Is Akufo-Addo the Abdoulaye Wade of Ghana politics?

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The NDC Propaganda Secretary, Richard Quashigah, sank into the gutter a month ago when he downgraded the NPP’s flagbearer, Akufo-Addo, as too old to be Ghana’s President.

“Nana Addo would have been a better candidate four years ago when he was between 63 and 64, but today he has passed 65 years and he is not suit for the presidency,” he was quoted as saying (Ghanaweb, 8/26/12).

Abuse of incumbency is not the charge

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Those criticizing President Mahama’s “Thank You" tours to the regions as “abuse of incumbency” seem to have too much time and too little to do. I see nothing wrong with the regional tours nor do I consider them as an instance of abuse of incumbency. Who are these critics to prescribe the modus operandi on public outreach for the President, anyway?

The President is using the appropriate channel to expose himself to Ghanaians. The timing is good, at least, to let the people know that there is no vacuum at the Presidency, following the passing on of John Atta Mills. How else do these critics expect President Mahama to reach out to the people?

To hop onto an NDC van and parade himself all over the country for them to agree that he is not abusing his incumbency? Hogwash already!!

Is the NPP now in love with socialism?

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The debate on Akufo-Addo’s proposal to implement a policy on free senior high school (SHS) education won’t end soon. Many voices have been heard on the proposal, mostly deriding it as irrelevant and not the answer to Ghana’s development problems. Those in the NPP have stood their grounds that the measure is feasible and that those opposing it are only being mischievous. I disagree with them.

Why does Akufo-Addo think that the lack of “free” education up to the SHS level is the most worrisome of Ghana’s development problems? And who says that practically, free SHS education ever solves any country’s development problems?

Honestly speaking, our main problem in Ghana today is not the lack of education but joblessness. The unemployment problem is acute, which is what one expects our politicians to concentrate on. All in all, though, it is not the responsibility of government to create jobs. Government’s role is simply to provide the incentives and the enabling environment for the private sector to create jobs. That’s not what has been happening, which worsens the unemployment situation. Solving this problem can’t be done through a free SHS education as Akufo-Addo is leading the NPP to bore us with!!

On the 45 new constituencies: What is the NPP afraid of? (Part II)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

I am particularly disappointed at Kufuor’s conduct. If his main reason is the timing of this action by the EC, one will be less harsh on him. But there is more to it, which suggests that he doesn't know what he is talking about. Here is his main concern:

“Why should the Commission insist on creating 45 new constituencies on the eve of the election when we have only three months to go?”

Then, he comes across as a trouble maker by passionately appealing to the “Electoral Commission and to all the parties across the board to be careful nobody plants a time bomb [in the country] between now and the elections” (Ghanaweb, 8/27/12).

Baseless paranoia. Haven’t prospective voters already been registered to be able to cast their ballot wherever they are? Or won’t it be possible for voters to transfer their votes across constituency lines as has been happening all over the years?

On the 45 new constituencies: What is the NPP afraid of? (Part I)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The ongoing bitter criticism of the Electoral Commission for creating 45 new constituencies is nothing but an act of empty political jingoism.

Of all the factors likely to threaten the upcoming December 7 elections and, thereby, pose the gravest challenge to our democracy, this creation of 45 new constituencies is the least worrisome.  I see no reason for all the hullabaloo that those stridently criticizing the EC are causing here and there as if the creation of new constituencies is unusual in democracies.

As Woyome fights the Public Accounts Committee… (Part II)

Saturday, August 25, 2012

There is nothing wrong with efforts being made to unearth the truth behind the scandal. Ghanaians are impatiently waiting for the money paid to him to be retrieved and lodged in the national coffers if proved to be wrongfully given him. Ghanaians also expect stiff punishment for such a person and all others implicated in this scandal.

Then, they expect that all the loopholes promoting such thievery will be plugged and the necessary administrative and legal measures taken to guard against recurrence. All the subterfuge that has enabled such fraudulent practices should be detected and dealt with so that what belongs to all of us is not diverted to line the pockets of white-collar thieves parading as businessmen and government appointees.

As Woyome fights the Public Accounts Committee… (Part I)

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The new phrase in the lexicon of Ghanaian politics—judgement debt—has aroused as much indignation as would make the ordinary Ghanaian cringe at its mere mention.

What has begun happening between the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) and Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the beneficiary of the 51 million Ghana Cedi judgement debt payment, has pushed that indignation a notch higher.

It also raises several disturbing questions bordering on legal issues and fundamental human rights. More troubling, though, is that it has also revealed the extent to which partisan political interests can jeopardize the work of institutions of state.