Mills is bad news for Ghana

PROFESSOR ATTA MILLS IS BAD NEWS FOR GHANA-PART ONE.
Friends, in December of 2008, Ghanaians will go to the polls to choose the next leader for our growing democracy. The major candidates are the Honorable Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP, the former Foreign Minister in President Kuffour's government, and the former Vice President Atta Mills of the NDC party.
Prof. Mills is known in familiar circles to be quite unassuming, calm, reflective, and at times too professorial. Nana Akufo-Addo on the other hand, is like a breadth of fresh air; re-assuring, confident, bold, and fiercely independent. Nana has a vision to take Ghana to the next level, taking the lead in Africa to reach middle income status, free from political repressions as was witnessed in both Rawlings', and Nkrumah's regimes; the former with unexplained torture and killings, the latter with political detentions.
Any one who has been in the audience of Nana Akufo-Addo, will attest to his grasp of national and international issues, in-depth knowledge and analytical heft on the state of the Ghanaian economy; and unwavering passion to rekindle the Ghanaian enterpreneural spirit, to move our dear Ghana forward. One’s first impression after hearing Nana Akufo-Addo speak will be summed up thus - GRAVITS, UNIQUELY SUPERB, LEADER.
However, this article is not about Nana Akufo-Addo. The focus is the candidacy of Prof Mills, and his suitability for the Presidency of The Republic of Ghana.
Prof Mills was previously "chosen" or more precisely, "imposed" on the NDC party by the former President Rawlings. Other viable candidates in the NDC party were barred from contesting for the flagbearership in the infamous Swedru Declaration. Other candidates in the NDC, fearring they may suffer the same fate as former Vice-President Arkaa, were once again, intimidated like spineless school girls, to bow to the choice of Chairman Rawlings. A few brave souls like P.V. Obeng, Kweisi Botchwey and Obed Asamoah bolted from the party to form the DFP, in order to have a voice in our emerging democracy.
The vast proletariat masses of the NDC, are left with a party, which by all measure, is a mere shell of it's former self. I PREDICT THE NDC WILL WITHER ON A VINE, TO BECOME A MERE PASSING OBNOXIOUS BANDIT, IN THE ANNALS OF THE GHANAIAN POLITICAL SCENE. This article, however, is not about the future of the NDC. It is about Prof Mills.
Since Prof Mills was imposed on the NDC, by "Chairman" Rawlings, several questions have been raised about the Professor's effective candidacy, dubious political philosophy, and suspicious beliefs in socialism/afro-communism. Others have questioned Prof Mills' dismal track record in office, failure to envision or articulate clear goals to lead our republic, and his failing health.
In fairness to Ghanaians, Prof. Mills owes to the nation, a full disclosure of the state of his health amidst speculations of serious disease that may be life threatening to him, jeopardize his activity, should he be elected President of the land. Prof Mills has refused to properly address the lingering questions about his health, and as such, has allowed both fair and acerbic minds, justly or not, to speculate.
It is widely believed, even among the NDC faithful, that their flag bearer may have some type of cancer. His trips to South Africa, and elsewhere are believed to be for medical check-ups, and possibly to receive chemo/radiation therapy.
We are aware of the obvious need for some measure of right to privacy. Prof Mills, and for that matter, any one seeking the highest office in Ghana, does not lose his/her right to some degree of privacy. However, given the demands of the office of the President of Ghana, it is fair to know if the would-be president is free of any terminal infirmity to fully discharge the duties of his office. It is our sincere prayer that Prof Mills is in excellent health.
That aside, Prof Mills is bad news for Ghana for several other reasons. A vote for Mills and the NDC, is arguably, a betrayal of democracy. The NDC which has an umbilical link to the AFRC/PNDC, is a party rooted in violence, led by Rawlings, who is dubbed as the butcher-of-Ghana. Indeed, there are elements in the NDC party who may be guilty of several murders, torture of the innocent, and atrocious violations of others liberties. Prof Mills' party has a founder who has the dubious record of the murder of three former heads of state. Some of those murdered by the Rawlings "brigade" had constitutional protection from prosecution; the same constitutional protection enjoyed by Rawlings and others today.
Prof. Mills and Rawlings' P/NDC has the additional burden of dealing with the haunting ghost of four judges who were assassinated at the hands of Rawlings' associates and friends, principally Kojo Tsikata.
Prof. Mills, Rawlings and their cronies from the P/NDC fiefdom must be having some serious migraines, and sleepless nights, because the constitutional immunity from prosecution in the 1992 constitution, they foisted on the nation, is soon to expire. The P/NDC "chickens are coming home to roost".
However, the election in December is not about looking back. It is not about retribution. Far from it, it is about looking forward to lift up all Ghanaians, make all Ghanaians, better. We owe that to the next generation.
NPP-USA, Inc., Media Committee
Email: philipbannor@hotmail.com