NPP: The Worse Government In Ghana’s History – A Rejoinder

OPEN LETTER TO ISAAC AWAYA

Dear Isaac,

You may remember I sent you a mail when you started your series. I did say to you from the outset that any attempt at labelling any group or organisation as the worst must be based on an assessment of its performance in comparison with a similar group(s) or organisation(s). And in this case the least expected was the analysis of the acts, systems and achievements of past governments in comparison to the NPP government. It is interesting to note even at this stage that you claim that 'the NPP is the worse government in the history of Ghana' yet in your article you:

"When I speak, I speak not for KWAME NKRUMAH, BUSIAH, HILLA LIMANN or RAWLINGS. As far as I am concerned all these people are dead and gone and in their own small ways they have helped to shape the course of the Ghanaian people."

It is interesting again to note that you sweepingly whitewash all the past constitutionally elected leaders (gratuitously ignoring the illegal messiahs and redeemers) and claim they have done their bit to shape the course of the Ghanaian people. Tell me if I am wrong but I can gleam a level of intellectualism in your pieces. However, how can you engage in an intellectual discourse of comparison but blatantly refuse to compare. I don't want to belief that you are being deliberately dishonest in your choice of parameters. The least I expected from you would have been clear areas of comparison but not just some emotional outburst about speaking for everyone.

My dear Isaac, for someone seeking to wrong injustices I believe you are 'worse' than the systems you seek to improve (is it to destroy?). I will just pick on two issues in your last piece to illustrate this point. These are the condemnation of Dr. Anane and Mr. Amoateng. None of these gentlemen have been found guilty by any competent court of law. From the logic of your argument you have found them guilty because they have been accused of impropriety or criminality! The beauty of democracy is that it grants certain freedoms and privileges which is never found in tyrannies (do you remember 1979 and 1982/83?). Democracy has entrenched the rule of law hence the law in all civilised democracies talks about 'innocent until proven guilty'. Do you indeed subscribe to these tenets practiced in all acceptable democracies like the UK and US, countries you obviously admire for their efficient systems. Unlike you I am partisan and I can never hypocritically say I do not support a party. My view is informed of comparison of our recent past which has taught me a great deal about how fortunate we are as a people and pray that we never go back to the dark days of 1979 and early 1980's.

Do you remember an American-Iraqi woman called Gisselle Yadzi? Some Ghanaians courted her and provided her with the platform to deride our president and when the time came for her to present her case to the CHRAJ she just faded away, so did the foundation (Friends of the Truth) set up in an attempt to destroy the president of all Ghanaians. Again Isaac, I will give you an example from the UK. Do you remember little over a year ago when some African women claimed that some Leicester footballers have raped them in La Manga, Spain? Some UK journalists took upon themselves to investigate to prove that these women were fraudulent yet we Ghanaians would rather believe a foreigner, someone who has no stake in our destiny, to run down our first institution of nationhood. The last message I read on the Anane case indicates that the journalist accusing him is not even cooperating with the CHRAJ. Mind you there is nothing illegal with a married man fathering a child by another woman. Note I am discussing legality not morality. If you prefer the moral court you are most welcome we can go down memory lane.

I dare you Isaac, you speak for no one you just SPEAK AGAINST the NPP. But again that is your democratic right. You do not have to support or like any party but for the sake truth please show some level of objectivity. I remember my students days when there used to be slogans plastered on the campus that read like: "If education is expensive try ignorance". For me the most dangerous individual is the half-educated who relies on half-truths and deliberate lack of objectivity to run down institutions of state instead of criticising objectively for these systems to be made better. I will end this piece by refering to the great saying which alludes that you may fool the people for some time but you cannot fool all the people all the time. The NPP government is definately not doing everything right but I dare you and any other anti-NPP groups or individuals to come out for an objective debate but not just half-truths, innuendoes and blatant lies to run down the government.