerning mind.
THE GH¢1.8m EMBEZZLEMENT
As a result of the loot of Ghana’s resources by politicians and unpatriotic technocrats, one Kennedy Kofi Poku has also decided to join the bandwagon to loot the State of some colossal sum of above. Being the lucky officer to be in charge of the Ghana Health Services stores for the Ashanti Region, Ken could not have stood th e heat much better than to help himself with the butter and bread facility at his disposal. Before one could say Jack, where are you, he had embezzled so much money that while the politicians and their cronies countrywide kept looting the state coffers deliberately, for fear of imminent change of government, he too was feeding fat elsewhere at his palace in his little kingdom.
GHANA’S HISTORY
The history of this country dating from 1912 would forever be replete until the names such as appear below were written in gold for posterity. There were in fact, many, many more names of very important personalities who have distinguished themselves and contributed in several diverse ways to make the Gold Coast/Ghana what it was today. Technically, time and space would not permit to enumerate the long list of names of persons who have done so much to deserve special commendations in their fields of endeavour. As the author struggles somehow to scribble some names, it is hoped that those whose names should obviously have been included but not, due to inadvertent oversight, would try to bear with him. As the curtains are pulled down, the very personalities whose names readily click have been shortlisted from the following categories – academia/education/clergy, judiciary – bench & bar, survey, engineering, banking and finance, science and technology, politics, military cum police, trade and commerce, chieftaincy, aviation, worldwide recognition and other related areas and does not necessarily mean they were the only ones who have excelled in their chosen fields but there were thousands of names who played very significant roles -
a) Academia/Education/Clergy
Dr. J. Kwegyir Aggrey, Prof. Alex A. Kwapong, Emeritus Prof. Albert Adu Boahen, Profs. Adzei Bekoe, J.H. Ofosu Amaah, Emeritus Prof. George Benneh, Profs. Mirinda Greenstreet, F.T. Sai, Dodoo and Worsunu. Then come the turn of Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, Archbishops Peter Akwasi Sarpong, George Palmer Buckle, Peter Dery, Peter Andoh, Most Rt.-Rev. Aboagye Mensah and Rt.-Rev. Asante Antwi in that order.
b) Judiciary – Bench & Bar
Justices Arku Korsah, E.C. Quist, S.A. Azu Crabbe, Nii Amaa Ollenu, Vincent Charles Roger Arthur Commey Crabbe, E.L. Bannerman, J. Annie Jiagge (Mrs.), E.N. Moore, F.K. Apaloo, D.F. Annan, Peter Ala Adjetey, Georgina Theodora Woode (Mrs.), Messrs S.A. Okudzeto, J.K. Agyeman, C.B.K. Zwennes, L. Quashie Idun, J. Kingsley Nyinah and E.M. Forster (Mrs.) the first female Ghanaian lawyer, complete the list.
c) Survey George Ekem Ferguson was the first son of the land to become a licensed surveyor in the colonial era to help undertake the general survey of the Gold Coast.
d) Engineering - Ing. E.L. Quartey, Ing. R.P. Baffour and Ing. J.V.L. Philips, were the names that clicked.
d) Banking & Finance Messrs J.H. Frimpong-Ansah, A.A. Adomako, Joseph Henry Mensah and J.S. Addo probably stand tall.
e) Aviation, Science & Technology Prof. Allotey of N.A.S.A. fame, Profs. Quartey, Francis Nkrumah, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the world acclaimed heart and vascular surgeon, Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, Dr. Awuah Asamoah of the W.H.O., Capt. Thomas Agyare, first Ghanaian and African aircraft pilot and Dr. E.R.K Dwemoh, first Ghanaian Director of Civil Aviation.
f) Politics This category comprises Dr. Paa Grant, Messrs. Mensah Sarbah, Jacob Wilson Sey, businessman and philanthropist, and of course J.P. Brown, publisher, were the nucleus of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society , founded in 1897; Drs. Kwame Nkrumah and J.B. Danquah, Messrs. E. O. Ako Adjei, E. Obetsebi Lamptey, Edward Akufo Addo, William Ofori Atta, Komla Agbeli Gbedema, J.A. Bawumia, J.A. Braimah, C.A. Tachie-Menson, J.H. Alhasani, L.R. Abavana, F.A. Jantuah, Kofi Abrefa Busia, Victor Owusu, S.G. Antor, Kojo Botsio, Kofi Baako, Krobo Edusei, J.E. Casley-Hayford, A.J. Dowuona Hammond, J.A. Benibenglor Blay, Dzenkle Djewu, S.D. Dombo, Jatoe Kaleo, B.K. Adama, Robert Reginald Amponsah, Dr. Gloria Nikoi, ‘Col’. Dr. Robert Gardiner and Joe Appiah of ‘Abaa ba se’ fame.
