RE: LAWYER ABU JINAPOR IS A PRECIOUS TREE IN SAVANNAH THAT MUST BE PROTECT.

 By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Youth Imam from Laribanga) 

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I have read a very short submission from my big brother, Braimah Amati Lord-Ken, a US-based Gonja fine brain, on the above subject. Just like I have always stated, everyone’s opinion is sacred and ought to be expressed as such. I have grown to like Ken’s love for Gonja and his largely objective posturing when it comes to issues of Gonjaland and especially the politics in the land.

That said, I think I will agree with him in principle, but practically, I totally disagree with the submission by Ken to the effect that the current generation in Gonjaland has their star in Abu and for that matter, he must be protected. I am beginning to feel this is a calculated choreography from the NPP to emotionally blackmail the people of Gonja for their own gains. The reason is that, this assertion maintained by my good brother, Ken, has not come in isolation. Over the last couple of weeks, especially after the ban was placed on Abu in Gonjaland, many of his appendages started with this emotional blackmail. 

Indeed, many of them even reached out to some of us to tone down on our criticisms of Abu, especially about his failure to lead the charge to deliver the Damongo water project. They advanced this same argument that whereas Dagombas are nurturing Haruna from the NDC and Dr. Amin Anta from the NPP, we, in Gonjaland must come together to support and nurture Abu from the NPP so that he will also rise at equal wavelength with H.E John Dramani Mahama in the very near future. This is not bad in principle, for I hold the solemn belief that nothing happens in politics if it wasn’t design to happen. But I would not allow myself to be hoodwinked and bundled into this blackmail, when the same person we are discussing doesn’t believe in the Gonja agenda. 

In as much as I will subscribe to any such deliberate agenda from Gonjas as a people, I would not be susceptible to any backdoor blackmail. Does Abu believe in Gonjaland agenda? What has he done to advance same just like Haruna Iddrisu and Dr. Amin Anta are doing in Dagbon? Has he not strategically placed himself to be used by Akuffo-Addo to undo President Mahama’s bid in the past and even in this 2024 elections? We have eyes that can see the unseen, ears that hear from the dark and of course brains that can think and sift between good intentions and selfish desires. 

At what point did we see the need to support our own? I have said it before, if there is any place in the entire North where John Mahama had been wrongfully vilified and still being attacked, it is none other but Bole and Damongo. We are here, when the NPP boldly spit on our faces with the remarks that they cannot condone tribal politics. In fact, Abu’s repeated the same remarks at the Bolewura’s palace during their last visit after his ban. Abu said, the fact that John Mahama is a Gonja doesn’t mean all of us should support him. And that the only ingredient we use to cook the political soup is development and not tribalism. What does he mean by these remarks at the instance of the people of Bole, the Bolewura and Dr Bawumia? 

My senior brother Ken, did you hear Abu make the above remarks? Indeed, during his last acclamation leading to his candidature for his party in Damongo, Abu declared Savannah region as the battle ground for the 2024 elections. And that, all though John Mahama is from the region, they will snatch more seats in addition to his in order to make the NPP the majority from Savannah Region. Yes, you may want to say we should pardon him, because it was just political talk, but Abu’s own activities prior and post his declaration point to his resolve to undermine President Mahama, disgrace him and effectively undo his next coming as President.

I was thinking that my brother, Ken, would rather admonish Abu to tone down especially, with his underhand dealings to expose Gonjaland to ridicule through their well-hatched agenda of making the world to feel President Mahama indeed, did nothing for Gonjaland when he was President. 

We were here when the issue of the renovation of the Jakpa Palace became the most discussed topic in Ghana. How was that? Lawyer Abu Jinapor schemed through to make it sound like the former President could not even renovate his own father’s house, so how can he manage Ghana? In the bid to crystallize this agenda and to put the icing on the cake, they made it news that Dr Bawumia was committed at renovating the palace. True to it, Abu and his henchmen got the palace re-painted and his boys in Damongo took pictures of the Palace and flooded them on social media to make the point that instead of John Mahama, Dr Bawumia has come to the aid of Gonjas by building their own overlord, a palace. Does this posture afford us the opportunity to foster a united front towards the future? And let nobody tell me that Abu didn’t have a hand in all of these. 

Even when President Mahama started a completely new palace project, Abu, our only Cabinet Minister and the MP for Damongo, has made frantic efforts to undo President Mahama’s gesture. In view of this, they are renovating the old structure just by what President Mahama is building and they intend to commission it sometime after President Mahama hands over the new palace to the overlord. All of these are calculated at undermining President Mahama and of course the Gonja agenda Mr Ken is genuinely preaching. 

My brother Ken is from Bole, and so, I am very certain that he has the love for his people at heart. As we speak, the gold deposits in Bole have been mortgaged by Lawyer Abu Jinapor to foreign companies at the expense of the youth in Bole. At the last Gonjaland Youth Congress in Damongo, the Gonjaland Youth Association (GLYA) President, at paragraph 32 of his speech, bemoaned the lack of consultation with key stakeholders as required by the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (ACT 703), which, Abu, is required by law and good intentions to work with, in granting the mining concession to the foreign company. In fact, in his speech, Former President Mahama, on the same platform repeated the concerns raised by the GLYA President. Abu, out of whatever on the same platform, rubbished the concerns raised by both President Mahama and the President of the Gonjaland Youth Association. Subsequently, we heard the interview granted by the MP for Bole, Hon. Yussif Sulemana Ori, to the effect that there was no due diligence done and effectively no stakeholder engagement was carried out as done elsewhere before granting mineral concessions to foreign companies. What should our youth eat? 

