GONJALAND NPP YOUNG POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ATTACKS ON JOHN MAHAMA & ITS RAMIFICATIONS ON THE IMAGE OF THE GONJA KINGDOM. 

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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The greatness of the Gonja Kingdom over the ages, lies not in the population or the landmass, but on the collective identity, unity and respect for our culture and traditions. Growing up, we were told stories about how great the warriors led by Ndewura Jakpa were. The stories reflected their common identity and unity as reasons for their greatness and not their numbers. The conquests by these warriors led to the acquisition of the current vast land we boast of. So, if there is anything to celebrate and to hold as our guiding principle, then it should be the principle of our collective identity, trapped by unity and respect for our traditions, culture and customs. 

I must admit, that all of us as young, exuberant political activists in our commentary on political and traditional issues, have in one way or another slipped and went beyond the boundaries, but the magnitude and language used have been measured not to desecrate and dent the collective image and identity of the Kingdom. 

In the run up to the 2020 elections, I fell victim to this when in one of my numerous Facebook live episodes, I said certain things about and against the revered Buipewura Jinapor. Although the about 1 hour 23mins submission was mischievously cut down and compressed into some 1 min 15 seconds and targeted that portion without recourse to the context and the narrative in the full video. In a sober reflection coupled with counseling from respected personalities in the land, I went back to my Facebook wall to render an unqualified apology to the revered Chief and his family and subsequently followed up with a call to cement the apology. Given the opportunity today, I will do things differently to achieve the same results. 

It is on records that John Dramani Mahama has been the most vilified, attacked and demonized President in the 4th Republic if not the entire period after independence. And if these attacks and vilifications were quantified and serialized into first-come-first-serve bases, Gonjaland would have won the trophy as having led the attacks and in larger quantities. Like the adage holds…”if the fish pops out of the water and admits that the crocodile has one smelly eye, no land-based animal can challenge the fish”. That is what Gonjas shortened with a name “Ashe-Ebuto”. 

Since in his days as an MP, John Mahama was a candidate for attacks and vilifications from Bole and parts of Gonjaland. Meet any 10 young men under the shade in “Bole Junction”, 4 out of the 10 will tell you how “useless” John Mahama was and how he slept in his father’s house anytime he was in Bole. These attacks crystallized and translated into serious issues which were picked up by the NPP at the top, knowing and seeing the signs of a President in John Mahama. 

So, by 2007/08, the NPP started developing the strategy to run down Mahama by using his own countrymen. Today, I celebrate Mahama Haruna for one important decision he took as far as John Mahama was concerned. Yes, he was one of those who led the attacks in the case of the Almanjaro cocoa smuggling issue, but the young man respected his identity, came back to apologize and subsequently came to campaign for John Mahama. That is fundamental, holding all other adjoining issues constant. That is why I respect him for that singular decision. When Edward Mahama gave up his political ambition to support Bawumia, he did so on the same principle and not on political convenience or expediency. When Stephen Shaibu Nanyina, former Northern Regional Minister under Prof Mills, deserted his NDC and joined Bawunia, he did so to uphold his identity. So, what is wrong if Mahama Haruna did same based on the same principle? 

It is a fact, that the current  name Bole is enjoying in the world stage was fought for and achieved by John Mahama. It is also a fact that, the current respect and recognition that Gonjaland has in political circles was won by John Mahama. Yes, his father, EA Mahama and Jira J. A Braimah were the political light to Gonjaland in the 1st and 2nd  republics, the fact remains that, John Mahama put an ice on the cake with the current recognition and the political status of Gonjaland in the world of politics. 