g) Military cum Police A tale of the military cannot be perfect without the mention of Sgt. Adjetey, Cpl. Attipoe and others who were shot in cold blood by the colonial guards on the 28 February Road incident of 1948 when the indigenes marched to present their petition to the governor at the Osu Castle. Major Anthony, however, tops the list of servicemen at that time, to be followed by Lt.-Gen. J.A. Ankrah, Lt.-Gens. S.J.A. Otu and M.A. Otu of the Army & Air Force, Major- Gen. D.C.K. Amenu, Lt.-Gen. E.A. Erskine of UNIFIL fame, Brigs. N.A. Aferi and N.A. Odartey-Wellington, Commissioner Erasmus Reginald Teye Madjitey, Inspector-Generals J.W.K. Harlley, Bawa Andani Yakubu and the rest.
h) Traditional Rulers/Chieftaincy In the case of chieftaincy, Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh I has been selected to top the list of the traditional rulers for the stiff opposition he and his predecessors gave to the colonial masters by waging constant wars with the British that enabled us to gain our independence ahead of time. Thereafter, Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, the Okyenhene, follows in that succession, with Nana Sir Tsibu Darku I, Nene Azu Mate Kole, Konor of Manya Krobo, Baffuor Osei Akoto, Nana Kwafo Akoto, Ya Na Yakubu Andani I, Nana Kobina Nketia II, Nii Amugi I, Nana Kwadwo Aduhene II and Daasebre Oti Boateng II, closing the docket.
i) Trade & Commerce
Personalities such as J. Anim Addo, whose gift house popularly called the Republic House was given to the Nkrumah regime for free. Also, notaries public like J.A. Addison of Ghacem fame, Samuel Christian Appenteng of Panbros Salt Industries, W.A. Wiafe of Novotex, Akenten Appiah Menka of Apino Soap, Mr. Kwabena Darko of Darko Farms, Madam Nkulenu of Nkulenu Industries, Dr. Esther Ocloo, an industrialist and Mr. B.A. Bentum, one time secretary-general of the Trades Union Congress make the mark.
International Recognition
Ghanaian personalities who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavour to qualify for the international hall of fame are Prof. Allotey of N.A.S.A. fame, Dr. Alex Quaison-Sackey, one time President of the United Nations General Assembly, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, cardio-vascular surgeon, Prof. Abena Kuenyehia of the International Criminal Court, The Hague, Lt.-Gen. E.A. Erskine, former Field Commander, United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the last but not the least, Ghana’s celebrity and personality of the 21st Century, His Excellency, Kofi Annan, two-term Secretary-General of the United Nations clinches the deal.
j) Arts & Culture/Sports
Dr. Ephraim Amu of ‘Yen ara asase ni’ fame, Mr. Philip Gbeho for the Ghana National Anthem, Mike Ahey, gold medalist at the Olympiad as well as Alice Anum, Ohene Frimpong, Floyd Klutei Robertson and D.K. Poison complete the list. Then comes the turn of the sports celebrity of the century, Mr. Ohene Djan of the Central Organization of Sports (COS), Messrs Kwasi Owusu, captain of the Black Stars, Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, the net breaker, Edward Acquah, J. Aggrey-Fynn, Rev. Osei Kofi, Mohammed Salisu, Abukari Gariba, Robert Mensah, Dogo Moro, Dodoo Ankrah and Chris Briandt.
Postscript: The author has carefully and analytically chosen his list of personalities from amongst a selection of fields that cut across the broad spectrum of different endeavours. Those who are out there – professors, doctors, farmers, fishermen, market women, traders, teachers, nurses, technocrats, architects, lawyers, engineers, scientists, industrialists, accountants, traditional rulers and what have you, please bid your time and bear with your humble writer that, that has not been his habit - all of you were equally a mine of wealth and an ocean of resourcefulness in your respective fields. You have not been deliberately left out but due to space and some constraint, it was rather inadvertence. Please bear with the situation. The list of the personalities herein named contributed immensely towards Ghana’s pre and post-independence eras. While those mainly for pre-independence sacrificed without any corruptible intent, you would agree with the author and marvel that about 85% of the managers for the last 25 years of the post-indepedence era resorted to loot and milk the nation dry till death. The last 4 years have seen a team of administrators smeared with gargantuan corruption and irresponsible budgetary expenditure that could be saved and utilized mainly to help raise the falling standards in education, reduce housing deficit, maternal mortality or food production, but nobody cares. The incompetence in governance, the misplaced priorities, the reckless misuse of the nation’s abundant resources that have gone on unchecked by the old evil dwarfs and the greedy bastards, should be the yardstick to ensure the disgraceful exit of president Mahama in the upcoming elections and nobody should ask me why. If you think that the effect of the “dum so, dum so” by the ECG’s ineptitude and hopelessness e.g. the Kotoka airport having black out for an hour, has never in any way affected your business, damaged your electrical gadgets or cold store petty trading somehow, then you could vote for the NDC but, if otherwise, then all should wisely vote en masse to get rid of them.