Indeed, subsequent to all these, we witnessed the brawl between the Vice Chairman of the NPP in the Bole Constituency, the Police and other agents of the concession. Unfortunately, this led to the beating to pulp, of my good friend, Suraj Mahama, the NPP constituency secretary. I want to humbly ask a question, was the Yagbonwura and other key stakeholders in the land consulted and engaged prior to the granting of the concession? Has there been an alternative livelihood programs and retaining the rights to persons with the surface rights to the lands given on concession as contained in section 72 of the Minerals and Mining Act? How about ensuring local participation pursuant to section 50 of the same Act 703 of 2006? 

The last straw that broke the camel’s back is the issue of comparing Abu to President Mahama. We read from Abu’s recruited defenders, who are trained to taint the name and image of President Mahama. Each passing time, these agents of Abu, make the silly claim without any reservation, that Abu has done more in terms of development of Gonjaland than President Mahama. The come forcefully with this silly remarks, of course, with the tacit approval of Abu. Although, this sounds ridiculous, but shouldn’t we take those remarks serious? 

These agents of Abu mince no words when they come after President Mahama especially, when Abu is under siege. In fact, Abu’s aide, one Manuel Quaye, have had occasions where he undressed Former President Mahama and made very damning remarks about him. In the heat of the moment, when Abu’s ban became a reality, this same Manuel Quaye was the one who put together dirty headlines against the Yagbonwura. He mistakenly posted what was meant for an NPP platform, on the Damongo Youth Parliament platform. One of such headlines suggested that the reason why the Yagbonwura banned Abu was because the former requested a Land Cruiser from the latter, which hasn’t been delivered. True to their plan, we saw the publications on Ghanaweb the next day with that headline. And as we speak, such a publication is still on that website. 

What partly got Abu his current standing in the NPP was his penchant and love for attacking President Mahama. In fact, Abu was part of the plan to undo President Mahama’s second term in 2016. He, together with some Northern brothers and sisters were put together to sell Former President Mahama out with their incessant attacks and describing him in all forms. I still can remember his description of President Mahama as the most corrupt at All Nation’s University College in Koforidua. At the time, his own blood brother was an appointee of President Mahama. Should we also say, he was envious of his own brother at the time as my brother Ken wants us to believe? 

Today, Abu is fighting everyone in Gonjaland including Chiefs and the big faces who matter in our politics. We cannot bury our faces like the proverbial ostrich to the silent in-fighting between Abu and Dr Clifford. Did Abu not allegedly asked for Dr Clifford to be removed from the NPP National Council and replaced him? Was that one to envy? Should we be seen promoting each other or pulling dirty strings from behind? 

How many times have you read in the news that the NDC in North-East Region issued any statement or make any news to paint Dr Bawumia dirty after the visit of President Mahama to that region? The NPP in Bole, in Damongo and in fact, in Savannah does it with ease. The very moment Dr Bawumia visits Savannah, in order to show their unalloyed loyalty to him, they will definitely find something to send President Mahama to the cleaners. When Abu made the promise to construct an Astro turf for Bole, it wasn’t made out of good intentions, but to subtly attack former President Mahama. And the NPP members’ subsequent writings and posturing confirmed this. 

I am not against promoting the Gonja agenda in principle, but it must not start with Abu, but H.E John Dramani Mahama. It takes more than just financial resources to get called to the apogee of politics. And if anybody should be learning this, it has to be Abu and his appendages.

I will conclude by asking, between getting President Mahama at the seat of government and preparing Abu for the future in the midst of these political uncertainties, which one is the easiest and achievable? If the NPP in Savannah region continue to pull the strings in order to get President tainted, we, at the other side will not lend our emotions to be blackmailed by any future agenda. If the people of Gonja want to have an agenda, it must be now with President Mahama or never in the future with anybody.

UNFOLDING MANASSEH’S FOLDER 5: HOW MAHAMA’S 24HR ECONOMY DID NOT RESONATE WITH MANASSEH’S REASONING.

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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I wish to start with a sincere welcome to Manasseh Azuri Awuni, from his long hideout and political exile which was very necessary under the circumstances. At least, he’s back and gained his thoughts and voice back at a time, President Akuffo-Addo has practically lost his political claws to strangle him once more. He’s welcome to contribute his bit to enrich Ghana’s democracy, and he can be rest assured that President Mahama will never sent him into exile. 

Just as I indicated in my earlier episodes, I, Kudus Gbeadese, will find it very difficult to forgive Manasseh for one amongst many reasons; the fact that he was unconscionable enough to have published his so called Ford Expedition bribery allegations on President Mahama on the day, the latter’s mother passed. I know I am not God to have forgiven his sins, but I cannot seem to get that feeling out of me. That in itself does not take away my love for his writings and his work with the Fourth Estate. 

I was only thinking that, Manasseh will rather apologize to President Mahama and to the good people of Ghana for his contribution to the current mis-governing and the economic crisis we find ourselves. He cannot exculpate himself from liability for bathing and whitewashing President Akuffo-Addo to Ghanaians at the time Ghana was about to jet into economic prosperity. Manasseh equated President Mahama to a “Sheep” and made the case that he would prefer to vote for a Sheep than to vote for President Mahama in 2016. If he has revised his notes about this position, it is only right and natural for him to state so other than seeking to justify his position then. 

