Populist, Propagandist And Pretentious Presidential Candidate

He has no message to convince the electorates because he was a Vice President and a President for many years and Ghanaians have come to know what he can do and what he can't do. During all these times he gave several promises which he could not keep.

He has exhausted almost all the weapons of lies in his arsenal and so, his only weapon is to polish his old lies to grab power one more time. After all, was he not the same man who told us that in politics one has to tell lies sometimes and the truth at another time?

When he was a Parliamentarian and President Kufuor's government tabled a Bill in Parliament for the august house to deliberate on the issue of the National Health Insurance Scheme, he led the opposition to boycott parliament. It was the same man who said when the NDC government comes to power, they will introduce a one-term premium payment of the NHIS.

For the eight years that the NDC ruled the country, the government did not only fail to introduce a one-term premium, but instead nearly collapsed the scheme.

The man I am writing about, John Dramani Mahama, is a 'pathological liar' and a 'trickster' who must be watched carefully by Ghanaians because he will say anything to grab power and later turn the apple cart upside down. He once told us in the run-up to the 2020 election he would cancel the nurses/teachers training allowances.

Today the man is telling us that he will not only retain the allowances that the Akufo-Addo-led administration maintained but he will also improve upon the scheme. Ebei, Alhaji John!

When candidate Akufo-Addo was going around the country, telling Ghanaians that he will introduce Free Senior High School, Mr. Mahama said it was a hoax because even Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who inherited money from our colonial masters could not introduce free education in all the then nine regions.

People bought into his tricks because truly, free education was only in operation in the Upper and Northern regions and Mahama was a beneficiary. Today, the same man is telling us that he will not only maintain the Free SHS but he will also improve upon it.

This year, he has started his tricks again. Recently he went to Adansi, a gold producing area in the Ashanti Region and told the residents amidst clapping and shouting that when he comes to power again, he will make sure monies accruing from the proceeds of gold from the area will be used to develop that area.

It stands to reason that when he goes to Obuase, Prestia, Bibiani, Kenyasi, Tarkwa and other gold producing areas he will tell them the same story. The people of Akwatia, where diamond is in abundance should get ready for massive development when Mahama comes back to power because he will use proceeds from the diamonds extracted to develop the area! As for the people of the Western Region where greater majority of the nation's natural recourses are located, they should be ready to welcome 'Eldorado' when John Mahama comes to power.

The Western Region can boast of large deposits of bauxite, manganese, gold, cocoa, timber, oil and the blue Atlantic Ocean which is pregnant with different species of fishes. That is why they say the best comes from the West. Under Mahama, Takoradi beye butubutu like Bontugu.

If even 5% of these resources are used to develop the region, there will not be any different between Dubai and Takoradi if we are to go by what desperate Mahama said at Adansi.

Is Mahama telling us that if he comes back to power, proceeds of the Akosombo Dam will be used to develop the Volta Region at the expense of all Ghanaians?. Here in my region the only occupation is the cultivation of maize and groundnuts. Is Mahama telling us that proceeds from the sale of our maize and groundnuts will be used to develop the region?

What about the Northern Region? Will Mahama use the sale of cattle and millet to develop the region?

The Consolidated Fund is not stuffed with monies from gold alone. Every Region contributes her own quota, no matter how little, to the Fund.

For the eight years that the NDC ruled the country under democratic dispensation was there no gold in Adansi? What kept them from using part of the proceeds from the sale of gold to develop Adansi? If you want to win votes, you don't look into their faces and lie through your teeth, thinking Adansi people are docile.

Mr. Mahama is not a historian but as an educated person he should know why Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and his followers kicked against a Federal State as proposed by the NLM.

The Ashanti Region thought because they had greater number of natural resources, a Federal State will be at their advantage.

That idea failed because we had some regions like the Upper and Northern regions which had barely anything to offer except cheap labour, which in anyway, is also one of the factors of production.

By his pronouncement at Adansi, Mahama is gradually promoting Federalism. Somebody should tell Mahama that the past is the greatest teacher.

Then, he went to meet the chiefs and people of Bawku and in an attempt to knock the heads of the people against Dr. Bawumia, he said when the NDC was in power the perennial chieftaincy troubles between the Mamprusis and Kusasis was contained but the current administration has made things worse, knowing very well that Bawumia is a Mamprusi man.

I don't know what legacy Mr. Mahama will leave behind long after he is gone. Every government embarks on development projects by building roads, bridges, school blocks etc. Of all the development projects Dr. Kwame Nkrumah left behind, his free education for the people of Northern and Upper Regions stands tall.

Former President Kufuor's trademark flagship programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will forever be remembered by generations yet unborn. The scheme saved and continues to save thousands of lives. Many Ghanaians would have died untimely because of the inability for them to receive medical care when the Cash and Carry system of health delivery was in operation. This is a legacy which will surely stand the test of time.

Similarly, Nana Akufo-Addo's free SHS will forever be a legacy that cannot be wiped away. The first batch of the free SHS grandates is pursuing courses at various tertiary institutions and they will surely come out to contribute their quota in nation building.

After eight years at the helm of affairs, what legacy can Mahama boast of? Is the four years of 'dumsor' a legacy? And he wants to come back again to continue his jokes like the way Ahanta Trio Concert Party did yesteryears. Apuu!!!

By Eric Bawah