On 16th March, 2022, the MP for Damongo Constituency, Hon Samuel Jinapor, presented a  statement in Parliament in which he eulogized E. A Mahama and Jira J.A Braimah. He did not eulogized them on the account of the physical infrastructure they built for Gonjaland but on the oasis of the image the carved for the Kingdom when the first roll was being called in the 1st and 2nd republics. In recent times, when you read or hear from young political activists from Gonjaland, the fundamental reasons for attacking President Mahama are mostly pinned on physical infrastructure and some other funny by flimsy reasons that are mostly unreasonably exaggerated. Funny enough, most of these guys turn to hail Akuffo-Addo for reasons of how he identifies with his people and not how much of physical infrastructure he is providing for them. 

The political history of Ghana’s 4th Republic should at least teach us a lesson. Rawlings, who’s the grandfather of this republic, had about 19 years of largely unfettered regime. 11 of these years were under a military dictatorship and the 8 years although, under democratic regime, but enjoyed some form of seamless, uninterrupted sessions. With the 19 years, Rawlings didn’t provide all the world class infrastructure or general development for the people of Volta Region. In fact, when he was given an award, he rather chose to establish the University for Development Studies in the North than the University for Health and Allied Sciences in Volta. His people in Volta didn’t vilify him but rather hailed and adored him for that singular decision. You would hardly find a true Ewe man attack the personality of Rawlings, not because they are stupid or that they don’t need or understand development, but they understand what identity mean to them hence, their unalloyed loyalty to Rawlings even in his grave. 

Again, President Kuffour had a continuous 8 years rule, he couldn’t provide all the development needs of the people of Ashanti and particularly Kumasi. In fact, it took John Mahama to build the biggest market in West Africa at Kejetia. While the Ashantes in Kumasi still remained loyal to President Kuffour and his NPP even with this monumental development of Mahama in the region, some of our people from Gonjaland and particularly from Bole were attacking John Mahama for not bringing the market to Bole, simply because Chairman Bugri Naabu came to use the Bole market to trigger those attacks. Irony of life? 

The Late President Mills didn’t have a secondary school in his hometown in Etuam but initiated the establishment of the University for Allied Sciences in Volta and the University for Natural Resources in Brong Ahafo. It took President Mahama to build the first Community Day Senior High School in Etuam in honor of the Late Prof. Mills. Prof Mills’ people didn’t vilify him and attacked his person because of this, but my people went after John Mahama for proving water for the people of Kyebi and not Damongo; they attacked him for establishing the University of Environment and Technology in the Eastern Region and not building the Teacher Training College in Bole. 

Interestingly and ironically, these same people are hailing Akuffo Addo for the creation of Savannah Region and in fact, using same to attack John Mahama and even used that as a campaign tool against him and the NDC in Damongo in particular. Why didn’t he create a Region in Kyebi, if that was so much a big thing for him? Not to say the creation of the region was bad in principle, but to want to use that to hail Akuffo-Addo and vilify Mahama, when the cheifs and people of Kyebi are not likely to praise Mahama for the water project and attack Akuffo-Addo in return, was much a worry to many of us. In fact, most traders in Kejetia still sit in those stores and rain insults and attacks on John Mahama. The same way some NPP people in Savannah Region will lead Akuffo-Addo to travel on the Fufulso-Sawla road to Damongo or Sawla to go and ask what President Mahama has done for the people of Gonjaland. What is President Mahama’s crime? Is it the case that Gonjas and for that matter Gonjalanders are wiser than the Ewes/Voltarians, Ashantes, Dagombas, Akyems, Bonos or Fantes? I don’t think so. 

Yes, I acknowledged that some Gonjalanders although, didn’t leave their political parties to join the NDC in the run up to the 2012 elections, but they silently supported and ultimately voted for President Mahama. It happened in the subsequent elections although very minimal, but that is commendable and I wish we increase our energies in 2024 when John Mahama leads the way back to the seat of Government. 

I am not in any way suggesting that all of us must leave all political parties and join the NDC as a party because of John Mahama, but once politics still remain a game, I believe we can play it with some moderation, caution and with some amount of good conscience. Everyone is born to a tribe or ethnic group first before he/she joins any association. So, you can choose an association at will but your tribe is handed you by default and by virtue of birth. In effect, identity is very material and fundamental to the existence and growth of every group. 