It is very natural and part of the way of life that all of us cannot see a round ball from the same angle and perspective. That is why on any subject matter, each one of us has an opinion quite distinct and different from other’s. On this score, I do not seek to take away Manansseh’s right to have an opinion about any policy proposal put out by President Mahama including the 24Hour Economy. It is only fair that he does his critique from both ends of his head, so that, this too shall not fall as one of his usual dismissive attitudes without proper introspection. 

I wish to submit on this score that, just as Manasseh got it wrong in believing that President Akuffo-Addo was a saint and therefore helped to campaign and ultimately installed him as President in 2017, same way he’s getting it all wrong with this 24Hour economy. I would not discount totally, his aversions to this policy, but he is practically getting it all wrong to start with.

Reading his submissions on this policy, I gathered that his main challenge is that even the 8 hours we do as the labour laws require us in Ghana, it is still not being optimally utilized, with many state institutions being redundant and unproductive. He may be right, but that cannot be a reason the 24Hour Economy cannot be realized. 

Manasseh was one of the champions and mouthpiece for the Free SHS policy. Even in the midst of the challenges, he has not run down the policy in its totality. While he’s applauding President Akuffo-Addo for the FSHS policy, the basic schools are suffering with payments of their capitation grants. Indeed, there are still basic schools under trees and under worse situations while the FSHS in implemented. 

In fact, while Ghana is being applauded for the numbers under the FSHS, some Senior High School students still take their meals under trees while others sleep in verandahs converted into rooms. 

So, it goes to say that, even where there are challenges with a particular established system like the current 8 hour shift for the public sector, one cannot stand on that to berate a proposal to run a 3-shift economy. It is a matter of choice, will, and a deliberate policy to recalibrate the system in order to change the structure with one stone. 

It is the case that, the Association of Ghana Industries, the Ghana Federation of Labour, the Trade’s Union Congress and other groups in the context of the Economy, have described this policy proposal as the game-changer, given the current economic climate Ghana finds itself. Nobody said, and not even President intimated that it is going to be all rosy within the short time. But like Lee Kuan Yew did in Singapore with a deliberate policy and the political will, it has to take someone to do same for Ghana if we ever want to get our economics right.

The Youth of Ghana can no longer wait for honey and milk to flow in our rivers in order for our political leaders to fix us. In fact, we can no longer wait for many more excuses from our political leadership to delay our destinies. The time is now, and we expect leadership to cut down on their taste for luxury and then sacrifice to make Ghana better. It takes just a leader with the will to do so. The increasing patronage, the political clientellism, the tribal bigotry, the politics of fear and the deliberate pursuit to compromise independent state institutions and other private institutions that should put government to check, are contributing to destroy this country. 

Although, we still don’t have the benefit of the NDC 2024 manifesto and not a policy document yet on the 24Hour Economy, but with the snippets of information from President Mahama and other speakers on this proposed policy, it is very easy to reason and resonate with it. It is about time, independent people like Manasseh stop the wholesale whitewashing of proposed policies and come to the table for reasonable discussions. 

A policy which is intended to be rolled out in some selected public sector agencies like the Passport Office, the DVLA, the Ports, etc. and to be opened for the private sector to subscribe to with the intention to engineer economic activities cannot be written of with a skewed opinion. Indeed, there is the demand for this policy given that the unemployment rate is around 14.7% according to the Ghana statistical Service. 

So, I am analyzing a proposed policy that is meant to increase our workforce by 2-folds. And I only think that we must support even if we have to all come together to refine it to fit for purpose, we owe the people that duty. Manasseh had the benefit of experiencing other countries where he had his time on exile, some of those countries run 24Hour economies, so, we can only implore him to bring his experience to the table for us to take one step forward. 

I have read from President Mahama on this policy. My takeaways from what I read are that, there will be tax incentives for companies that will sign up to the 24Hour economy to boost their capacity to employ more young people and to increase economic productivity and growth given their current capacity. Also, companies that do not have the capacity too will be supported by the government to increase their capacities for the purposes of operating 24Hours. In fact, such companies will have cheap power at off-peak hours of the day with relatively cheaper utility charges with other utility services. 

I want to humbly submit to Manasseh that this is achievable if we undo our quick cynicism and critique without reasoning deep and reflecting on how we can get going as a nation. 

Yes, Ghana’s economy is facing challenges, and we are not in isolation as far as these challenges are concerned. But Manasseh cannot tell me that it is not the case that part of the reason we are having to to face these challenges is the government’s deliberate mismanagement of the economy and the fleeting of our public finances on fanciful projects and discretionary expenditures on themselves other than on capital expenditures. I can bet with my life that If Manasseh is given Ghana’s economy to manage today, it won’t take rocket science to reset it and to get going seamlessly. It will just take one click—cutting down on the waste and pilfering of state resources and re-channeling same into productive ventures that will get this economy back on its feet. 

Even in the midst of the challenges, the government of President Akuffo-Addo and Dr Mahmoud Bawunia is still bent on spending more on consumption related activities. We are still servicing several amorphous agencies like the Free SHS secretariat, One-District-One-Factory Secretariat, the three Development Authorities with their amorphous agencies at the behest of the Presidency and the relatively elephant-size government ever in our history in the 4th Republic. Lest I forget, we still haven’t had the economic benefit of spending as much $58m on the world most expensive hole in the heart of the capital, Accra. 

