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Opinions of Wednesday, 7 February 2007

Columnist: Laryea, Samuel

A Leader With Vision

As the saying goes, “good things are always looked down upon by people with little minds”. It has once again been organised successfully at the Sunyani, the Regional Capital of the Brong Ahafo specifically at the Christ the King Parish Hall. It has been named the Jubilee People’s Assembly which allows the His Excellency the President to avail himself to the people of Ghana who elected him to take the mantle of leadership in 2002.

As an ardent observer at the and a patriotic citizen of Ghana, my views to the initiation of the programme which has suddenly come to stay with us today is a fortunate thing to have happen to the Nation. This, I think is so because it affords we the ordinary citizens to keep the President and his able men and women on course considering the programmes and policies of the government. It also gives us confidence to trust in our leadership gem that have committed and dedicated their lives to turn the economy that is bedevilled with numerous problems around. This is a contrary scenario in the ex-government tenure of office which Ghanaians forgive them for and pray they never repeat it if they get the opportunity to come to power if only Ghanaians will allow them again.

The gentle manner with which planning committee chaired by Hon. Kwamena Bartels and his spokespersons organised the whole programme is something which deserves the commendation of all as everything went on successfully apart from some few exceptions which was seen by the whole country as a despicable act. Ghanaians were actually wondering whether the freedom of expression and speech granted is beginning to be seen by people as a time to rain insults on the President and his team of Ministers as well as Diplomatic corps.

One thing that I know as Ghanaians is that, we abhor indecency, disrespect, and uncultured behaviour as against showing respect to the elderly. I remember the Hon. Kwamena Bartels emphasised on the fact that, certain countries have even copied the People’s Assembly but go about it differently in that, questions which are supposed to be put before the President are actually forwarded to the seat of government three months before the real programme begins which I believe is unfair but has its own advantages which will be in the good interest of all. After the main programme was over, I ask my colleagues as to whether they think the programme should have been organised as is been done in Mali in order avoid the embarrassment that nearly occurred but their guess was as good as yours.

The opportunity listening to serial callers on various radio stations sometimes baffles my understanding but what I do sincerely know is that, some of them are well informed concerning Political, Social, Economic, Religious issues and many more. The first time I met most of the serial callers was when I had the opportunity to participate in this maiden programme at Cape Coast where the President was met face-to-face with the citizenry.

The presence of some notable NDC Serial callers who were in their numbers as we thought were about putting tough questions in connection with programmes and policies to the President rather ended up in disgracing the sympathisers of its faithful when a question posed one Dr. Asemforo was actually planted to disrupt the attention of the programme. As a matter of fact, this man has been known by all and sundry as a known propagandist in the NDC fraternity whose main agenda is to see the downfall of the government in power. He is on record of confessing to lies he was sent to pronounce at the 5th People’s Assembly at the Center for National Culture.

He lied about the fact that, his wife who has registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme was incidentally charged an amount of twenty million cedis when was putting to bed his baby but at the end turn out to be lies he openly confessed. I believe in freedom of speech but I think that Ghana should a critical of Mali’s approach in handling any unguarded statements coming out from the likes of this serial caller might have lost its when it comes to asking questions in public.

At this point, I want to congratulate the President once again for this opportunity and pray it will continue after he is out of office.

Long live the President, long live Ghana.



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