As young ones growing up in politics, we must learn good examples and grow with the mind that politics although a tool for development, but it will forever remain a game which we must play by its rules. If you were ever pushed by any political head to come attack or vilify John Mahama please, look at your palms well, and be mindful of  your political future. My MP, Hon Samuel Jinapor did it in the past and it partly paid off with his current position, but I do suspect that he would be regretting those act of attacks on President Mahama if ever he has a future political ambition, because that act will live to hunt him no matter how much he wants to dress them up. 

Remember that, he who goes to the market with empty hands cannot ask for a reduction in price. We must be ready to contribute to what we intend to benefit from. Gonjaland should give John Mahama and the NDC about 85% to 90% of the total votes in 2024 and we would have secured the right to ask for heaven from him. In short, benefit must be equal to responsibility. The 62% in 2020 with 4 seats out of 7 were an embarrassment, to be blunt. You can start comparing what Akuffo-Addo is doing in Kyebi to what Mahama did in Bole and Gonjaland as a whole when the chiefs and people of Kyebi cursed and practically banned John Mahama from their palace and their land, at the time ours welcomed Akuffo-Addo, eulogized him, enskinned him and gave him titles. Does that strike a flesh in you? Even a chieftaincy title given John Mahama in Bolewura’s Palace in 2020 was practically stripped off later; he was mocked in his own land where he is a royal and in the end, we went home with nothing but identity crisis. Who does that? 

Food for Thought! Upper East gave Mahama 14 seats out of 15; they took back 2 seats they lost in 2016. Upper West gave Mahama 8 seats out of 11; they took back 2 seats they lost in 2016. Savannah Region gave Mahama 4 seats out of 7; we lost 2 seats to Akuffo-Addo in 2020. Gonjaland must rise up and be counted in 2024 when Mahama goes back to the Flag Staff House, Insha Allah. Don’t mind the numbers but the commitment and sense of purpose. I beg the chiefs and very respectable personalities especially in the NPP from Gonjaland, to admonish these young patriots cut down on their needless attacks on John Mahama. Any such attacks on him is invariably, an attack and a dent on the identity of the Gonja Kingdom. 

May the souls of E.A Mahama and his wife, Mummy Nneba, both burried in Gonjaland, Rest In Peace. 

#JohnMahama2024

 JOHN MAHAMA: A SERVANT-LEADER AND NOT A RULER LIKE AKUFO-ADDO 

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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Beyond the politics of everything, John Mahama is a great leader who served his people with integrity, honesty and selflessly. Reading from Kenneth Hartley Blanchard’s “Servant Leader”, I could see and feel President John Mahama in his profound quote…”Servant leadership is all about making the goals clear and then rolling your sleeves up and doing whatever it takes to help people win. In that situation, they don’t work for you, you work for them.”

This was a President who narrowed his leadership from his humble beginning into the reality of the Ghanaian situation. He served and not ruled with a sense of entitlement like Akuffo-Addo is doing now. We were told that Akuffo-Addo was raised from the castle; so he lived like a lad born into the royal family of the United Kingdom, and waiting to be crown a Prince. Without knowing, the ascension of President Akuffo-Addo to the Presidency of Ghana was like installing a King who was waiting as a Prince for decades. 

Any wonder, he has this sense of entitlement; a feeling that he was born to rule, just like how it was summarized by Daddy Lumba in the  campaign song for Nana Addo in 2008-thus “Nana is born to succeed; he was born to win”. So, when Ursula Owusu made the point that “Ye Gye Ya Mae”, she literally meant that the crown Prince had finally taken his crown and ready to rule with an iron fist. 

