Heartfelt advice to Ghanaians, the President and government appointees

Fellow Ghanaians, it is out of deep concern that I feel obliged to admonish you as follows, although some people think I should restrict myself to only things affecting my little place of birth within the country. No, as an origin of Ghana and being conversant with the ripple effects of issues or catastrophes no matter where and how they happen, I must always be ready to participate and share views on national issues.

I have observed over the years and since my infancy that most Ghanaians, if not all, have the mind-set that the development of the country is the sole duty of the government of the day. Again, we always look up for help from foreigners, especially the Whites, to resolving in our tinniest problem.

No, nobody can build Ghana for us better than we can build it ourselves through concerted efforts by all and sundry. No matter how big or small you are; no matter how highly-educated or illiterate you are, no matter how poor or rich you are, there is something within you that you can contribute towards the building of Ghana to the prosperous level that can bring smiles on our face and pride to ourselves.

You could be poor but could be wiser than the most educated person on some issues and in some areas. Your wisdom is needed. It is mostly the collective attitudinal problem of Ghanaians that are militating against our endeavours to build our nation. Subsequently, I shall advise all fellow Ghanaians to shun our attitudes that do not bode well for the development of Ghana as a nation. When you see that your neighbour is engaged in nefarious activities that hinder the progress of Ghana, please alert the relevant authorities.

For example, are the armed robbers not living in our midst? Don’t some of us know them and their whereabouts? What efforts have we made to alert the authorities to rout them from their hideouts to stop the danger they pose to the general society?

We, again have the attitude of expecting everything free from the government. No, this is never done in any of the developed world where most Ghanaians have travelled to enjoy or fleece their greener pastures. Without payment of taxes, how can the government raise enough money to carry out her intended projects that will ameliorate the standard of living of the ordinary Ghanaian and to accord us international respect?

Can someone just educate me on how best the government can provide us with free SHS, free school meals, free healthcare, good roads, good sanitation, and fight crimes in such a banana republic of ours without raising taxes?

Each individual Ghanaian is to contribute their quota, thus, their widow’s mite towards building Ghana. We should not allow certain crafty politicians to always tell us lies or politicise every attempt by the government all with the motive of achieving their hidden selfish agenda. If the government is not seen to be corrupt but honestly seeking the collective interests of the people, we should please rally behind such a government. More will be said in my future publications.

His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has noble intentions for the upliftment of the country and the citizenry from their seemingly unending devastating penury. He has a clean heart, dedication and dynamism to deliver his promises made to Ghanaians during the electioneering campaign. He has selected men and women he thinks are able and capable of helping him realise his objectives. However, some of his appointees are clearly having their own different ideas and aspirations.

The President must have the courage to hire and fire any of his appointees established not to be living up to expectation regardless of their closeness to him. Some people may say, it is easier said than done. Until the President wields that whip and is ready to crack it on the back of the non-performing and dubious appointees, he will find it difficult satisfying Ghanaians to the desired expectations.

The President has so far done a good job worthy of recognition and appreciation. He has introduced the promised free Senior High School education. Despite the challenges currently facing the policy, he has still to be given a pat on the back for a policy sincerely implemented. It is up to Ghanaians to come up with ideas and solutions to help it work better to attain its objective rather than criticising and politicising it saying, it won’t work (“enye yie”). Is the Ghanaian or the African not capable of introducing and managing anything successfully? Why can’t we initiate and adore policies emanating from our own thinking but always wait to copy, but copy badly, from others, especially, from our white contemporaries?

The President out of his honest efforts to help Ghana succeed, has ensured a Special Prosecutor is appointed to fight corruption, the bane of Africa’s socio-politico-economic development. He has again appointed a man of proven integrity in the person of Mr Martin Amidu. This is a plus (+) to the President.

Additionally, he has started paying the teachers and the nurses’ abrogated allowance and fought successfully the surface mining (galamsey) that was spoiling our water bodies, arable farmlands and virgin forests as well as polluting our air. This galamsey fight is yet to be completed to the fullest satisfaction of all. He has paid or been paying the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) debts left behind by the NDC government that led to the near or total collapse of the NHIS.

Although the President is advised not to rest on his so far achieved laurels, he should not make it his resolute determination to let materialise all his promises made to Ghanaians in his first or two terms in office. That will be impossible! There is nowhere in the history of the world that a President has been able to achieve all his/her electioneering promises in their first term in office. Accomplishing his promises must be by gradual but steady and staggered implementations.

The President is to guide against his appointees falling into the same corrupt practices that triggered the wrath of God to boot out President Mahama and his NDC-led government and party from office. As I keep saying, corruption is not all about embezzlement of State funds and assets as it is always the fallacious perception of the Ghanaian but more about the abuse of power by those in positions of power. If you are in a position of trust and you abuse that trust to help your family members, friends or cronies, then you are corrupt.

I strongly advise the President to stamp his authority by dealing with the saboteurs within his government. I felt sad when Captain Smart said this morning, Monday, 19 February 2018, that some Ministers of NPP met at a hotel. The import of his message was to do with the Ministers plotting against the President.

To the appointees of the President, please bear in mind that Ghanaians in their majority voted NPP to power all because of the name and person, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

People became persuaded by his incorruptibility, friendliness, firmness and fairness to vote for him and NPP. Therefore, you should not do things that will make people regret, as it is now appearing to be the case, for voting him and NPP to power. You are to eschew corruption in all its forms and shapes. You are not to do anything to sabotage him for if you do, you will yourselves suffer the attendant sour repercussions. Have you forgotten the saying,” if you throw a ball to the wall it bounces back to you”? The Ministers are not to sleep on the oars but must be up and doing. From what I gathered from Captain Smart this morning, most of the Ministers if not all, are not performing. If that is what is going on, then they had better gird up their loins, buckled their sandals for this is not the period to lazy about but the time to do honest hard work to lift Ghana up from the economic doldrums.

The Akans have a saying, “Wo to adubone a ebi ka wanu”. Simply put, your evil machinations can backfire or come back to haunt you. Therefore, the appointees are to live up to the expectations for which the President appointed them. You are not to meddle in cases with intent to twist justice simply for what you stand to gain or risk to lose. You are to be guided by incorruptible principles in delivering the services and projects you have been appointed by the President to deliver.

Finally, should I hear of any appointee involving themselves in any activities deemed to undermine the President and his good intentions, I shall not hesitate to report them to the President or the Special Prosecutor to deal with them once I have the ample credible evidence.

I am fed up with Ghana always having corrupt and Do-Little Government appointees, public and traditional leaders to the detriment of the development of the nation and the people.

Ghanaians are gradually by the day becoming political savvy, especially by listening to Captain Smart’s Adom FM programme on the revelations of committals of institutional corruption. If we don’t take care, the only resort will be civil revolution to rectify the chronic ongoing corruption in the country and the infatuation with doing nothing but living ostentatious lives by our leaders so the Government appointees must take note and be very cautious.

A word to the wise is enough. The President has my unflinching support always unless he deviates from the path chartered for him by God to extricate the poor from their oppression and ensure that true justice for all becomes the banner of the country. With our collective efforts devoid of selfish and personalised interests, advice and corrections, Ghana shall succeed under the government of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.