Opinions of Sunday, 14 April 2024

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

We cannot risk another 'Try me too'

Nana Akufo-Addo and Mahamudu Bawumia in a photo Nana Akufo-Addo and Mahamudu Bawumia in a photo

Friends, I have a confession to make, and hope my "sins" will be forgiven. One of the easiest ways of helping grow our nation's economy is by patronising made-in-Ghana goods, an idea H.E. John Dramani Mahama has been championing with passion. But I did the opposite and was severely punished for it.

A friend invited me to be the MC of his birthday party. I wanted to look good so I went to shop for some wears. I saw this Italian labelled pair of shoes with a fairly cheap price tag, and I bought it.

The day for the party came, but as soon as I set off it started raining, and to my utmost embarrassment the soles of my designer "Italian shoes" came off. I had to go back home to get another pair of shoes. I called my friend the birthday boy to apologise for being late to the programme, and also explained to him what happened. My friend burst out into an uncontrollable fits of laughter and told me that the shoe I bought is called "ma tricky wo" meaning "I have tricked you." Then I remembered the adage, "Not all that glitters is gold."

I'm exceedingly disappointed with the Akufo Addo/Bawumia government because the two pillars on which their 2016 campaign was propped on are hardship and corruption, with which they demanded for a change in government. And it was against this background that they begged the Ghanaian electorate to try them.

Subsequently, on Sunday, February, 21, 2016, addressing a gathering of Muslim clerics and chiefs of settler communities in Derma in the Tano South constituency in the then Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Akufo-Addo made the following statements:

“This year, try me too. Give me the chance to show you what I can do. Four years is not so far away."

"If I come and I don’t succeed, kick me out. God knows my heart and I can assure you that I won’t disappoint you. Progress and prosperity are what I am offering the people of Ghana," he continued.

By this, Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia signed a social contract with Ghanaians that they should be kicked out if they do not succeed, and they have failed so why should we entertain them and anything that concerns them in this year's elections?

People of Ghana, shine your eyes well-well oo; not all that glitters is gold. Beware! We don't want another "ma tricky wo."