A servant-leader like John Mahama comes with a vision. A vision that will impact in unborn generations. That is why his industrialization vision propelled him to invest in building more energy plants with higher capacity to stand any future industrialization drive of Ghana. A vision, Nana Addo and his NPP have run down and trying as usual of them to cajole the Ghanaian that the “excess power” is needless. So, you ask yourself, if the 1D 1F were a reality, wouldn’t the so called excess capacity be a sound footing for an effective takeoff? 

Indeed, a servant-leader  takes responsibility for things he knows nothing about and things he didn’t even contemplate. He takes the blame and stay put in fixing the challenges ahead. At the height of the crippling energy crisis in 2014, President Mahama took responsibility for this revolving crisis which had been managed over the years without a one-off solution. 

Mind you, energy crisis (dumsor) hit Ghana in 1983, 1998 and 2006/07. Due to the fact that generation capacity of the existing power plants by 2014 went below the national peak power demand of 2200MW, we were visited by this revolving crisis. President John Mahama didn’t blame his predecessors (ie President Rawlings and President Kuffour) but took responsibility for this visiting crisis. He had this to say at the 2014 SONA…”In the past, what we have done has been to manage ourselves out of the situation. I do not intend to manage the situation as has been done in the past. I intend to fix it! I owe it to the Ghanaian people. I, John Dramani Mahama, will fix this energy challenge.” This is a servant-leader and not a ruler who cannot be blamed even for his own mess. Has Nana Addo ever taken responsibility for anything? In effect, Nana Addo is a ruler and not a leader! 

A servant-leader like John Mahama listens and respect opinions of the masses and not to assume the repository of knowledge and call the bluff of genuine dissent. When the issue of the bus branding hit the waves, President John Mahama was blamed and vilified for an administrative decision made by a subordinate. When Ghanaians cried, he listened by stepping in immediately with an enquiry. The said Minister resigned even before the findings of the investigation were made public. Monies were refunded and an apology rendered. Same as the issues about the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Can anybody show me one instance when Akuffo-Addo ever shook a flesh in admission that what has happened is wrong, and that he has heard our voices and ready to work to reverse it? Is it PDS he didn’t defend or it is the hiring of private jet he didn’t call the bluff of Ghanaians over. At a point, President Akuffo-Addo went as far as calling his critics names and making it sound like Ghanaians complain too much. He even went as far as attacking Civil Society Organizations for calling him out at a point. This is not a listening President, and of course not a President who can accommodate dissent and admit genuine concerns.  Even when majority of Ghanaians stood against his penchant of renting a private jet at the expense of the taxpayer and at a time we are told that there is no money to even on greater salaries of public sector workers by more than 4%, President Akufo-Addo will neither listen nor respect the concerns of the masses. 

If President Mahama were intolerant to a quarter of Akuffo-Addo’s, like the likes of Mananseh will be in jail by now; like Joy FM and Citi FM would be shut down, and like Kennedy Agyapong’s Oman and Net 2 TV and their presenters will be candidates for exile. Did you watch the body language of Akuffo-Adoo when he replied the Afloa Chief in that unfortunate interview with Peace FM? Did you watch his body language in the just past BBC interview? He feels like you can’t ask me that question. The level of President Mahama’s tolerance of his opponents and needless critics is partly to blame for his defeat in 2016. Who would have thought that after that shameless work of Manansseh on the so called Ford bribery scandal, which was aired on the day President Mahama’s mother passed on, he (Manansseh) could have the guts to walk freely to President Mahama’s office to sell his book to him? Can he walk to the Flad Staff house after the militia documentary? 

Indeed, a servant-leader build bridges and unite the people even in the midst of the storm. Here was a man whose legitimacy was questioned in a useless 8 months election petition. Nana Addo and his NPP then swore to smear his legitimacy, make the country ungovernable, attack his personality and do everything to create a demon out of him in the eye of the Ghanaian people. In the midst of this, President Mahama’s public speeches, his demeanor, his approach to issues, all point to the fact that he wanted to lead a United country irrespective of our political differences. 