To bring the curtains finally down, I would like to borrow a quote from Nana Akufo Addo’s occasional sermon, “God did not put us (Ghanaians) on this rich land to be poor; it is rather bad leadership that has rendered us economically impotent and reduced us to this level of impoverishment and hopelessness”. Why do we self-impose and prioritize gargantuan expenditures like the ‘foolish’ judgment debts as explicitly elaborated under the ‘Disgraced Duo’ from which many leading NDC members have had their largesse. The golden lie by the president, the inconsistency and deceit of the public regarding the 250 students for Cuba should equally be a juicy ingredient for impeachment. The rebuttal from the Cuban Embassy has set the records straight and shamed the president for gluttonous behaviour; and the president ought to apologize to Ghanaians, because he has superintended over an administration that has plagued an albatross of useless, irrelevant and irresponsible debts and at times, some avoidable revocable loans for which posterity would curse us as if all of us were damn fools. Hey, mind you, because many of us were fools and could not decide for themselves, that was why they were still championing that the senior high school concept cannot come on, so that they could continue with the loot and robbery of the national kitty. Even despite that they were still going round the villages and paying some token monies as refunds for excess fees to convince them for votes.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
While the doctors were crying for better service conditions, the nurses were at home wailing; the UTAG/POTAG still hopeless under this regime, the civil and public servants were helpless and amiss; while the pharmacists have their fingers on the trigger; the Ghanaian teachers were weeping due to bad voting last time. The peasant farmers as usual, do not know how they could survive while the Fante fisher-folks have greatly regretted for the “adze wo fie a, oye” slogan by the Egya Atta’s government. At the moment the CLOSSAG have their hands on the throttle for take-off. For the pensioners, you need not talk about them because as Mahama’s ministers start collecting their huge salary arrears with retrospective effect from 2009, and he, about to be paid Gh¢400 daily or Gh¢12,000/monthly i.e. ¢4m or ¢120m from November, the old-time pensioners would curse themselves for dying for Mother Ghana because some take paltry sum of Gh¢70.00 pension per month. Now that a party in waiting has good and prosperous intentions and plans for the multitude of kayayoo in our cities and urban areas why should it become someone’s headache? Could it be true that the 230 parliamentarians would be enjoying some salary hikes as well as the executive, the presidency and the hangers-on? How about the judiciary et cetera? The difference in salaries from January, 2009 and the new ones till end of 2012 plus the judgment debts alone -2009-2012 (with courtesy, S.O.A. Esq.) could easily cater for the fees of 250,000 public senior high school students for some 10 years or more. To crown this long essay, let us do some analytical comparison and it is this: if the presidency of the late Mr. Mills was regarded as unprecedentedly intolerable and incompetent in governance, because he was unable to stamp his authority to punish wrong-doers plus the old evil dwarfs, the political vampires and the corruptible elements who thought they could only survive while he was alive as the captain on board the ‘S.S. Ghana’, why would the Mahama-Amissah Arthur team not have dubious characters, charlatans and murderers’ accomplices like Eric Opoku? Mr. Mahama’s should behave beyond mortal man’s comprehension. Why won’t they increase their salaries abnormally, and peddle lies and deceit as cover up; clothe themselves with arrogance and continue with the daylight thievery of the nation’s kitty left, right, centre till all of us dropped dead? The complicity of multiple corruption by the great majority of his ineptitude government, and, above all, the entrenched position to upturn the electoral process with alleged connivance of some of the electoral officers backed by Paul’s police all over the place, should not surprise anybody at all if the results disfavoured them. Finally, I would end with a quote from former U.S. president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are poor.” In summary, the filth that has grown into mountains to engulf our cities and urban areas that we were promised to be a thing of the past within the first 100 days of the Mills era is the same as Mahama’s first 100 days that elapsed on November 1. To talk on armed robbery, it is better to save one’s breath; no improvement whatsoever. Meanwhile, if Mills + Mahama = Woyome + DSP Tehoada’s Caustic Soda, then Mahama + Amissah Arthur should be = 1 ½ tons cocaine haul arrested in London for which Y.A.S. was still at post contemplating his resignation.
By:kofiappiah2002@yahoo.com
N.B. Please you may divide the article into two parts to allow space for others when publishing. You have my permission also to do a thorough editing to suit your editorial standards to avoid defamation of character. Many thanks.








