Or many people who will not read this article beyond the heading, they will completely miss out! For those who won’t make the effort to finish reading, they will be at sea. A few will finish reading and still be confused. Quick judgement without getting to know the details first, exposes our ignorance, the more. It’s okay for the average literate Ghanaian not to read beyond headlines yet be ready to comment. It exposes their fundamental intellectual weakness as exchange rate exposes the fundamental weaknesses of a country’s economy!
The heading of this article is or may be the anthem or the chorus of many aggrieved teacher trainees and nurses, young health professionals awaiting clearance for posting, market women in most markets, teeming unemployed graduates, galamseyers, footsoldiers of the opposition parties, disappointed footsoldiers of the ruling party, collapsed or collapsing banks and their workers and customers, many struggling investment companies and their customers, unhappy entrepreneurs and businessmen, technocrats, farmers, drivers, patients who can’t get proper care, and the ordinary Ghanaian on the street.
Who is he losing to? What are the legacies of that person? Comparatively, who has done more? And who has done less? Upon what standards, set by who, are you comparing and concluding? In any case, who said he’s contesting again? You think I have answers to these questions? Sorry to disappoint you!
Both NPP & NDC members have thousand reasons why their party is winning the 2020 elections. Well, I don’t have such reasons. And that’s far not the essence of this piece. But there’s something herein which you may need to know.
Many say NPP lied their way into government in 2016 and that is the reason for their agitation against Nana Addo’s infant administration.
Let me show you this:
In 2000, NPP lied their way into government, retained power in 2004 with lies. In 2008, Ghanaians became fed up with NPP’s lies. Then the NDC got the opportunity to win power with their lies, and then retained power in 2012 with lies. In 2016, Ghanaians became fed up with NDC’s lies. And then allowed NPP again to lie their way into government… And the lying continues!
For instance, in 2006 or so, in opposition, John Mahama ferociously questioned why the then president J A Kufour should be praising himself for building hospitals and roads because to him, that is a basic responsibility of a president and it’s not achievement. Then in 2016, same John Mahama, as Ghana’s president was praising himself for building hospitals and roads?
From 2012 to 2015, then president John Mahama promised Ghanaians close to or more than ten times with timelines to fix dumsor which he never met. Then president John Mahama promised to build 200 Community Day SHS from 2012-2016. In 4 years, he fully completed only 74. He cancelled nursing training allowances and strangely brought it back for votes? There are numerous examples!
Ghanaians saw him as a liar and hypocrite! Prior to the 2016 elections which took him out of office, aside from the strong tags of corruption and incompetence, one other main thing that made him very unpopular was the liar tag he had around his neck.
Now to His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s current president:
Before becoming president, he promised building 350 SHS within 18 months of his administration. He has spent 22 months as president now, he hasn’t put up one SHS structure yet! One of the NPP rallies in Kintampo, in my presence, he promised arresting Alfred Agbesi Woyome within 6 months in government.
Woyome is walking about today without restrictions! He promised arresting and jailing all corrupt officials in Mahama’s government. For how long should we wait? Or we should still be listening to Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu’s unending complaints? He has implemented his Free SHS policy. Is that the best way to implement it?
In opposition, he promised; One District, One Factory; One Village, One Dam; One Constituency, something something dollars; and restoration of teacher trainees allowances. You and I know what is happening and the situations on the ground. Or should we give him two more years to prove himself?
In opposition, it took the economic luminary and giant Dr. Bawumia only few weeks to draft 170 mind boggling economic questions for the then vice president Amissah Arthur of blessed memory to answer. Almost 100 weeks in government, it is taking far too long for our vice president Dr. Bawumia to answer his own 170 questions.
So you see:
From 2000-2008, in opposition, John Mahama was one of the honest politicians. From 2008-2016, in power, John Mahama was a chronic liar in the eyes of most Ghanaians. Now that he’s in opposition, he has become an honest person overnight. In opposition, Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia were the honest politicians we knew in Ghana, but in government, they are chronic liars.
There’s something people are missing.
We must wake up from our slumber, maybe. And come to the full realization in the realms of realization that no politician can better our lives. For how long will it take people to know this? Our leaders must be accountable to us. Yes, I agree. But we must be accountable to ourselves first!
In opposition or in power, none of them is honest, none is truthful. You think otherwise? Most politicians have thrown their conscience into the gutters. Many are walking with dead conscience. They don’t have the country at heart yet they hold its resources in hands.
Doctors are trained to treat. Teachers are trained to teach. Drivers are trained to drive. Soldiers are trained to protect and kill. Farmers are trained to farm. Politicians are trained to lead and tell lies. All are trained to constantly practice until they become perfect in that which they do.
Why then will you be shocked if a politician is almost perfect in telling lies and presenting the lies as the ultimate truth?
The problem is not the politicians, it’s about the citizenry. The problem is not about their lies, it’s about the citizens willingness to accept lies as truth. The problem is not about their promises, it’s about how faulty the citizens brains are.
The problem is about mental slavery or colonialism. The problem is about whether the citizens sieve, weigh and judge the kind of information and promises they receive from politicians before making voting decisions or not.
Quack doctors cannot and will not even attempt treating well informed patients. Never! They will be exposed at the speed of light! Untrained teachers cannot teach well informed students. No! They will be sacked at the snap of a finger! Army officers cannot kill and bully well informed civilians who haven’t done any wrong to deserve that. No! They will be brought to book immediately!
If NPP will retain power in 2020, they will retain with lies. If NDC will win power in 2020, they will win with lies. Each party knows what new sets of lies to present to the citizenry in each community, city, constituency, region as truth in order to win their hearts. Don’t ask how. They have what it takes to do that. That’s why they are tricksters. The party with the nicely packaged lies will win in 2020!
It behoves on us as citizens to sieve, weigh, consciously judge the kind of information and promises we receive from politicians. We can only do that when we’re well informed on issues. Do a little research, ask relevant questions, know what is happening in the world and around you. Don’t allow people to deceive you. You may pay dearly for it.
If politicians have perfected their lies, we must abreast ourselves with relevant information to become well informed to march them boot to boot. “If the hunter has learnt how to shoot without missing, the bird should learn how to fly without perching”.
The writer is an author, analyst and a speaker.
Columnist: Edward Aloryito