Fast forward into the current regime, President Akuffo-Addo in most of his public speeches either mock the opposition, call them names and as usual, engage in pure divide-and-rule tactics. Imagine the President addressing young SHS students, and his admonishing to them is that, they should pass to shame his (Akuffo-Addo’s) critics. Not that they should learn, pass and become the light of the world and Ghana in particular. The least opportunity he gets, he divides the country either along political lines or ethnic lines. On some occasions, he tried to fuel religious sentiments in an already polarized religious atmosphere. Does is look like he’s a leader who mean well for Ghana? 

These are the leadership qualities President Mahama came to office with, and surely, his second coming won’t be different. If there will be a difference in his second coming, then it is to build what has been destroyed by Nana Addo and water down the polarized-divided-Ghana to create a united and accommodating nation for a prosperous future. President Mahama is an honest leader who can be trusted. Look forward for his second coming!

 

THE ECONOMIC REALITY AND DR BAWUMIA’S EXPECTED COOKED NARRATIVE TOMORROW, 7TH APRIL, 2022. 

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Executive Secretary-Baskin Africa)

What is Dr Bawumia coming to tell us different from what we know already? The economy is not figures which can be conveniently manufactured to do propaganda, but what the many poor Ghanaians feel when they go to the market; when they go to buy fuel at the pumps; when they go to buy milk and sugar at the super markets. In its worse form, the few women who sell their produce in the markets struggle to just sell and feed themselves, yet the buyers can’t find money to buy. 

Even assuming economics were just only the figures (not cooked), Dr Bawumia cannot still dodge but to tell us how terrible the situation has become under him as the head of the Economic Management Team. Under Dr Bawumia, the uncooked but real  microeconomic indicators have this to show:

1. Debt to GDP is hovering around 80%—far above the sustainable threshold. Meanwhile the chunk that has been borrowed were not invested in the real sector but into consumption related expenditure. 

2. Inflation is hovering around 15.2%, the worse in more than a decade and half 

3. A budget deficit of about 15%, the worse in about two decades.

4. The dollar is selling at about GHC 8 to $1, with the cedi depreciating by about 20% in just a quarter. 

5. Unemployment is at its peak, compounding an already worse security situation in the country. 

6. Ghana is rated as one for the worse countries to do business—with a very hostile business environment to even indigenous entrepreneurs. 

7. The government has to borrow to even pay statutory funds like common fund and others because, just three line items (Interest payments, wages and salaries and amortization) have swallowed our tax revenue. Nothing is left for capital investments. 

As we speak, a gallon of petrol which was sold at GHC 15 in 2016 is now selling at about GHC 46. Most commodity prices have more than quadrupled in percentage and in real terms. The table is a microcosm of the Ghanaian economy and not what Dr Bawumia will come to tell us tomorrow, 7th April, 2022.

HOW UNFAIR CAN THE GHANAIAN EVER BE TO THE NDC MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT AND MAHAMA

By Issifu Seidu Kudus Gbeadese 

(Youth Imam from Laribanga)

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“In abundance of the hearts, the mouth speaks.” The residues of this adage caught up with Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, Mrs Usula Owusu and Hon Samuel Atta Akyea. All three at one point made it clear that, Ghana has landlords and some people are but tenants. Per this analogy, when the Landlords rule, the tenants are expected to observe and suffer in silence even if things are not going right. 

Mr Osafo Marfo unapologetically claimed that, people from non-resource region don’t deserve to rule or lead. He made this comment in athempt to justify why Nana Addo ought to lead and not John Mahama. Whatever his definition of natural resources were, some of us are still lost. On her part, Mrs Ursula Owusu was empathic that “they (ie the landlords) have taken their country from the tenants and they won’t make a mistake for the tenants to ever come back to power”. Hon Atta Akyea in attempt to exalt the Akyem Mafias over everyone else, intimated that, if the Akyems were taken out of Ghana’s history, the country will be left with no history. All three point to the fact that some people in Ghana are first class and deserve to always lord over others.