So, if anybody should argue that, expending funds on such “useless” ventures do not contribute to our economic mess, I would have to look twice before assessing the person’s sanity. Indeed, Manasseh cannot argue that re-channeling such funds into the 24Hour Economy or the $10bn BIG PUSH or on setting up the Women’s bank is a no-brainer. We need the 24Hour Economy now or never in the future.

I will humbly request Manasseh to come again and perhaps, come to the table with his ideas to make the 24Hour Economy a reality.

 

RE: ABU JINAPOR CALLS FOR A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE IN THE DAMONGO CONSTITUENCY.

 By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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1. The Member of Parliament for the Damongo Constituency, Hon Abu Jinapor, has, just like his Flag Bearer, called for a Parliamentary debate in the Damongo Constituency. He made the call while undertaking his campaign activities in the constituency over the past week. 

2. Just like his Flag bearer, Dr. Mahmoud Bawumia did make a similar call for debate with President Mahama, Abu Jinapor is equally seeking a platform to restore his lost credibility and the goodwill the people of Damongo constituency handed him. So, in a bid to get that restored, he’s desparately seeking to play smart for such a play to play his usual rhetoric and theatrics in order to secure some already-made skewed headlines. 

3. Political debates in themselves are built to enrich the contours of democracy, since they effectively help to create some form of interface for citizens to participate and to get clarity to certain confusions and policy uncertainties. So, any form or nature political debates come, in principle, it is certainly a move to enrich our democracy, to ensure accountability, responsive leadership and to ultimately measure the level of sincerity  in our leaders. 

4. However, given the current circumstances, there is nothing to debate about. Indeed, what is there to debate is to account to the people of Damongo of his stewardship and not to his opponent. Hon Abu Jinapor owes the good people of Damongo an explanation to multiple issues, and that should be the beginning of accounting to the people.

5. To begin with, the people of Damongo are still expecting Hon Abu Jinapor to account for and to offer sincere reasons why after 4 years since the sod cutting ceremony for the Damongo Water project, nothing is done and nothing seems not to be done. Meanwhile, on the day of the sod-cutting ceremony, as part of his speech, Hon Abu Jinapor made the promise that the project will be completed in 18 months after July, 2020. Indeed, his slogan was, “promise made, promise fulfilled.” Where can we find the water project in Damongo? Or we should pray hard for the Broto mechanized borehole which they say is 10% complete,  to come and replace the $49m project they promised? 

6. Indeed, Hon Abu Jinapor owe us an explanation as to why he has never asked a question or make a statement on the Floor of Parliament on the Damongo water project and on any other challenges his constituency faces. In fact, he owes us an explanation as to why he hasn’t fulfilled a promise to drill the 10 mechanized boreholes in Damongo township. A whole Minister for Lands and Natural Resources yet, you cannot drill and mechanize boreholes for your people in the stead of the water project you refused to execute, at least as a way of saying "I am sorry for the deception."

7. Again, Hon Abu Jinapor owes the Busunuwura and the people of Busunu an explanation as to why the factory he and the President’s daughter promised the good people of Busunu, has not being realized. Also, at the instance of the Busunuwura, Hon Abu Jinapor promised that one of the pumping stations for rhe Damongo water project will be situated in Busunu to help distribute water to the communities around Busunu. Is there a reason we shouldn’t ask why the said distribution station hasn’t be established in Busunu yet? 

8. To add to this, since it’s construction, the so called Islamic Secondary School for my community, Laribanga, remains a painted building and not a school in operation. In the midst of this, what Hon Abu Jinapor thinks the people of Laribanga deserve is sharing of money and cooked food and not to put the so called Islamic Secondary School into operation. In addition to this, just about 1000m to Laribanga, Lawyer Abu Jinapor and his government, after assuming office, got part of the stretch of the Fufulso-Sawla road razed, with the pledge that it will be fixed. In fact, they brought a contractor with equipment to deceive the late Yagbonwura Tuntumba that they were in to rehabilitate that portion of the road. As we speak, that 100m razed portion and other portions of the road leading to Sawla have become death traps without any intention to fix them. Can he debate that? 

9. Hon Lawyer Abu Jinapor, in the middle of the campaign leading to election 2020, you amplified the promise of President Akuffo-Addo to the effect that Damongo will be getting a regional hospital as part of the Agenda 111 hospital projects. What is the state of this promise? You and your government also promised the people of Damongo of a Shea nut factory under the 1D1F. Will you be candid enough to show us where the factory is or why we haven’t seen anything yet? 

10. With all due respect to my MP, he is the Minister for Lands and Natural resources. By convention and standard practice, one of the primary responsibility is to ensure that our environment is protected. I want to remind him that just behind his house in Damongo, there is commercial charcoal burning going on. In fact, most of the trucks that come from the South to load the charcoal mostly find space to park at the junction leading to his house. Also, while you spend millions of our taxes in a so called tree planting, you are complicit in the ongoing destruction of our environment through indiscriminate logging, because you watch on while the logging goes on because of votes. Find sometime to debate that, sir.

11. Hon MP for Damongo, can you show us a single person, at least, from your party who you secured a scholarship for to study and upgrade him or herself? At a time, the scholarship secretariat was under your direct supervision as a Deputy Chief of Staff. Is it the case of a calculated sabotage to those who otherwise would be interested to further their education? Or should I believe the narrative from your own people that you have this extreme phobia for those in pursuit of higher learning? These are the real issues and not your usual games you play with our emotions. 

12. ⁠You promised to construct the following roads: a) from Canteen-Frafraline to Sor. No. 3; b) from Mognori to Murugu; c) from Yipala to Broto. Please sir, what happened to that promise? Or you were waiting for this last minute so called DRIP project meant to hoodwink the people into voting for you once more? 