Coincidentally, that same day marks the 100 days of the entry of former vice president, Mr. John ‘The Goodluck’ Dramani Mahama also as incoming caretaker president. The writer does not need to bother readers as to how Ghanaians and the world watched the unique but solemn change over process and how they were glued to their television sets and radios. We were lucky because there were no slips of tongue as before except that as a result of nervousness, he was caught up with too much excitement that he nearly landed himself in the vice presidential seat after the swearing in ceremony. However, he was re-directed after a quick correction to occupy the presidential seat to allow the function to proceed. As you read this piece today, nobody understands why he has opted not to relocate from his existing office to occupy the late master’s office. Meanwhile, tongues still keep wagging for the clues and certainly, one day, not too distant from now, the truth shall pop up like cork suppressed or submerged under water. The rest is now history for posterity.
SHOCKING NEWS ABOUT MILLS’ DEATH
Ghanaians woke up one Tuesday, July 24, 2012 to be flashed in the face that our president was no more. How? Only God knows best. This shocking news was aired by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Henry Martey Newman, some minutes past lunch time and emphasized that the death occurred at the 37 Military Hospital at 1415 hours in Accra. Immediately after the announcement, as if by design or telepathy, almost all the radio and television stations had been hypnotized; each kept repeating the ‘BREAKING NEWS” chorus as if they were right at the bedside to catch a glimpse of him in pains and to record his last message to Ghanaians before he gave up the ghost. News came through again that the replacement ceremony would take place at 20.00 hours that fateful Tuesday night at the Parliament House. The author does not need a soothsayer to predict the kind of funeral mood that was to ensue to bind us all as one nation, one people with common destiny devoid of partisanship.

GHOST TOWN
By 6.00 p.m. almost all the streets of Accra had been ridden of vehicular traffic, because many shopkeepers and traders closed very early. In fact everybody wanted to get home quickly to glue to the radio or watch the television. That day became historic since it was the first in Ghana’s history for a sitting head of state to die while in office. Also, the curiosity with which most people wanted to learn about the death was the main catalyst that sent them home ahead of time. The whole country; the regional capitals, district and even the hamlets where one could get a television and/or listen to radio in connection with that function was not left off without being gripped with sorrowful fever. The ceremony finally dawned at 20.32 hours. Ghanaians actually believed in their eyes that their beloved president had died when the then vice was elevated from the second spot to the top. The speculations surrounding or pertaining to his sudden death was anybody’s guess. One school of thought said he was poisoned, while another said he died naturally; but when people spotted him in an alleged Ford Explorer 4x4 vehicle, that conveyed the half-dead or dying man to the hospital with blood oozing from both nose and mouth, tensions grew high and speculations became rife. Rumours were all over the place as to how the late professor died, and whether it had an atom of truth or not, we had to believe it, absorb the shock and gear up for the funeral.
JOHN MILLS’ EXIT
The irony of it all was that he had earlier on Saturday, July 21, 2012, prior to his death on Tuesday, feted some group of journalists including some ‘rented’ press to a garden party on the occasion of his 67th birthday at the Osu Castle. That garden party surely must have both been the most enjoyable and sorrowful one that the almighty Koku Anyidohu and the all-conquering Nii Lante Vanderpuye, presidential spokesman and special aide to the ‘old man’ did their best and worst that would never ever be surpassed again in their lives. Reliable sources attest that they showed their guests where power actually lay. But where are they now? They have gone to the oblivion and never to resurface because, no condition was ever permanent. The poor voice and nasal dysfunction of the big man’s speech could tell any right thinking person that it would not be long he would pass on but how soon, was the multi-million question, so when the managers who should know better failed in their duty and forced him to go the extra mile to Mamprobi (Accra) to unveil the commissioning of a school block named after him and other energy-sapping assignment over the weekend, finally broke the camel’s back. When they noticed that he had developed bad nasal voice not befitting a president, there and then, quickly, conjured the magic wand to ignite the dynamite with a deadly blow. However, your guess could be as good as mine, as the unexpected happened when least expected. But one would dare ask, where was the ADC and what function did he perform till he was rushed to the hospital? The funeral and burial slated for August 10, had come and passed. The rest is however history. His Excellency John Mahama is now the president, whether Ghanaians like it or not. Until the elections on Friday, December 7 and thereafter till January 6, 2013, if he should be victorious, which is unlikely, he dictates the affairs of this country.
