Opinions of Saturday, 30 March 2013

Columnist: Quaye, Stephen A.

Mr. President, “sarcasm won’t move Ghana forward”.

By: Stephen A. Quaye.

In the recent past, sarcasm has reigned so much that everywhere you go people use it as medium to respond or react to statements that affects them.
But the tactics of using sarcasm in addressing issues so dear to ones life or the nation by politicians has not help in solving even one of the numerous problems facing the country presently.
Recently, all heard ex-president John Agyekum Kufuor, calling on President John Dramani Mahamah, to seek help from the country’s neighbors in solving the crisis facing the country presently.
As an ex-president, he even gave an example where he personally traveled to beg ex-president Olesegun Obasanjo of Nigeria for crude oil supply at a point where Ghana was going to face a major oil shortage. This was to urge the president to go extra mile if he is in fact at all doing something about the situation.
So surprising, the reply that came from the seat of government was not palatable at all as it sought to play the game of sarcasm rather than taking the advice in good faith to find a lasting solution to the crisis.
No body can be perfect in this world except Jesus Christ who was of the spirit of God. Apart from him, no one can be said to be perfect no not one. Even the presidents that we elect to rule over us none of them can be hundred percent perfect.
But with the little wisdom that God has blessed them interlaced with the similarly knowledge and skills as well as the opinions we all share when implemented is able to move the country forward.
That is why an old adage advices that “one head does not go to council” meaning wisdom, knowledge and skills can not be found in one persons head. Every one has some therefore in collective it becomes whole.
So for an ex-president who was once confronted with the same problem whiles in office to come out and make a suggestion to the incumbent about how to push for solution to the problem should not be received with a pinch of salt.
Some media networks might have put the sound calling on the president by Mr. Kufuor to seek advice under headings such as “WAKE UP MR. PRESIDENT, STOP SLEEPING MR. PRESIDENT” and what have you that did not go down well with him.
But even that he was not suppose to come out with that sarcasm statement that he was not sleeping. The high life musician Kwadwo Antwi says ,”Mento nko nanso mendaa yeooo” to wit, “I am taking a nap but not sleeping”.
May be yes he was not sleeping but was taking a nap after two months congratulatory courtesy calls on him at the castle whiles the problems facing the country continues to unfold.
Oh yes you go to various state departments, agencies and other offices across the country and you will see how people are sleeping on their job. Too much problems keeping them awake all night as they think about how to solve those problems. They get to work and here they dose off every hour.
The president can be tired, exhausted and disturbed too with many of the problems that can let him dose of on his work but he is to be poked by someone to keep him awake in order to be able to deliver on the promises he has made to the people.
The political campaign platforms have long been removed which means no more propaganda statements, political insults, pessimistic statements, defamatory speeches to run people down.
It is time to deliver on the promises of quality education, health, food supply, employment creation, free flow of pipe born water, uninterrupted hydro electric power supply, abundance of gas and fuel and punctual and timely payment of salaries and allowance to avoid civil servants strikes.
The president was not sleeping but may be was taking a nap after thinking so much about the problems and how to solve them. Do not worry, he has been awoken by ex- president Kufuor’s poking statement so let us keep watching him now.
End.