13. ⁠Hon Abu Jinapor, when you are done answering the above questions, and done with the explanations and clarity to the lingering issues on your head including why the people of Damongo constituency are also suffering from ther high cost of living when you promised that you would write the name of Damongo with gold, then, you would secure the moral right to call for a debate. 

We cannot allow you stain our white shirt with your dirt. Go and debate the people about the whereabouts of the $49m meant for the Damongo water project. When you are done with all that, you have a relatively huge responsibility to undo the reality turned into a tag on your neck that you are ARROGANT. 

Please sir, is it really true that you don't listen to good counsel from anybody and that it is the reason you have sent all those reasonable people who could otherwise give you good counsel into political exile while keeping those you can order around in close proximity? 

Shalom!

HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED MUNIRU LIMUNA: CELEBRATING A MAN IN HIS BEST TIMES

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese

(Youth Imam)

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It has been more than half a century since you were born. A grand son of a hunter whose father never had a silver spoon in his mouth yet, was able to get a son to rise to his current heights, is no mean an achievement.

In the days when names were mention on merit and not with undeserved political titles, yours was mentioned without question. You built a personality that many modeled theirs around. You fed many mouths you never encountered. You empowered many you never had a direct relationship with. Indeed, you pulled many a hand up the hills without asking for a shoulder in return.

Until you decided to take a role in politics to serve H.E John Dramani Mahama, many only heard your name and good deeds but never had an opportunity of seeing the face behind the good deeds. In office as a servant of H.E John Dramani Mahama and particularly of the people, you paid your dues and made a name across multiple regions. Although, you are not PhD but you have made PhDs out of sincerity and good intention. 

Out of political office, you are still serving with a clean heart. Any wonder, H.E John Dramani Mahama still reposed confidence in you so as to make you his personal farm manager? Out of magnanimity, you have currently dedicated personal resources to advance the course of H.E John Dramani Mahama and the NDC especially, in the Damongo Constituency. Your radio station, KASHA FM in Damongo is doing so much to advance the course of H.E John Dramani Mahama and the NDC, and that is commendable. 

Nobody is perfect, they say. And yes, Alhaji Limuna cannot claim perfection, and he never did. It is the reality that in politics, many see and appreciate people from different perspectives. So to those who might see a different person out of you is to confirm the reality of life. That in itself will not whitewash and change your personality. 

On your 57th birthday, I have neither gold nor silver to give, but this short message from deep down my heart. Keep being the person you are and let posterity to be your judge. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HON. ALHAJI MOHAMMED MUNIRU LIMUNA. May your light keep shinning.

H.E JOHN MAHAMA’S SUPERIOR 24HRS ECONOMY AGAINST DR. BAWUMIA’S EMPTY RHETORICS

 Episode 2.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to launch its national campaign on 27th July, 2024, at the Tamale Jubilee Park. This event is considered as a declaration of a second independent for Ghana. 

The 2024 general elections is a collective effort geared towards rescuing this country from the hands of the gang of these wicked and selfish few in NPP members, who have deliberately plunged Ghana into an irreversible economic disaster. It is therefore a call to duty to all Ghanaians to join hands with the NDC to rescue and reset Ghana to a path of prosperity for all.

At this event, it is expected that the Flag bearer of the NDC and the incoming President of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama, will unveil and present before the people of Ghana, the game changer policy (24 Hour Economy) which is considered as the octopus with many legs of solving the economic challenges of Ghana.

On top of the problems to be fixed with the 24 hour economy is the issue of unemployment which has become the existential threat to our collective security as a nation. The statistical service conducted a survey and reported that Ghana’s unemployment rate now stands at 14.7%, up from about 8% in 2016. This figure is scary, given that the bulk of the active population are unemployed.

As a responsive leader, President Mahama has proposed a 3-shift economy which will operate around the clock. This policy will envelope both the private and some agencies in the public sector. For example, the Passport Office, DVLA, the ports, among others are part of the proposed government agencies that will operate within the confines of the 24 Hour Economy. It implies that additional two streams of manpower will be needed in these agencies and the private sector as well. This will eventually solve the unemployment situation in the long run. 

Key amongst the targets of this policy is agro procession, which will automatically catapult Ghana into industrialization. This is expected to operate alongside the mechanization of Agriculture while ensuring value addition to Ghana’s raw materials and eventual exportation. 

Most industries in the private sector are currently operating under capacity. Under the 24 Hour Economy, companies that will sign up are expected to be handed some tax incentives and relatively cheaper power to trigger full operations of these industries. 

Under this program, the next John Mahama’s administration intends to legislate and to review the existing labour laws and other related legislations to ensure a seamless operationalization of the policy. This proposed policy has been accepted and described by many including organized labour, as the game changer and the only antidote to this sick economy. 

While Ghanaians are anxious for the next Mahama’s administration to implement this policy, Dr. Bawumia has broken jail and is promising everything including the impossible. His latest promise that has outraged many Ghanaians is his credit purchase of Smart Phones with monthly payments of GHC 1. This is not only empty and strange, but it unrealistic and a non-starter. 

A man who gave all the nice lectures in opposition and made all the juicy promises, is here with yet another layer of unrealistic promises while running away from speaking about this ailing economy. 

Indeed, the 24 Hour Economy is not only the game changer but the best prescription for Ghana’s dying economy. 