All said and done, ex-president Rawlings should be the saddest person in Ghana who must have cursed himself for not fielding a well diagnosed man from the touch line to succeed him when he exited. The Swedru Declaration that was hurriedly done should be a never-to-be-forgotten landmark that should never be repeated if he had the chance again. Mr. Rawlings’ expectations that his darling boy Mills would cause the arrest and detention of the opposition NPP members (who he thought had amassed wealth illegally but forgetting the mote in his eye) but disobeyed him to prove that he was his own man. Instead of ensuring that Rawlings’ wishes were quickly and periodically enforceable, he rather reneged and chose a stray route and this infuriated him the more. The Rawlingses wouldn’t have decided to field ‘Nana K’ to contest the late president, but for the abysmal and non-performing attitude of the deceased, that burning desire precipitated their action of July 2010 to be humiliated at the Sunyani Coronation Park. And truly, the kingpins, the managers and bloodhounds within the NDC knowing too well what was at stake, clandestinely disciplined the couple with that never-to- be-forgotten disgrace by dimming the microphones at the stadium to show they had power. They were presented with an undignified offer of 3.1% after the ballot count to represent the 31st December Movement that she herself founded. Why would insinuations and name calling as the barking toothless bulldog who had been ostracized and flushed out from the party to allow a sweet homecoming for everybody not be a worry to the founder?
JOHN MAHAMA’S ENTRY After 21.18 hours of that eventful ceremony of Tuesday, July 24, many were the skeptics who thought that ‘Jean Baptiste’ was going to be a different man altogether from Mills but not. Soon after, he mentioned that he would do all he could to retrieve the Woyome’s gargantuan fraud money for Ghanaians that put smiles back on our faces but rather turned out to be a hoax. ‘It was, as usual, political talk’ as has been the catchy word of the Akatamansonians. Many were those however who knew that since his master had previously surrounded himself with greedy bastards, he would do well to scrape and detach most of them and inject some confidence, discipline and little hope in the Ghanaian but the worse and worst performance has continued unabated. It was no wonder that his inaction to oust the so-called personalities prompted the founder, ex-president to call names such as old evil dwarfs, etc. If you had persons such as the Yaw Boateng Djans, Johnson Asiedu Nketiahs, the Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwas, the Yamins and hosts others still surrounding you in government and milking the nation dry till she fainted, why wouldn’t the ex-president have chance to vent his anger periodically? Followers of post-Mills events would not disagree that the demise of the former leader has rather given leeway for the greedy bastards to finish their relay race with the pant of breath left in them. Corruption of gargantuan proportion keeps unveiling itself day in and day out. Typical examples have been the arrest of 1.5 tons of cocaine that was busted in London recently, that, till now that you read this article, the NACOB boss, Yaw Akrasi Sarpong, does not feel ashamed to resign honourably to save face. His continued stay in government gives room for alleged complicity and no sane person would doubt this assertion. It is indeed a pity to have such men in authority because it seems, they wash their faces upwards. The most disgraceful aspect was the silly remark by the so-called co-ordinator of national security to justify his ignorance, ineptitude and irresponsibility and to infuriate us more.
THE DISGRACED DUO
The other shameful phenomenon was the arrest of a similar weight of cocaine in Germany; and has further dragged Ghana’s name in the mud – and it all happened in the Mills-Mahama government. Listen to Yaw’s bluff, ‘I’m considering resigning from my position if this news seemed to be true’. This nasty disservice to one’s country could only happen in Ghana and nowhere else in any civilized economy. The actions and inactions of party gurus, ministers and what have you, can never be relieved of their posts because, it is purported that John’s hands were tied to the apron strings that he cannot absolve himself from blame and shame. The reasons were the Korea STX Housing deal plus of course, the Sovereign Guarantee, Armajaro, the African Automotive Galloper scandal, CP’s €94m, the Embraer aircraft purchase, the Gruma Company of South Africa and the indescribable stigma in connection with the 250 Ghanaian medical students’ boarding/tuition and lodging in Cuba that was for free. As for him, it is being rumoured he has every hand or finger dipped in every pie. And because of the traditional Ghanaian hospitality, meekness and the “Fa ma Nyame syndrome” we would continue to lose huge sums of money down the drain and later pay through our noses. These, how -ever, are but a few of the catalogue of events that clearly and strictly undermine/ underpin the credibility of Prez. Mahama as one, who should still be entrusted with the mantle of this nation. Ghanaians should not make a mistake and never ever, allow him to continue to sit in the saddle by voting him out. Did Ghanaians hear a shallow mindset like Yaw Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, MCE for Ejisu-Juaben, on air leveling some derogatory remark about Nana Akufo Addo that, prior to the 2008 elections, he and his group, tried all they could, to eliminate President Mills of blessed memory but were unsuccessful, because God was with him. Does this not sound foolish enough and very puerile of him to have waited for so long till now? Was it political talk as well to win sympathy votes? Why did Yaw, who, allegedly, is on record to have been a replica of Gen. Acheampong’s ‘fa woto begye Golf appointment’ in Kumasi, turn round to slam this childish charge that does not hold water on Nana. Do we tolerate such an unsubstantiated allegation now that the Peace Council was preaching peace to avert any untoward incident before, during and after the crucial elections? A hollow mindset like Yaw Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh’s should never be entertained any longer by any discerning mind.
