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Opinions of Monday, 28 November 2016

Columnist: Professor Kwesi Kassah

Mahama deserves a reward to complete his good works

President John Dramani Mahama President John Dramani Mahama

I have followed closely the politics in Ghana, especially this election year, and would like to appeal to Ghanaians to give President John Mahama the green light to complete his good works. This is simply not because I do not understand that in politics, the opposition leaders also want to take over power. I am of the view that citizens of a progressive and well-respected country like Ghana should not vote out of power a leader who is tackling the developmental challenges facing Ghana in an admirable way.

Ghanaians who are sincere with themselves cannot claim that Ghana does not have a high performing President at present. Fortunately, many informed Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians are freely expressing the view that the present President of Ghana is perfectly up to the task.

People who think otherwise should just look around and see what is happening around them, especially the on-going infrastructural development. One does not need a theoretical understanding of economics to know that infrastructural development is a necessary first step in the development of a country.

I am astonished about the frantic efforts some Ghanaians are making to trivialise the concrete achievements of the current NDC government. Ghanaians remember and praise the first President Kwame Nkrumah, of blessed memory, for his focus on infrastructural development.

Trivialising the achievements of the ruling government is an unfortunate attempt to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. Change in government through peaceful elections is a sign of healthy democracy, but should not happen for its own sake. Not if the ruling government has even more to offer the country if re-elected.

Why are some Ghanaians in a hurry to change a President who is internationally acknowledged as steering Ghana in the right direction?

While we do politics, we should be aware of the implications of what we say or do for our children, who hold the key to the future prosperity of Ghana. We should not send wrong signals to our children that politics is about spreading falsehoods about your opponent, failing to give credit where it is due in so doing.

I am aware that the challenging economic climate Ghanaians experience is not limited to Ghana, but a global issue that has reduced many countries to their knees. Some European countries had to be bailed out by the European Union.

Fortunately, Ghana has been sailing safely through the difficult economic waves under the leadership of the current President. Those who hold opposing views that Ghana is not progressing under the Mahama administration are simply desperate for power.

I am not proposing that Mahama should rule forever, but that four more years for the hardworking and internationally respected African leader is bound to be a blessing for Ghana. The quality and competence of the present President should not be trivialised as it takes more than theoretical economic understanding to manage the economy of a nation.

The present President, to my mind, is a selfless leader who is always present where the action is. He does not hide when there is a difficult problem but stands firm until he finds a solution to the problem. His selfless devotion is not limited to Ghana, but extends to Africa as a whole. Recall the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in December 2013.

President Mahama led the war against the Ebola crisis when many African leaders were afraid to get near the borders of the affected countries. He worked tirelessly for the eradication of the disease. Dear Ghanaians, this election, is not just about change for its sake, but allowing a hardworking President to complete his good works for the betterment of all.

This short article is surely not in the interest of members of the opposition parties and may attract insults from people who cannot appreciate the efforts of the current President. However, they should realise that Ghana’s future should be the focus, not the interests of those who are in a hurry to remove a hard working President from office. Thank You and God Bless Ghana!