By Azenji 

(NDC DRCO—Savannah Region) 

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DR. CALLISTUS MAHAMA: A PRISTINE DISCOVERY H.E JOHN MAHAMA HAS MADE.

 

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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A Gonja parlance goes that “the strength of a ram is in its waist.” This is held in various ways to imply that great leaders are made by his close associates and those who have his ear. 

When he lost power in 2016, many people attributed varied reasons to President Mahama’s painful lost. On top of the list of the reasons was the conduct of those closer or who surrounded President Mahama. In the midst of these, everybody had an opinion—some justified, others were made without recourse to the facts and details of how things were done.

Dr. Callistus Mahama, a known distinguished academic, an accomplished man in many ways and high-handed principled man with his eye on details, was discovered and brought into full swing public service. He was made the Head of the Local Government Service—a position mostly reserved for mainstream politicians to execute politically-motivated agenda. 

I had a relatively faint feel of Dr Callistus at KNUST when I served as the President of the National Association of Gonjaland Students. Until his appointment, I saw Dr. Callistus as a strict academic who would not settle for any impropriety as far as administration is concerned. Mind you, this principle is far in contrast with the practice in our governance system as a country. 

I didn’t get the opportunity to access and review his works at the Local Government Service during the period he served as the head, until my curiosity got tickled when I got closer and was amazed by the kind of person Dr. Callistus is. So, I discarded my opinion about him, which was indeed, largely influenced by what people said and the relatively short interface I had with him. 

Reviewing his work at the Local Government Service made me to get more curious to read about him and his publications. This was a great person in different fields and dimensions. I have so far reviewed about 6 of his publications in addition to the legislations he introduced and championed in our local government system. I would urge anybody reading this, to venture into reading the works especially, the new legislative frameworks and the administrative processes he introduced and championed in our local government architecture. 

Fast forward, H.E John Dramani Mahama drew him even closer after 2016 to administer affairs in his office. Many wondered how a strict, principled academic and disciplinarian could blend in with the kind of political arrangement we have become to be accustomed to in our body politics. Amazingly, Dr. Callistus is able to wave through the intricacies in the political environment while maintaining the discipline and reasonableness in conducting business at the Office of H.E John Dramani Mahama. 

As it stands now, many people do not even need the audience of H.E John Mahama at his office to get fixed. Ranging from attending to official matters to handling personal issues and effectively addressing party-political issues, Dr. Callistus seamlessly get them done and dusted. Given the calibre of staff at the office of H.E John Mahama and their respective expertise and roles, it will conventionally take a person with a high sense of versatility and acumen to administer such an office. This, Dr Callistus does with some ease although amidst some difficulties as it is expected.

I am not attempting to give all to him, but ordinarily ultimate responsibility largely lies on him, and this is my entry point with this article. 

Such a person ought to be celebrated all year round while he’s alive. Conversely, we take a day out such as his birthday to tell a story such as this.

On your birthday, sir, Dr. Callistus Mahama, I deem it an obligation to celebrate you in my own way. This is not praise-singing, but a story I can tell from my heart and from my strict perspective. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU DR. CALLISTUS MAHAMA. I am eternally grateful for getting me close and to know and experience the greatness in you. 

Continue to shine even in a dungeon.

THE GONJA KINGDOM: THE NPP DIRTY POLITICS AND THE JOHN MAHAMA FACTOR.

 

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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The great Kingdom of Gonja is in the news again, and as usual, it is for the bad reasons from the perspective of people with conscience. Well, the news was deliberately and needlessly generated by the NPP in the region for the purposes of embarrassing the King of Gonjaland, President John Mahama and the entire Kingdom for petty political ends.

On this, I have no reason to doubt one of the finest and credible Journalists from Gonjaland, Mahama Haruna, General Manager of the award-winning Nkilgi FM, when he submitted that the renovation of the 2-rooms and a hall, an extension of the Jakpa Palace structure, was done by Hon Abu Jinapor. The genuine question Mr. Mahama Haruna however, asked was, how come that anytime Abu Jinapor executes any such project, he is always quick to label it as Dr. Bawumia’s achievement? Of all times, why will Abu Jinapor and his NPP choose now to embarrass the King and his son, John Mahama? Why will it be the time that the Kingdom is called to gather around the Yagbonwura to celebrate his one year Anniversary?

In my last epistle on a closely related subject matter, this was how I concluded: “I dare say that, if John Dramani Mahama is being chased from Accra, Gonjaland is not the home he can run to. In fact, the Kingdom will be ready to hand him over to his adversaries without asking for a reward in return. I am back to my cave in the Laribanga Mountains.” I dare say that, this assertion is still relevant and applicable as it were yesterday.

WHAT ARE THE BARE FACTS?

1. Let it be on record that, it is never and can never be true that the NPP and its government built the current Jakpa Palace. In fact, the current 2-bedrooms and a hall that has been repainted was never built by the NPP, but a collective efforts of the Gonjaland Youth Association and the respective District Assemblies and other well-meaning sons and daughters of the land. It is the fact that the current structure in reference is not the entire Jakpa palace but just an extension.

2. Let it also be record that right from Yagbonwura Awushi who first settled in Damongo, to Yagbonwura Doshie, none of them occupied the repainted 2-bedrooms. It was ONLY Yagbonwura Tuntumba Boresa who occupied one of the rooms during his reign. In fact, the current Yagbonwura has not stepped into this same repainted structure. He is currently occupying a private residence but only come to the premises of the Jakpa Palace for ceremonial activities. If what I am hearing is right, then I can safely report that, he has indicated that he would not step into the current repainted rooms in the nearest future.

