Arrogance Of Power Or Political Arrogance

'You can have a certain arrogance and I think that's fine, but what you should never lose is the respect for the others' 

Steffi Graf

'Sometimes, it's difficult to accept, to recognise one's own mistakes, but one must do it. I was guilty of over - confidence and arrogance and I was punished for that'

Mikhail Gorbachev -USSR President

ARROGANCE OF POWER is a Foreign Policy concept. It is a presumption on the part of one nation that its power gives it the right and authority to intervene in the affairs of nations which are less powerful.

The concept grew wider recognition when J. William Fulbright gave it a mention in 1966 in the J.Fulbright Papers (1965 – 1970).

He wrote: 'For the most part, America has made good its blessings … Having done so much and succeeded so well, America is now at that historical point at which a great nation is in danger of losing its perspective on what exactly is within the realm of its power and what is beyond it. Other great nations, reaching this critical juncture, have aspired too much and by over - extension of effort, have declined and fallen.'

Koku Anyidoho, Sam George, Dr Kwabena Donkor, Mahama Ayariga and Ibrahim Sanni Darra may have come from different backgrounds, but all have had a university education, and as education is said to be a 'leveller', one would presume that they all appreciate the tenets of democracy, especially as is being practised in Ghana of today, under the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, otherwise known as the 1992 Constitution.

They may have received their political 'baptism of fire' through the Junior Common Room (JCR) governments and their organisations of 'aluta' over food, allowances, educational administration, et cetera. The 1992 Constitution gives the citizens the freedom to express themselves in demonstrations so that whether the crowd is composed of only one person like Kwasi Pratt, or a million people as reported by BBC or eight hundred thousand by Al Jazeera who attended the 'Won gbo' demonstration last Wednesday, this freedom is guaranteed.

Koku Anyidoho could have been a wee bit naughty under the Mills's administration, but he now appears to be having a better vista in present - day politics. He would call the 'dum - so' situation a 'crisis' not mere 'challenges' - as others in NDC do and some people think this is close to the truth. He insists that NDC would have done just as NPP has done – demonstrating to draw government's attention to what is going on. He urges government to listen and rectify the situation, or else the NDC would suffer a major calamity—losing the 2016 elections.

Can the same be said of Sam George or Dr Kwabena Donkor? A new Ministry - that of Power - has been created for Dr Kwabena Donkor and when a section of the people go on demonstration to give vent to their frustration over the erratic supply of power, that Minister calls it a 'health walk' exercise! And that when the opportunity is given for people to go on similar exercises, that will give us a healthy populace! But for his age, fitting adjectives would be given for his arrogant, disdainful, hoity - toity outburst. 'Honourable' men are not expected to talk like this - or do they think on radio talk shows they will be addressing only the hosts? Many Ghanaians would want him to solve the 'dum-so' crisis and not ensconce himself with the self imprecating defence of resigning next year (2016) if the problem is not solved.

As for the youthful and exuberant Sam George, he is enjoying his new status as a presidential staffer, with a lot of goodies at his beck and call, so he does not seem to care a hoot the effects of his statements on the fortunes of the party which has made him what he is.

In 1982, J.J .Rawlings the founder and owner of the NDC at the age of 35, was on a Pinzegauer ranting and raving –his voice hoarse– accusing the successful business-men of economic sabotage, corruption and all the filthy garbage that goes with running the affairs of government.

Sam George may have been one of the 'babies' spawned in the 'revolutionary' times. Now, Rawlings in his late 60s accuses the 'babies with sharp teeth': 'Wowo se, wode ka' (they have sharp teeth with which they bite). Would anyone be wrong in insisting that Nemesis has caught up with Rawlings?

While Koku Anyidoho was on his knees begging Ghanaians to forgive Mahama for the 'dum - so', Sam George was on air, lambasting the engineers of the Volta River Authority, for taking as much as $10,000 juicy allowances and deliberately sabotaging the government. The president, this time, did not say 'barloney', but hinted that the demonstration had energized him to fight hard to solve the 'dum - so'crisis. Someone should tell the 'President and his men' that that is how the president and his men are expected to talk. After staying in power for nearly seven years, why should the NDC blame Kufuor for the 'dum-so' crisis?

Frankie Asare - Donkor's article 'Public Speaking Skills' of Daily Graphic of Saturday February 14, 2015, is recommended for all those public office holders. They should know that they are 'public servants' and not 'public masters'. What did the President seek to gain by saying there are as many as twenty seven (27) million mobile phones in Ghana, and charging the phones do contribute to 'dum - dum - dum - so'? Haba!

The Ministry of Youth and Sports may be a spooky, haunted and scary Ministry. Mallam Issa suffered a jail sentence under Kufour's government when he lost some amount he was travelling with on a football campaign. A lady Minister had had difficulty trying to explain the huge expenditure she made at the World Cup in South Africa. Afriyie - Ankrah came back from Brazil (2014) and wept before an investigations committee trying to find out how monies were spent; how a coconut was purchased for $10 or was it $100?; and how the person who directed them to a market was showered with thousands of dollars. Money swine.

Honourable Ayariga was performing well at the Ministry of Information until he was sent to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to replace Afriyie - Ankrah. His first (and major) assignment was the AFCON at Equatorial Guinea. Before he left, he did not disclose the budget - how much money he was taking along; how the money would be spent; how much money was to be spent as 'winning bonus'. On his return, he was not ready to disclose the amount spent in Equatorial Guinea. He even stated that he was not prepared to entertain 'useless questions' from journalists. Did Ayariga think the money given him for use in Equatorial Guinea was his personal money?

Does Ayariga know how taxes are paid? Does he know how taxes are collected from tax payers? If he had ever done either of these, he would have known how difficult it is to pay and collect tax—from head—porters (euphemistically called 'kayayei'), importers, exporters, industrial workers, teachers, lawyers, professionals. There is a constitutional mandate on him to account for his stewardship. The founder and owner of his party, J.J. Rawlings, taught us 'probity and accountability.'

Following on the heels of Ayariga, Ibrahim Sanni Daraa criticises those who 'don't wish the Black stars well ', calling them 'witches and wizards.'

He cannot understand why some people would not applaud the government for arranging for a private company to dash the Black Stars players a Cherokee jeep each.

If a private company wants to demonstrate its appreciation for the Black Stars for coming second to neighbouring Cote d' Ivoire in the AFCON Competition, what is the problem? Simple - the problem is that the private company is seeking a tax waiver on the vehicles. These are taxes that could help build schools, improve the water supply system so that cattle do not share the same source of water as humans, or else provide funds for the purchase of crude oil to fuel our generators —to avoid 'dum-so'.

It is all political arrogance being displayed. An arrogant person may be disdainful, impudent, supercilious, conceited and vain. He may use words that are pompous and snobbish. His attitude may be domineering, overbearing and cocky. It is advisable for politicians to keep their words soft and sweet; they never can tell when they may have to eat them.

Africanus Owusu-Ansah   
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