We all were witnesses when President John Mahama ruled in his 3 and half years. The Aglo for Jesus couched their monthly themes to suggest that what befell the nation was as a result of the person of the ruler then (ie John Mahama). Their monthly prayer wasn’t for the country but for God to install the real ruler of Ghana (ie Nana Addo). In fact, at the time, Mahama was declared the problem and not the system, not any external factors like we are made to believe today and not the behavior of the citizens as it is today. 

Today, when the Landlord rules, taxes are a means of mobilizing revenue to develop Ghana, even when the audio-visual of Dr Bawumia in the run up to the 2016 elections suggest differently. Under Mahama, taxes of whatever kind were “nuisance taxes”. Even those they described as such, like the energy sector levy, in power, Akuffo-Addo didn’t only maintain them, but either increased their thresholds and make them permanent levies or used them as special purpose vehicles to go for loans. In all these, the tax experts, the strategic political economists, the solid middle class, the uncompromising academia, are all either silent and nodding in fear or have compromised their principles by subtly supporting these regressive taxes. 

In the run up to the 2020 elections, the Akuffo-Addo’s administration were saved by the bell; yes, saved by covid. Covid saved the administration in two way: it first gave them the space to make expensive but untenable excuses, and secondly, created unfettered fiscal space for them to spend money and not to account for same. This is the main reason we have a huge deficit, the most expensive election ever in the history of the 4th Republic, and today, the economy has sunk to the lowest ebb. 

Just after the elections and a year on after covid hit Ghana, the 2021 budget was presented with loads of taxes and levies ostensibly meant to recover what was spent to spare economic growth and development. The free water and electricity that were handed a few poor in order to buy their votes and consciences was painfully taken by the introduction of a covid levy in 2021. As we speak, this levy has become a permanent part of our tax system as though covid is a running pandemic and it’s ravages are permanent. 

Just when we were getting settled, the 2022 budget was presented with additional taxes and levies. In fact, some discounts that were introduced in 2019, meant to cushion the Ghanaian taxpayer were equally withdrawn amidst opposition. The last killer was the smuggling of the E-levy into the tax regime. This was fast spotted by the NDC minority in Parliament and a strong case made against same. 

It should be on record that, but for the NDC minority in Parliament, the Ghanaian public would have been paying E-levy by now. If not because of the stern opposition of the NDC, the public wouldn’t even notice that there was such a levy in the budget, and they wouldn’t be offered the opportunity to listen to the reasons the government has for the introduction of the levy at their haphazardly organized town hall meetings. In fact, the public-opened commitment forced on the Finance Minister and his government came as a result of the fact that the NDC stood its ground in opposition to the E-levy. 

In all these, most of the people stood against the NDC minority in Parliament. Instead of supporting the  position of the NDC, they decided to either pitch camps with the government so they could get their cuts or they played the strong partisan card as their patrons will have them do. The NDC minority went as far as physically fighting in Parliament at the displeasure of the world, but for a just cause. They were called names; they were condemned by the so called neutrals whose voices resume their loudness only when it is the NDC and John Mahama are at the receiving end. 

It is worthy of note, that it took the NDC in Parliament to get the government to extract the E-levy from the 2022 budget in order that they will pass the budget and the appropriation bill, so that governance will not be rudely disrupted. What is more patriotic and sensitive than this? Give this opportunity to the NPP, and they will run governance to a halt without any apology. So, since November, it took the NDC to get the E-levy extracted and made a stand-alone tax policy for consideration. 

The NDC in Parliament didn’t hide it’s position about the E-levy. So what is their crime today after standing firm against the levy which has been forced down by Nana Addo and his NPP? How many vigils has the so called celebrities organized in support of the NDC position? How many demonstrations has the middle class organized to state their opposition and to aid and strengthen the NDC’s position? How many lectures has IMANI or IEA or Occupy Ghana organized to counter the  government’s position? They all watched the helpless NDC MPs and swept the lame explanations and the lies from the government and its allies under their armpits. 

