It is hard to believe that a whole Tony Aidoo who is closer to the armpit of the President seems not to fathom the apparent crisis the economy of Ghana is engulfed in. For him to openly whine and wail on media platforms like a widow simply because his outfit (Policy Monitoring and Evaluation) has of late being bereft of funds to fuel its programmes is indeed laughable (See Frustrated Tony Aidoo Decries Neglect of His Office, Peacefmonline.com). At any rate, his office is attached to the Presidency, what stops him from enjoying the huge budget that is faithfully packaged for the presidency which includes the President and his minions?

In the first place, that which makes Tony Aidoo perhaps a laughing stock to some of us and even among his own folks is the fact that, he was in Ghana when the President said Ghana’s economy has been reduced to bones. So, if his office is not receiving the needed funds, should he be screaming in the midst of palpable economic mismanagement brought into fruition by his government? He should bear in mind he is not the only who has been neglected. Many are those who feel that the government has gone past neglect and plunged them into a state of betrayal. If he has any complaints to make, he should rather channel them to the President who presides over an economy that appears to be in tatters.

In any case, I am tempted to question the relevance of his office in this era of duplication and overlapping of government or official duties. The point he should be pondering over is whether the government that he serves slavishly has been able to introduce any palpable policy and ensured its sustenance for which he should be paid to monitor? What at all is left in the economy for him to evaluate? If he has time to spare, and any good ideas for to engender economic growth, he should rather be monitoring and evaluating SADA and GYEEDA that have been saddled with corruption.

For now his frustration is well understood because he has been rendered redundant. His office has outlived its purpose. In fact, the economy is so fragile and the President seems helpless in his bid to industrialise the economy. By now, his common sense should signal to categorically to him that his so called office was simply something carved for him by the late President Mills as a thank you gesture. If he thinks that he can court public sympathy in order to secure government’s funds to fund his needles monitoring and evaluation gimmicks, he better think twice. By the way, are there no Monitoring and Evaluation departments in the various Ministries and Agencies of government?

Beyond this, there are other government Agencies and Departments that are bleeding from government’s inability to regularly provide them with the needed subventions. Recently, there were lamentations by some District and Municipal Chief Executives over the delay in the disbursement Common Funds to their Assemblies for the execution of vital projects. Members of Parliament have also registered their displeasure over government’s undue delay in the release of M.Ps. Common Fund. The Managers of the GETFUND have also bemoaned the hiatus or the ‘soppi’, ‘soppi’ manner in which government release funds to support its activities this year.

The economy of Ghana has so far shrunk to the point where there are proposals to scrap research allowance for lecturers at public universities. The good old allowance meant for trainee teachers we are told we will not be extended to freshmen and others yet to be admitted. I am pretty sure that of nurses will soon be withdrawn. However, the government has enough money to pay dubious judgement debts.

So my innocuous counsel to Tony Aidoo is he should keep quiet and suffer in silence just like the poor in Ghana are made to do so. If he thinks he is being frustrated, he can simply quit. After all, there are other activities he can engage in that will benefit the nation. He should not forget that when Martin Amidu was frustrated by his ilk, he pursued persons who illegally took money from the country via dubious judgement debts and voila, he is now a hero.

I throw this challenge to him: If he has guts as Martin Amidu has, he should boldly tell his government to control the high levels of public financial waste, mounting debts and corruption that are plaguing the country. If he is able to convince the government in this regard, there is no way his office would not have enough resources to fund its activities.

SOURCE: OKOFO-DARTEY SAMUEL

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