3. The fact is also that, the actual Jakpa Palace which has hosted almost all the Yagbonwuras and their households is standing there without any renovation. Indeed, it does not need a renovation but a complete rebuilding which the NPP are smartly trying to swindle and choking Gonjalanders from discussing it. 

4. On his ascension to the throne, the issue of the renovation of the palace came on top of many priorities. King Bii-Kunuto in his wisdom tasked the Dr. Abu Sakara led committee to come out with a plan as to how to rally the sons and daughters of the Kingdom to get that project executed. Mind you, the Abu Jinapor led NPP in Savannah Region opposed the leadership of Dr. Abu Sakara. They indicated that they (the NPP in the region) cannot and will not work with Dr. Abu Sakara, and that if he remained the chairman of the local organizing committee, the NPP government and its leadership in the region will not honor the out-dooring of the Yagbonwura and will not also contribute to it. In his wisdom, the King, called their bluff and tasked Dr. Abu Sakara to continue his work.

5. In the circumstances, H.E John Mahama requested audience of the committee and subsequently requested it to get a complete drawings of a new palace comprising of 4 phases in which there will be the palace to house the King, a separate place to house his household, a multipurpose hall for proceedings and other durbars and a museum to display the artifacts and other historical sites in the Kingdom. This has been done and a contractor has been engaged and currently working, as far as I can report.

6. Seeing this, the Abu Jinapor led NPP in Savannah region, in their usual attempt to embarrass President Mahama and insult the rest of us in Gonjaland, ambushed the King when Dr. Bawumia visited somewhere November 2023, to not only get the palace to enskin Dr. Bawumia as a chief but to get the news out there that the Jakpa Palace needed renovation and that Dr. Bawumia had decided to do the renovation for Gonjas. This was allegedly planned and executed by the NPP leadership in the region including, Chairman Kalamonia, Hon Abu Jinapor (the architect) and the Regional Minister.

7. Acoording to the their own members, this was an act to get Dr. Bawumia to trust them and to feel they are doing everything to embarrass John Mahama and by extension the King of Gonjaland. The NPP in Gonjaland can and will sell the identity of the Gonja Kingdom at the least chance for political glory. This is a fact backed by their activities at all time necessary.

THE JOHN MAHAMA FACTOR.

In the midst of all these theatrics, there is only one goal, and that is to embarrass John Mahama. It is a fact that, if there is anywhere on this earth that John Mahama gets insulted and attacked, it is no where than in Gonjaland. Sadly, he gets insulted and attack in Bole and in Damongo the most. Let me quickly submit that Bole is now getting better while Damongo is getting worse since the coming of Abu Jinapor in Damongo and in fact, in the politics of Gonjaland.  

I am zooming on Abu Jinapor for very good reasons and without malice. The reason is that, all of these orchestrations are allegedly cooked and executed at his behest. It is common knowledge that he is the bankroller of the NPP in Savannah Region and that all, perhaps, with the exception of Dr. Clifford the Council of State Member, Chief Kpangriwura Adam Zakaria, fall to the dictates of Abu in the region. 

From his own allies, we pick reliable information that he is aiming and working tirelessly to become a running mate some day. Good for Gonjaland anyway, but must that ambition override the bigger interest of one of us becoming President? Should that push Abu Jinapor to want to make a compelling case to his political godfathers that he is capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Mahama? His social media army always wants to compare him with John Mahama, and this is a fact.

I will leave out the very minutest details and deal with the very recent happenings that everybody in Gonjaland can relate to. Aside from embarrassing Hon. Alhaji Muniru Limuna at the instance of H.E John Mahama and his father, the Buipewura, in Buipe, Abu and his NPP have committed grave sins against the interest of the Gonja Kingdom. By painting the last Yagbon Damba of the late Yagbonwura Tuntumba with NPP colors, to the extent of painting the calabashes meant to display the traditional “Big TZ” with NPP colors and pictures of Abu Jinapor. These facts are sacrosanct, except that they don’t want us to state them on days like this.

Check these!

1. On the 23rd March 2023, the NPP, with the tacit approval of Abu and the NPP regional Chairman, Kalamonia, the Northern Regional Organizer of the NPP, Rashid COP and the Savannah Regional Organizer of the NPP, Nana Kwame, collaborated and got NPP boys to hoot at John Mahama at the out-dooring of Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto. This was immediately carried by pro-NPP media houses and gave a completely different narrative that John Mahama was being hooted at because the people of Gonjaland were angry with him, and the reasons is that he did not engage in any meaningful development in the land when he was President.

2. The 21st November 2023 enskinment of Dr. Bawumia at the Jakpa Palace was yet another orchestration of the NPP in Gonjaland to get the King and the palace entangled as well as embarrass John Mahama. This was equally reported by pro-NPP media differently to give Dr. Bawumia a certain lead over John Mahama in Gonjaland.