THE GH¢1.8m EMBEZZLEMENT
As a result of the loot of Ghana’s resources by politicians and unpatriotic technocrats, one Kennedy Kofi Poku has also decided to join the bandwagon to loot the State of some colossal sum of above. Being the lucky officer to be in charge of the Ghana Health Services stores for the Ashanti Region, Ken could not have stood th e heat much better than to help himself with the butter and bread facility at his disposal. Before one could say Jack, where are you, he had embezzled so much money that while the politicians and their cronies countrywide kept looting the state coffers deliberately, for fear of imminent change of government, he too was feeding fat elsewhere at his palace in his little kingdom.
GHANA’S HISTORY
The history of this country dating from 1912 would forever be replete until the names such as appear below were written in gold for posterity. There were in fact, many, many more names of very important personalities who have distinguished themselves and contributed in several diverse ways to make the Gold Coast/Ghana what it was today. Technically, time and space would not permit to enumerate the long list of names of persons who have done so much to deserve special commendations in their fields of endeavour. As the author struggles somehow to scribble some names, it is hoped that those whose names should obviously have been included but not, due to inadvertent oversight, would try to bear with him. As the curtains are pulled down, the very personalities whose names readily click have been shortlisted from the following categories – academia/education/clergy, judiciary – bench & bar, survey, engineering, banking and finance, science and technology, politics, military cum police, trade and commerce, chieftaincy, aviation, worldwide recognition and other related areas and does not necessarily mean they were the only ones who have excelled in their chosen fields but there were thousands of names who played very significant roles -
a) Academia/Education/Clergy
Dr. J. Kwegyir Aggrey, Prof. Alex A. Kwapong, Emeritus Prof. Albert Adu Boahen, Profs. Adzei Bekoe, J.H. Ofosu Amaah, Emeritus Prof. George Benneh, Profs. Mirinda Greenstreet, F.T. Sai, Dodoo and Worsunu. Then come the turn of Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, Archbishops Peter Akwasi Sarpong, George Palmer Buckle, Peter Dery, Peter Andoh, Most Rt.-Rev. Aboagye Mensah and Rt.-Rev. Asante Antwi in that order.
b) Judiciary – Bench & Bar
Justices Arku Korsah, E.C. Quist, S.A. Azu Crabbe, Nii Amaa Ollenu, Vincent Charles Roger Arthur Commey Crabbe, E.L. Bannerman, J. Annie Jiagge (Mrs.), E.N. Moore, F.K. Apaloo, D.F. Annan, Peter Ala Adjetey, Georgina Theodora Woode (Mrs.), Messrs S.A. Okudzeto, J.K. Agyeman, C.B.K. Zwennes, L. Quashie Idun, J. Kingsley Nyinah and E.M. Forster (Mrs.) the first female Ghanaian lawyer, complete the list.
c) Survey George Ekem Ferguson was the first son of the land to become a licensed surveyor in the colonial era to help undertake the general survey of the Gold Coast.
d) Engineering - Ing. E.L. Quartey, Ing. R.P. Baffour and Ing. J.V.L. Philips, were the names that clicked.
d) Banking & Finance Messrs J.H. Frimpong-Ansah, A.A. Adomako, Joseph Henry Mensah and J.S. Addo probably stand tall.
e) Aviation, Science & Technology Prof. Allotey of N.A.S.A. fame, Profs. Quartey, Francis Nkrumah, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the world acclaimed heart and vascular surgeon, Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, Dr. Awuah Asamoah of the W.H.O., Capt. Thomas Agyare, first Ghanaian and African aircraft pilot and Dr. E.R.K Dwemoh, first Ghanaian Director of Civil Aviation.
f) Politics This category comprises Dr. Paa Grant, Messrs. Mensah Sarbah, Jacob Wilson Sey, businessman and philanthropist, and of course J.P. Brown, publisher, were the nucleus of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society , founded in 1897; Drs. Kwame Nkrumah and J.B. Danquah, Messrs. E. O. Ako Adjei, E. Obetsebi Lamptey, Edward Akufo Addo, William Ofori Atta, Komla Agbeli Gbedema, J.A. Bawumia, J.A. Braimah, C.A. Tachie-Menson, J.H. Alhasani, L.R. Abavana, F.A. Jantuah, Kofi Abrefa Busia, Victor Owusu, S.G. Antor, Kojo Botsio, Kofi Baako, Krobo Edusei, J.E. Casley-Hayford, A.J. Dowuona Hammond, J.A. Benibenglor Blay, Dzenkle Djewu, S.D. Dombo, Jatoe Kaleo, B.K. Adama, Robert Reginald Amponsah, Dr. Gloria Nikoi, ‘Col’. Dr. Robert Gardiner and Joe Appiah of ‘Abaa ba se’ fame.
