The Death Of The Dead Goat

It took Ghanaians by surprise when we woke up to hear President Mahama - the President of the Republic of Ghana has declared he has "The Dead Syndrome" hence he wouldn't heed to plight or be moved by whatever Ghanaians do and that earned him the nickname " Dead Goat".

What Ghanaians didn't understand was the actual meaning of the "dead goat" and the context in which the President earned himself this nickname.

Dead Goat (Aponkyefunu) as it is pronounce in the Akan dialect signifies a good for nothing goat or entity. As we all know, when a goat is dead or something is dead, that thing apart from the fact that some people may opt to consume, becomes of no use.

In the context of humans, when one is dead, we have no option than to dump the deceased body.

Before President Mahama earned himself the nickname "Dead Goat", he had already admitted in his book "My First Coup d'etat" that from his infancy to the time he was made the vice president of Ghana, he "little Dramani has been indecisive". If this statement didn't come from the opponent nor anybody but the man himself then, the statement was "very rich" as Lawyer Philip Addison will put it.

Several days, weeks and months after the "Dead Goat" declaration, Ghanaians began to understand what the President really meant by his "Dead Goat" declaration.

Although Ghanaians were experiencing bitterness under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama, the situation worsened after the public pronouncement of the "Dead Goat".

John Dramani Mahama was the Vice President to the late Prof John Evans Atta Mills who suddenly passed away on 24th July, 2012 when it was left with only five (5) months to election. Per the constitution of Republic of Ghana demands, Vice President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in a few hours after the departure of the gentle soul of President Mills. May his soul rest in peace.

It is noteworthy that, President Mills died few days after Vice President Mahama had launched his book titled "My First Coup d'etat". As to the kind of coup the then vice President staged - it is up to him (Mahama).

President Mahama just like his good friend GoodLuck Jonathan - the former President of Nigeria, he (John Mahama) went to his office in the morning as the Vice President of Ghana and returned home in the evening as the President of the Republic.

Nature and life can be so good to some people. I must hesitate to add that, President Mahama postulated that he happens to be the luckiest person to have ever lived President because as vice president his boss (the late Mills) wasn't well few months after ascending the throne as President of Ghana hence he (Mahama) was performing the dual duties of President and Vice.

It is also worthy to note that, it was the period of President Mills' sickness that Vice President Mahama bought the famous Embrae 190jet at a said amount of US$88 million with the hanger alone costing over US$1 million and the fuel tank costing US$17 million. It is said that, the late Prof Mills died shortly after instructing some bodies to investigate the Embrae 190jet scandal.

Well, the focus of the article is on the death of the "dead goat"

From 24th July, 2012 when the luckiest Vice President became the substantive President, things started changing from bad to worse. Though the late President Mills-led government was moving at a " slower pace", Ghanaians were much comfortable as compared to life under the leadership of John Mahama who is popularly known as "Veep Lucky".

When Vice President Mahama became the substantive President, the first bravest decision he took was to cancel the long existing Teacher Trainees Allowance. This is what Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nkatia - the General Secretary of the NDC asserted "if you can't stay in school and be trained as teachers without students allowance, leave the school. We don't need your votes. You can vote against us, we don't care".

THINGS FALL APART

Under the watch of the "dead goat", utility tariff increment is very rapid, cost of fuel keep increasing and the general standard of living has become so unbearable to the ordinary Ghanaian.

Workers' salaries are usually paid late or postponed to the subsequent months. Corruption has replaced the black star in the middle of the national flag. Youth unemployment has escalated to an overwhelming point due to the government decision to go for IMF bailout hence its decision to place an embargo on public employment.

Companies keep laying off workers due to the persistent power crisis popularly known as (Dumsor) which has been with Ghanaians for close to four (4) years under the watch of the "dead goat" coupled with high cost of production and low patronage due to the general economic hardships thereby making most companies run at a loss (subnormal profit).

Forex has become nothing to write home about under the watch of the "dead goat"

Fuel price is as high as the Afadjato mountain - though the price of crude oil has reduced to a record low of about US$30 per barrel at the world market.

In 2008 when the price of crude oil was at an all-time high thus selling at US$147 per barrel at a time Ghana was not an oil producing country, the the NPP government under the leadership of former President Kuffour sold a gallon of petrol at Gh¢5.60p and even before the NDC took over in 2009, the price of petrol was as low as Gh¢3.60p. Today, the price of crude oil has dropped drastically than ever but the price of petroleum products have become so unbearable.

New taxes are day in and out being introduced while the existing ones are being increased. To borrow the words of the Secretary of TUC "President mahama has collected taxes even more than what Zacchaeus in the Bible collected".

THE FINAL DEATH OF THE DEAD GOAT

The continuous increases in taxes, the galloping inflation, the gargantuan increment in the cost of utility and tariffs has brought an untold hardship on Ghanaians and this has forced workers to eventually resort to positive actions but the President has echoed to them that he is a "dead goat" and for that matter, no amount of pressure will push him.

The "dead goat" is dead. Yes the "dead goat" is dead.

The sign of the death of the "dead goat" can be seen in two instances namely the "Bus branding saga and the compassion for the Guantanamo detainees".

Corruption under the "dead goat" has become a lucrative venture to the extent that ministers and government officials do not feel abashed to be labeled "Hon. Corrupt".

The government's contract to the Smarty for rebranding of 116 buses was said to have cost Gh¢3,600,000, a very outrageous cost which could have bought many other buses.

The value for money is nothing to talk about under the leadership of the "dead goat".

When the AG's report on the Government-Smarty deal was finalized, the presidency decided to resort to a coverup tactics just to tell those with the monies to refund the excesses. "The refund" is not a new thing in the ears of Ghanaians. When the Supreme Court instructed Woyome to refund the "gargantuan" ganged-paid-judgment debt, ask yourself whether the government has retrieved it.

What finally killed the loving soul of "Ama Ghana" is Mahama's acceptance of the Guantanamo detainees to Ghana. What beats the imagination of Ghanaians is the fact that from Cuba (Guantanamo bay) to Florida (USA) is about 90 miles. Just 90 miles. Why didn't America send them to Florida or any of the American states? In terms of security, Ghana is nowhere near America which has a very resourced security so why did America opt to dump the detainees on us?

Is there something hidden?

A word to a wise is enough.

The aforementioned indicate clearly that the "dead goat" is finally dead. The "dead goat" has become so useless hence we have no option than to bury it coming 7th November.

The coming election is an election to bury the "dead goat".

Governments are voted into power to solve problems of the citizenry and to ease the citizens from the problems they face not to enrich themselves hence worsening the plight of the citizenry.

We want change

Only change will save mother Ghana.

Arise for change fellow Ghanaians!

Nana Ofori Kissi Ratina

0247454953/ 0205217855