Surprisingly, the same Ghanaian people watched on while the Akuffo Addo administration swore to use all means to pass the levy. They have used the courts, used the clergy, used “takashi” and all available tactics to cajole NDC MPs to be absent from Parliament to create room for them to smuggle the levy in. In all these, the NDC was fighting a lone battle. Anytime you hear a voice against the levy, it was a solo voice meant to vent individual anger, but won’t ever come supporting the NDC. At the time the minority stood strong, it needed the public support to wade through which never came. Many even accused them of playing a party card and for that matter, they won’t have nothing to do with them. 

When the courts were used to short the NDC by one member, everyone watched on. When the courts were used to frustrate Hon Atto Forson, people cheered Akuffo Addo on. In all these narratives, some people deliberately are turning the heat and responsibility on the minority. So, that when the E-levy come biting them, they will blame the NDC and not Akuffo Addo and his NPP for introducing the tax in the first place. Who will pay E-levy to Mahama and the NDC? Between the NDC who stood against the levy since November, 2021 and the NPP who are bent in forcing it on the throats of Ghanaians, who should be held responsible for the hardships the levy will come to compound? 

Assuming it were Mahama’s NDC in 2014 or 2015 who wickedly imposed such hardships to the poor even after the Late Amissah Arthur came earlier to argue that MoMo tax will be a disservice to the poor-imagine what this country would have turned into. The headlines from New Crusading Guide, the shrugging of shoulders by Kweku Baako in front of pile of documents on NewsFile; the theme for Aglo Jesus would have been “God save Ghana from the hands of the devil”; the sunday sermons and predictions from Pastor Otabil will become banner headlines of state- owned newspapers; the morning bashing and deliberate spinning from Citi FM and Joy FM and the correlated analysis from the tax experts and political economists will become the oil of the political atmosphere for the NPP. Occupy Ghana would have organized lectures and declare Red Fridays with dirges of Mahama as their daily hymn. Political scientist from the University of Ghana and KNUST would have released research findings to suggest how porous Mahama’s leadership was. 

Today, those who gave Dr Bawumia the platform to engage in his deceptive economic lectures are hiding with lofty appointments. As the cedi gets whipped by the dollar and as fuel prices hit the roofs, the same people are trying to soften the discourse by introducing some animal call “external factors”. Meanwhile, in the days of Mahama, same external factors were abound, but these people and institutions named above made everything looked and sounded like Mahama was the devil himself who reincarnated into a President of Ghana. 

Today, the country is worse of in terms of everything; talk about public debt and borrowing, talk about prices of goods and services, talk about inflation, talk about exchange rate depreciation, talk about budget deficit, talk about extreme hardships and escalating poverty. All these didn’t happen because of covid nor the one month old Russia-Ukraine war, but as a result of bad economic policies and leadership crisis. In the midst of these, and the fact that we know who caused our problems, some people are still looking for Mahama and the NDC to blame for Akuffo Addo and Dr Bawumia’s mess. If you ever go to the MoMo vendor in May, 2022 and the charges bite you in your pocket, please don’t look for NDC MPs who boycotted the passage of the E-levy, but look for Akuffo Addo and Bawumia, who first and foremost, thought about such a wicked tax policy at this time and glaringly forcing it through our throats even with the genuine opposition from the NDC and some Ghanaians. 

Those blaming the NDC, be told that you don’t pay your taxes to Mahama and the NDC so, spare us the hypocrisy and blame your pampered President Akuffo-Addo who flies Private jet at a time his Finance Minister has declared Ghana broke and want to tax us to a chocking end. Mahama is also a human being and a Ghanaian just like Akuffo-Addo. 

Ramadan Kareem 🌙