g) Military cum Police A tale of the military cannot be perfect without the mention of Sgt. Adjetey, Cpl. Attipoe and others who were shot in cold blood by the colonial guards on the 28 February Road incident of 1948 when the indigenes marched to present their petition to the governor at the Osu Castle. Major Anthony, however, tops the list of servicemen at that time, to be followed by Lt.-Gen. J.A. Ankrah, Lt.-Gens. S.J.A. Otu and M.A. Otu of the Army & Air Force, Major- Gen. D.C.K. Amenu, Lt.-Gen. E.A. Erskine of UNIFIL fame, Brigs. N.A. Aferi and N.A. Odartey-Wellington, Commissioner Erasmus Reginald Teye Madjitey, Inspector-Generals J.W.K. Harlley, Bawa Andani Yakubu and the rest.
h) Traditional Rulers/Chieftaincy In the case of chieftaincy, Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh I has been selected to top the list of the traditional rulers for the stiff opposition he and his predecessors gave to the colonial masters by waging constant wars with the British that enabled us to gain our independence ahead of time. Thereafter, Nana Sir Ofori Atta I, the Okyenhene, follows in that succession, with Nana Sir Tsibu Darku I, Nene Azu Mate Kole, Konor of Manya Krobo, Baffuor Osei Akoto, Nana Kwafo Akoto, Ya Na Yakubu Andani I, Nana Kobina Nketia II, Nii Amugi I, Nana Kwadwo Aduhene II and Daasebre Oti Boateng II, closing the docket.
i) Trade & Commerce
Personalities such as J. Anim Addo, whose gift house popularly called the Republic House was given to the Nkrumah regime for free. Also, notaries public like J.A. Addison of Ghacem fame, Samuel Christian Appenteng of Panbros Salt Industries, W.A. Wiafe of Novotex, Akenten Appiah Menka of Apino Soap, Mr. Kwabena Darko of Darko Farms, Madam Nkulenu of Nkulenu Industries, Dr. Esther Ocloo, an industrialist and Mr. B.A. Bentum, one time secretary-general of the Trades Union Congress make the mark.
International Recognition
Ghanaian personalities who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavour to qualify for the international hall of fame are Prof. Allotey of N.A.S.A. fame, Dr. Alex Quaison-Sackey, one time President of the United Nations General Assembly, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, cardio-vascular surgeon, Prof. Abena Kuenyehia of the International Criminal Court, The Hague, Lt.-Gen. E.A. Erskine, former Field Commander, United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the last but not the least, Ghana’s celebrity and personality of the 21st Century, His Excellency, Kofi Annan, two-term Secretary-General of the United Nations clinches the deal.
j) Arts & Culture/Sports
Dr. Ephraim Amu of ‘Yen ara asase ni’ fame, Mr. Philip Gbeho for the Ghana National Anthem, Mike Ahey, gold medalist at the Olympiad as well as Alice Anum, Ohene Frimpong, Floyd Klutei Robertson and D.K. Poison complete the list. Then comes the turn of the sports celebrity of the century, Mr. Ohene Djan of the Central Organization of Sports (COS), Messrs Kwasi Owusu, captain of the Black Stars, Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, the net breaker, Edward Acquah, J. Aggrey-Fynn, Rev. Osei Kofi, Mohammed Salisu, Abukari Gariba, Robert Mensah, Dogo Moro, Dodoo Ankrah and Chris Briandt.
Postscript: The author has carefully and analytically chosen his list of personalities from amongst a selection of fields that cut across the broad spectrum of different endeavours. Those who are out there – professors, doctors, farmers, fishermen, market women, traders, teachers, nurses, technocrats, architects, lawyers, engineers, scientists, industrialists, accountants, traditional rulers and what have you, please bid your time and bear with your humble writer that, that has not been his habit - all of you were equally a mine of wealth and an ocean of resourcefulness in your respective fields. You have not been deliberately left out but due to space and some constraint, it was rather inadvertence. Please bear with the situation. The list of the personalities herein named contributed immensely towards Ghana’s pre and post-independence eras. While those mainly for pre-independence sacrificed without any corruptible intent, you would agree with the author and marvel that about 85% of the managers for the last 25 years of the post-indepedence era resorted to loot and milk the nation dry till death. The last 4 years have seen a team of administrators smeared with gargantuan corruption and irresponsible budgetary expenditure that could be saved and utilized mainly to help raise the falling standards in education, reduce housing deficit, maternal mortality or food production, but nobody cares. The incompetence in governance, the misplaced priorities, the reckless misuse of the nation’s abundant resources that have gone on unchecked by the old evil dwarfs and the greedy bastards, should be the yardstick to ensure the disgraceful exit of president Mahama in the upcoming elections and nobody should ask me why. If you think that the effect of the “dum so, dum so” by the ECG’s ineptitude and hopelessness e.g. the Kotoka airport having black out for an hour, has never in any way affected your business, damaged your electrical gadgets or cold store petty trading somehow, then you could vote for the NDC but, if otherwise, then all should wisely vote en masse to get rid of them.
