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Opinions of Monday, 1 September 2008

Columnist: Koku Anyidoho

Eight Years Of Moving Backwards Is Enough!

I had no doubt that Senator Barrack Obama was going to deliver a message that will win the, hearts, souls, and minds of millions across the globe, and I was not disappointed one bit with the soul-inspiring and mind-feeding words that fell from the lips of the man I believe, is going to be the next President of the United States of America.

Keeping my mind and eyes open with a cup of coffee was worth it and at the end of it all, when Michelle Obama walked onto the stage with her two daughters to hug her husband and say to him (that is what I reckon she said to her husband) “I will be the woman who will be behind your very successful tenure as President of the United States”, tears rolled down my cheek.

I am no softy; and those who know me know that. I am human, and Barrack and his wife succeded in touching another side of me.

The speech of Senator Obama was one hell of a masterpiece.

The President-in-waiting, or is it, Commander-in-chief, did what he was expected to do with artistry; he started off in a very humble manner, thanking Democrats for making him their Leader, and accepting graciously to lead them to victory.

Senator Obama went on to thank those he needed to thank, especially his lovely wife, Michelle, for all the support.

The Leader of the Democratic Party then went into enumarating the problems facing America, went after Senator John McCain and what he and his Republican Party have done to destroy America, what John McCain represents, and how he (Barrack) was more than ready to face McCain any day anyhwere for them to square it off for Amercians to know whom to give their mandate to, to become the C-in-C, who will give Americans the chance to give life to their dreams.

Of course, Senator Obama, rolled out his Better America agenda, in a manner that made me very proud of NDC Leader and Presidential Candiate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, for the way he rolled out his Better Ghana agenda when the NDC launched its campaing at the National Theater.

Speaking on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s continuously reverberating “I Have A Dream” speech, Barrack Obama delivered a speech that must be making Martin Luther smile from the land of the unknown.

45 years ago, Barrack Obama was only two years; he has however lived the dream of Dr. King and has proven that dreams can come true.

For me, what really hit home hard, was the bit about America having had enough of the maladministration of cowboy George W. Bush, and that, eight years of the Republicans and their anti-people policies is enough.

Speaking to millions of Americans, Senator Obama said the election was about the future of America and not him; and that if the people of the United States want four more years of the negative change the Bush/Chiney Administration, they are free to go that way.

The Illinois Senator was however quick to stand firm and say that America deserves better than the Bush/Chiney era, and that the Obama/Biden ticket shall give to America what she deserves, and allow Americans to breathe life into their dreams.

Relating happenings in America to happenings in Ghana as regards America having had enough of the maladministration of George Bush and how Bush has not only eaten up the reserves that Bill Clinton bequeathed to him, but how he has also destroyed the American economy and killed the image of America, I hold on strongly to my conviction that President Kufuor and his NPP have destroyed Ghana just as Bush has destroyed America, and an Akufo-Addo government shall move us forward into more misery and poverty.

According to the Hon. Alban Sumani Bagbin, it is only when the elephant is fatally wounded that it begins to behave like a kangaroo, and I agree with him 100%.

Of course, we also know that the kangaroo has a 4-6 year lifespan, and so having been around for close to eight years, the NPP kangaroos have overstayed their welcome.

Positive Change Chapter 1&2 have translated into extreme negative change for the majority of Ghanaians, and there is no way the majority of Ghanaians are going to allow Akufo-Addo to move us forward into the plethora of suffering and hardship that President Kufuor has hung around the neck of the nation.

Nana Akufo-Addo would have us believe that President Kufuor has done a marvelous job of managing the affairs of State and that he (Akufo-Addo), will continue with the “good” works of President Kufuor and move us forward.

I agree that Ghana must move forward but Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana will not be allowed to move forward in the wrong direction. Crime, drugs, despair, extreme immorality, debauchery, massive corruption, outright thievery, a loss of a sense of direction, the killing of the nation’s conscience, 50% of students failing the BECE, destruction of the local fishing industry, etc, are the unique selling points of the NPP and we must not allow Akufo-Addo to move us forward in the same destructive direction.

Indeed, Ghana started moving forward from the days of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and that forward march was truncated by the Danquah/Busia political tradition, when they collaborated with the imperialist forces to overthrow the CPP government.

For a fact, the CPP government was not only overthrown; the CPP as a political party, was dismembered and banned by the Danquah/Busia political tradition and their imperialist acolytes to the extent that carrying a picture of Kwame Nkrumah was enough to land a person in jail.

In recent times, Ghana started moving forward after 1981, when GDP growth, which was in the region of negative 8% prior to December 1981, was a positive 8.5% in 1982, and averaged a positive 4.6% between 1984 and 2000.

Ghana started moving forward with the construction of first class roads to the extent that the NPP disingenuously started asking whether Ghanaians were going to eat roads.

Ghana started moving forward during the period of President Rawlings, when the guinea worm disease was reduced to a zero level and has only resurfaced under the watch of the NPP.

Ghana started moving forward when the illicit drug trade was not allowed to flourish in Ghana, with busted barons having their assets confiscated, and those confiscated assets, de-confiscated, when Akufo-Addo became Attorney General.

Ghana started moving forward when the rural electrification programme, which the Danquah/Busia political tradition fought against, was embarked upon.

Ghana started moving forward when the Interstate Succession Law (PNDC Law 111), was passed to protect widows from chewing the bitter end of the stick in the event of their spouses passing on.

As far as Akufo-Addo is concerned, he is the best thing that has happened to Ghana; he is allowed to gloat in his world of self-adulation.

There is no denying the fact that between Professor John Evans Atta Mills and Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, the learned Professor is the better of the two.

People of Ghana, we cannot turn back; let us move on and build a Better Ghana in which, there will be meaningful jobs, solid investment in people, properly building a strong economy for all and not a few, expanding infrastructure in an organized manner, and most importantly, having a government that will be honestly accountable to the people.

Barrack Obama, digging at Senator John McCain, and rightly so, told Americans not to gamble on 10% change in view of the fact that McCain has supported 90% of George Bush’s actions.

People of Ghana, in the case of Akufo-Addo, he has not distanced himself from any of President Kufuor’s insensitive policies so let us not gamble on 0% change.

This election is not about NDC, NPP. It is about voting for a Leader who will, restore pride and dignity to the presidency, rekindle a sense of belonging in Ghanaians, rebuild the tattered image of Ghana, once again fly high the Red Gold, Green & Black Star, give hope to a lost generation, and lead us on the path of righteousness so that blessings of the Most High will abound on Mother Ghana.

There are rays of hope flickering in the sky, I can see a bright new star shining way up high, and all across the land, there will be a brand new morning, and this will come to pass after the 7th of December, when Ghanaians will go to the polls and vote massively for Professor John Evans Atta Mills for him to build a Better Ghana.

Enough of the last 8 years!!!!