3. In February 2024, a well crafted plan to embarrass and disgrace John Mahama at the funeral of the late Queen Mother of Busunu Traditional Area was yet executed by the NPP and its leadership in Damongo Constituency. Some two days to the funeral, the plan was hatched that the NPP should mass up around Abu Jinapor and the Chief of Staff when John Mahama comes to the funeral grounds. The plan was to as usual hoot at John Mahama to make the case before the Chief of Staff that, yes, indeed, Abu Jinapor controls Damongo and by extension, Gonjaland as a whole. This plan was ably and swiftly foiled by the NDC with a counter plan which resulted in a clash. Indeed, Abu Jinapor and his NPP first attempted to breach the security of John Mahama with their NPP van, but this was ruthlessly stopped by the NDC. The next was that, while H.E John Mahama took his seat at the funeral, 15 minutes after the program had begun, Abu Jinapor in the midst of a noisy brass band, led the Chief of Staff to storm the grounds. Unfortunately, this was at the time the family of the late Queen Mother was presenting her tribute. Again, this was stopped by the NDC and it led to the final clash at the instance of John Mahama, the Busunuwura and the family of the late Queen Mother. 

4. The final of these embarrassments is the ongoing orchestration by Abu Jinapor led NPP in Savannah Region, in the case of the renovation of the Jakpa Palace which as usual is playing well to the plan of the NPP. The craftily put this together and decided to release it to coincide with the 1 year Anniversary of the Yagbonwura and the Annual Gonjaland Youth Congress in Damongo. Also, knowing well that John Mahama in collaboration with the Dr. Abu Sakara’s committee and the Gonjaland Youth Association, had engaged a contractor to undertake the construction of a new befitting palace in 4 different phases for the King and the people of Gonja, the NPP decided to do this in order to take that shine off John Mahama. Let it be on record that, H.E John Mahama was doing this in the quiet and as a son of the land and not a politician, which is why there was no jamboree or earlier disclosure, but the NPP will always push reasonable people to do what was originally planned to be respectfully done in the quiet. 

5. Unfortunately, and as I indicated earlier, the NPP and its leadership in Savannah Region care less about the image and identity of the Gonja Kingdom, the image of the Yagbonwura and his chiefs, and in fact, the collective pride of the people of the Gonja Kingdom. So, they can sell the land to achieve their political end no matter the cost to the people. They deliberately got Wontumi TV and its allied media houses to engage in a crafted spin on the issue of this renovation of the Jakpa Palace after same had been flooded by their social media communicators both at the national and local levels on their social media handles and platfroms. They conveniently lied against King Bii-Kunuto, the Jakpa palace, John Mahama and the entire Gonja people in the video in circulation from Wuntumi TV. 

In the circumstances, it will serve the good of the Jakpa Palace and for that matter, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto to either organize a press conference or issue a statement in response to the NPP and Wuntumi TV in particular; the records must be set bare by the Jakpa Palace and to call the NPP and its leadership in Savannah Region to order. The Gonjaland Youth Association has a part to play here. If the Association does not feel obliged to protect John Mahama, a member of the Association in good standing and a proud, accomplished son of the land, it should at least join in the chorus to set the records straight as the Association knows and privy to. I will equally plead with the Dr. Abu Sakara led committee to attempt an image-cleansing act, to get all these mess the NPP has deliberately created, cleaned respectfully.

QUESTIONS:

1. Is it really true that Dr. Bawumia renovated the Jakpa Palace? The answer is a big No. as far as we are told, the 2-bedrooms and a hall, an extension of the palace, was renovated by Abu Jinapor. And this was reported by Mahama Haruna, a credible media personality in Gonjaland. The issue of having to name Dr. Bawumia as the one responsible for the said renovation is an attempt to embarrass not only John Mahama, but the King of Gonjaland for very obvious reasons.

2. Is it the case that John Mahama is undertaking the building of a completely new and befitting palace for the King and the people of Gonjaland? The answer is a Big Yes. Indeed, as far as I know, and from unofficial sources, work has started in earnest and the sod-cutting ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Palace on Friday, 26th April, 2024.

3. Is it the case that the ongoing noise of the NPP is an attempt to embarrass John Mahama and to take the shine off him when eventually, the new palace he is building takes shape? This is the NPP for you, and it is unfortunate that its leadership is almost the same as its grassroots; they think the same and act almost the same.

4. How come that Dr. Bawumia will leave the Nayiri Palace and decide to renovate the Jakpa Palace? Is it the case that the Nayiri’s Palace does not need renovation? Could this be for political expediency? Is anybody from the NPP in Gonjaland attempting to use the Jakpa Palace as the convenient ballot in getting his/her political favors in the unfortunate event that Dr. Bawumia wins the next election?

5. Is it true that John Mahama as President constructed the Walewale-Nalerugu road? If true, do your calculation of the cost of 1km of road and that of repainting of 2-bedrooms and a hall, and you would but conclude that, Bawumia, perhaps, still owes John Mahama some coins. If we were to put President John Mahama and Dr. Bawumia on a scale of who has done more in the other’s backyard, Dr. Bawumia would surely have debts to pay President Mahama.

6. If at all Gonjaland wants to build a palace for the King, must it be done by desperate politicians and not the able sons and daughters from the land? Can’t the sons and daughters of the land act as such and not as politicians? Why can’t we at least copy our neighbors from Dabgon who are undertaking a similar project? Why must we always be ready to trade our identity for few temporary political points? Are we really proud as Gonjalanders?

I leave the rest for Gonjas and Gonjaland to ponder. Let me say that, Ghanaians at large have accepted John Mahama. Almost all tribes in Ghana have accepted John Mahama as the next President and Savior. What says my people in Gonjaland? What is your position? Do you want to throw away your son, who Ghanaians have embraced? Would you want to fall for the theatrics and blackmail of NPP leadership in Savannah Region or you want to stand to be counted when the day of reckoning befalls? The time to make a choice is now and never in the future. I am back in my caves in the Laribanga mountains.

Shalom!!!