To bring the curtains finally down, I would like to borrow a quote from Nana Akufo Addo’s occasional sermon, “God did not put us (Ghanaians) on this rich land to be poor; it is rather bad leadership that has rendered us economically impotent and reduced us to this level of impoverishment and hopelessness”. Why do we self-impose and prioritize gargantuan expenditures like the ‘foolish’ judgment debts as explicitly elaborated under the ‘Disgraced Duo’ from which many leading NDC members have had their largesse. The golden lie by the president, the inconsistency and deceit of the public regarding the 250 students for Cuba should equally be a juicy ingredient for impeachment. The rebuttal from the Cuban Embassy has set the records straight and shamed the president for gluttonous behaviour; and the president ought to apologize to Ghanaians, because he has superintended over an administration that has plagued an albatross of useless, irrelevant and irresponsible debts and at times, some avoidable revocable loans for which posterity would curse us as if all of us were damn fools. Hey, mind you, because many of us were fools and could not decide for themselves, that was why they were still championing that the senior high school concept cannot come on, so that they could continue with the loot and robbery of the national kitty. Even despite that they were still going round the villages and paying some token monies as refunds for excess fees to convince them for votes.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
While the doctors were crying for better service conditions, the nurses were at home wailing; the UTAG/POTAG still hopeless under this regime, the civil and public servants were helpless and amiss; while the pharmacists have their fingers on the trigger; the Ghanaian teachers were weeping due to bad voting last time. The peasant farmers as usual, do not know how they could survive while the Fante fisher-folks have greatly regretted for the “adze wo fie a, oye” slogan by the Egya Atta’s government. At the moment the CLOSSAG have their hands on the throttle for take-off. For the pensioners, you need not talk about them because as Mahama’s ministers start collecting their huge salary arrears with retrospective effect from 2009, and he, about to be paid Gh¢400 daily or Gh¢12,000/monthly i.e. ¢4m or ¢120m from November, the old-time pensioners would curse themselves for dying for Mother Ghana because some take paltry sum of Gh¢70.00 pension per month. Now that a party in waiting has good and prosperous intentions and plans for the multitude of kayayoo in our cities and urban areas why should it become someone’s headache? Could it be true that the 230 parliamentarians would be enjoying some salary hikes as well as the executive, the presidency and the hangers-on? How about the judiciary et cetera? The difference in salaries from January, 2009 and the new ones till end of 2012 plus the judgment debts alone -2009-2012 (with courtesy, S.O.A. Esq.) could easily cater for the fees of 250,000 public senior high school students for some 10 years or more. To crown this long essay, let us do some analytical comparison and it is this: if the presidency of the late Mr. Mills was regarded as unprecedentedly intolerable and incompetent in governance, because he was unable to stamp his authority to punish wrong-doers plus the old evil dwarfs, the political vampires and the corruptible elements who thought they could only survive while he was alive as the captain on board the ‘S.S. Ghana’, why would the Mahama-Amissah Arthur team not have dubious characters, charlatans and murderers’ accomplices like Eric Opoku? Mr. Mahama’s should behave beyond mortal man’s comprehension. Why won’t they increase their salaries abnormally, and peddle lies and deceit as cover up; clothe themselves with arrogance and continue with the daylight thievery of the nation’s kitty left, right, centre till all of us dropped dead? The complicity of multiple corruption by the great majority of his ineptitude government, and, above all, the entrenched position to upturn the electoral process with alleged connivance of some of the electoral officers backed by Paul’s police all over the place, should not surprise anybody at all if the results disfavoured them. Finally, I would end with a quote from former U.S. president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are poor.” In summary, the filth that has grown into mountains to engulf our cities and urban areas that we were promised to be a thing of the past within the first 100 days of the Mills era is the same as Mahama’s first 100 days that elapsed on November 1. To talk on armed robbery, it is better to save one’s breath; no improvement whatsoever. Meanwhile, if Mills + Mahama = Woyome + DSP Tehoada’s Caustic Soda, then Mahama + Amissah Arthur should be = 1 ½ tons cocaine haul arrested in London for which Y.A.S. was still at post contemplating his resignation.

By:kofiappiah2002@yahoo.com

N.B. Please you may divide the article into two parts to allow space for others when publishing. You have my permission also to do a thorough editing to suit your editorial standards to avoid defamation of character. Many thanks.