Opinions of Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Columnist: The Informer

Ocquaye’s ‘A’ Rating Undeserving

It is undeniable that many Ghanaians abreast with day-to-day developments in their country’s political circles have come to appreciate the efforts of Mr. Steve Mallory and his Africawatch Magazine as regards the wonderful revelations about the country’s political leaders, particularly the findings on the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader, Nana Akufo-Addo: But that notwithstanding, those of us at The Informer would disagree with recently-released performance index, which rates the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rev. Professor Mike Oquaye, the highest amongst his peers..

For some obvious reasons to which those residing in and around the Dome/Kwabenya Constituency can attest, it is completely inappropriate to rate the Second Deputy Speaker the way the Africawatch Magazine did, when his constituents even do not have potable water to drink for this donkey years that he has represented them in Parliament.

We wish that Mr. Steve Mallory will send one of his links (trusted sources) in Ghana to the Dome/Kwabenya Constituency, to gather first-hand information as to prevailing conditions on the grounds; and he will regret to have rated Mike Oquaye that high.

According to the Africawatch Magazine, the second Deputy Speaker, had performed exceptionally good in Parliament, but one wonders the barometer used by Mallory-group to arriving at that conclusion; because, to us; for a politician to be rated for good performance encompasses a lot.

Residents of Dome/Kwabenya and its environs have become so livid about Hon. Mike Oquaye’s neglect of the constituency as he does not care one hoot about whatever social problem confronting his constituents; and this is the man we are being told having performed, exceptionally, as politician.

Firstly, how could Hon Ocquaye enter Parliament if he was not given the nod by his constituents to represents them, and to help better their lot, that, the Africawatch thinks his performance as a politician and for that matter a legislator should be limited to his contributions in the August house?

Our news team had visited the Dome/Kwabenya Constituency couple of times, but was met with total social neglect, as constituents complained of indifference on the part of their representative in Parliament; and it was horrendous. The road networks, most especially, in the Atomic Hills Areas are not in the best of shapes, and one wonders if Hon Mike Oquaye really cares about those he promised to serve?

In fact, persistent erosion has left serious gullies on the road as the situation becomes so unbearable to commuters from the area. In most instances, commercial vehicles would refuse to ply the routes when it rains; and Mike Oquaye does not care, yet, the Africawatch Magazine claims his performance supersedes that of the President.

If, indeed, Professor Mike Oquaye has done something monumental in his constituency and needs to be rewarded why should his son, Baby Ajasco Oquaye lose the consistency primaries to Adwoa Sarfo?

This scenario should have informed Mr. Steve Mallory that any praise being showered on the second Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament as representative of the Dome/Kwabenya constituency, will go against the will of his constituents who he has neglected for years.

The Informer commends Steve Mallory and the Africawatch for their good work done, but will advise that in the next performance index, critical issues like those unfolded above should be taken into consideration, in order to make research findings credible.

Professor Mike Oquaye is a disgrace and does not deserve such grade, period!!