Terkper’s critics shamed

He is being hounded by his own colleague ministers and party members but the opposition parties like his way of doing things and are just waiting to take advantage of his exit from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and make capital gain out of it.

His name is Mr. Seth Terkper, otherwise gentle, but firm and fair in all his dealings and ever ready to protect the public purse.

The manner in which the minister handled events in the run-up to the National Economic Forum, which started at Akosombo in the Eastern Region today, has made him gain the respect of even certain members of the opposition parties.

Mr. Terkper before the start of the forum had managed to let Ghanaians appreciate and understand the need for such non-partisan moves towards a better economy.

Mr. Terkper in recent times has come under constant attacks for tough stands on issues affecting the economy.

In fact, he has changed lots of things at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and that has made things difficult for persons, who hitherto, were milking the state dry.

Mr. Allotey Jacobs, Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Alhaji Bature, all members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have said lots of things about him, but he is still focused.

Certain key figures at the seat of government and colleague ministers have hatched various plots to get him out of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, but he is resolute to work to help President Mahama to succeed.

He has blocked lots of avenues where some politicians and public servants were making money without doing any work, so he is the number one enemy now.

People have gone to the extent of telling the President untruth about the Minister, all to have him fired but the President would not listen to anybody because he has confidence in his finance minister.

Allotey Jacobs was not there to tell Ghanaians the relevance of the National Economic Forum, Alhaji Bature was not heard, Dr. Kwabena Adjei was missing and so were Mr. Terkper’s colleagues who want him out.

The minister, single-handedly have been able to tell Ghanaians in various interviews about what the forum seeks to achieve, among others.

The otherwise hardworking minister, whose crime is that he announced the Cabinet decision not to award new contracts, has been able to diffuse the opposition agenda of inciting Ghanaians against the government over the forum.

The opposition wanted the whole Ghana and the world to believe that the forum was not important and was just a waste of everybody’s time, but Mr. Terkper did his best to explain things to Ghanaians and a majority came to appreciate the importance of the Forum.

Instead of Mr. Terkper’s detractors joining him to educate Ghanaians on the relevance of the forum, they sat aloof, thinking that the minister will fail.

Interestingly, he has succeeded in having lots of people to understate where the economy of Ghana is today, and where it is expected to be in the near future,

THE PEOPLE’S FORUM POSITION ON TERKPER

The People’s Forum, a Non-Governmental grouping, is the latest to join those defending the hardworking minister and it says that the dismissal of Mr. Tekper by the President will not solve the country’s current economic problems.

According to the People’s Forum, decisions concerning the management of the economy were collectively taken through an intricate collaboration with Cabinet and that Mr. Terkper should not be singled out when it appears certain decisions have not effectively reined in the fundamentals needed to eliminate the nagging economic challenges.

At the People’s Forum press conference in Accra last Monday, Mr. Spencer Quaye, a senior member of the forum, said Mr. Terkper had been swift in taking steps to address the economic problems, but the weak nature of the country’s economic fundamentals had defied the responses.

The position of The People’s Forum is an indication that lots of individuals and groups appreciate what the finance minister is doing for Ghana.

The constant denigration of Mr. Terkper simply for doing the right thing is just an assault on the President and the National Democratic Congress administration.

It is instructive to know that, under Mr. Terkper’s watch, the indiscriminate awarding of contracts has been put on hold for now or subjected to a disciplined review.

Mr. Terkper again has done away with unsustainable financial policies that were harmful to the economy and has also put an end to reckless short-term borrowing by government agencies, thus avoiding payment of interest.