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Opinions of Saturday, 11 February 2012

Columnist: Afevi, Kormi

Jerry Rawlings, The Real And Only Difference Between NPP And NDC

I am not one of those prolific writers hence you are likely to find this piece a bit incoherent but it is the only way I can pour out my heart on the sorry state of affairs in the NDC. I do not have an NDC party card, neither do I need anything from the government. I have been gainfully employed for the past 6 years. I am however very happy when the NDC is in power because of my firm belief that the party is an embodiment of the aspirations of the ordinary Ghanaian.
My cries however is a microcosm of a larger group; a fact that is almost taking the party back to opposition.
The NDC never took charge over the affairs of the country after the election. This coupled with the fact that people who lacked the competence to work in government were appointed to steer affairs in sensitive ministries has been the cause of all the problems encountered by the government. Is it not sad that we had an information minister whose grasp over the queen’s language can at best be described at mediocre? Any wonder that in responding to a question posed by a radio programme host on developments in her ministry she said she went to the US to ‘kill two stones with one bird”. In utter disregard of electioneering promises to bring justice to the electorate the NDC appointed an attorney general who never had a clue as far as complexities involved in litigating in our legal environment are concerned? The chicken has come home to roost. The NDC has already lost the battle at the court of public opinion as far as the woyome scandal is concerned.
That is not all, people. The decision to keep some young men and women at the frontline of govt business instead of assigning roles in the numerous govt dept and agencies has also come at a cost. The embarrassing response of Ablakwa to the Andani youth recently readily comes to mind. A combination of incompetence, lack of experience and the perception that nobody is charge of affairs is fastly taking roots in the minds of Ghanaians. Talking about not being in charge, how can it be that one cabinet minister sends a memo to another to pay Woyome that hefty amount without the knowledge of the president?
You see comrades, you might disagree with Jerry Rawlings.But today, his soaring popularity is a yes verdict on all his outbursts for the past three years for which the govt dogs of war ( Ray Archer and Mr Pratt ) sought to crucify him. Today, Kwasi Pratt talks about an ‘ Ananse Govt’. How is this different from Jerry’s outburst that the government was moving in reverse gear?
The NDC failed to bring Justice to the people of Dagbon and many Ghanaians, failed to take over power in the real sense, has failed to deliver the STX houses and is currently embroiled in the biggest scandal to have hit the republic in my generation. So do you now understand Mr Rawlings when he tells you he has no message to campaign on in 2012 ?
You will be tempted to disagree with me on this chapter but my people, I am talking reality. On a recent visit to my hometown in the Volta Region I engaged my die hard NDC aunt Tasi Abla in a conversation. She complained in my face that a Fante caucus in the NDC had used Jerry Rawlings whiles secretly hatching their own plans behind him. To some extent I agree with Tasi Abra. The bane of the NDC today is that the Awhois,Hannah Tetteh,Eddie Annan,Martey Newman etc backed by their media henchmen have sacrificed the greater good of the NDC at the selfish doorstep of a few for which my heart bleeds. There are people in the Volta region like Tasi Abra who have seen this. They will not vote for the diabolic NPP because it represents at best an ethnic cult masquerading as a political party with popular appeal and functions on propaganda .But they will stay at home in protest at the apparent crucifixion of their son.
Take it or leave it. The only difference between the NDC and the NPP is Jerry Rawlings. He will speak against corruption and ineptitude wherever it occurs. He has therefore become a stumbling block to the corrupt educated elite who will do everything including financing newspapers and Radio stations from ill-gotten funds to vilify the man and assassinate his character. The climax of the sorry state of the NDC was last week when it was announced that govt will put in a defense to the Woyome issue in court. When a heard Benjamin Brantuo addressing a press conference in defense of Woyome, Segbefia putting in a strong defense on Joy fm, David Annan vehemently defending his client, I came to the conclusion that things are falling apart and unless urgent steps are taken it will not be long and the center will be unable to hold.
Until then, you can tell Tasi Abra about single digit inflation, increasing capitation grant, quadrupling the size of the economy and the confidence of the IMF in the economy. She will laugh and tell you JERRY WORDOR NA AVUWO WO DU.

Kormi Afevi
Kormiafevi@yahoo.co.uk