The Incorruptible John Dramani Mahama; From Jericho To Jerusalem

One of the theories of under development that has stifled the political and socio-economic development of Ghana is Institutionalized Corruption among the political elite and state institutions. So, Corruption has undermined the socio-economic stability of Ghana by means of actions the political class to plunder the state through corrupt practices that has caused financial loss to the state and inactions and lack of political will to hold the plunderers accountable for their involvement in corruption related activities. In this regard, the fight against institutionalized corruption requires a political will to bring its effect on the economy under control so that the economy grows to leverage for debt to GDP growth, revenue generation by the state for socio-economic development, fiscal consolidation of national budget and curtail profligate expenditure of government to meet the desires and aspirations of the citizenry. The inference is that, it takes a political will of a nation to fight institutionalized corruption.

The outcome of the investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor [OSP] on the Airbus scandal against the Former President of Ghana and the Presidential Candidate of the opposition, National Democratic Congress[NDC] for the December 7 general elections vindicates and exonerates John Mahama of any wrong doing in that deal for which reason, He is incorruptible. This scandal has been a long standing allegation against his persona for almost a decade since his tenure as Vice-President of Ghana. By the outcome of this investigation, the matter has been put rest by the OSP. The outcome is not a surprise though because ever since, the former President has pleaded his innocence of the allegation leveled against his persona by the ruling NPP government and has dared the state and constitutional bodies to investigate the matter to core to bring the matter to its logical conclusions. In a recent media soiree with Journalist and the 4^th Estate, this issue came up and John Mahama categorically said he is innocent and that if the state has anything against him on the Airbus scandal and looking at the way the ruling NPP government hates his persona, he wouldn’t be walking as a free man by now.

So, looking at the chronicle of events since the Airbus scandal came to light leading to investigations and summary prosecution of offenders by a Court in the United Kingdom, the former president John Mahama was never cited for any corrupt act involving the purchase of the Airbus Aircraft by the state for the Ghana Armed Forces. Thus, it was a clandestine attempt by his political opponents especially the ruling NPP government to peddle falsehood against his persona to tarnish his image, attack his integrity and smears him with corruptible tag to score a political point. This, they achieved in the 2016 and 2020 election victory. Throughout the campaign regime of the NPP in these elections, they smeared John Mahama with a corruptible tag and this sunk deep into the minds of some un-discerning Ghanaians to vote against him and the NDC Party. The corruptible tag began with a Ford Explorer vehicle gifted to the state of Ghana and not John Mahama but yet, the NPP went ahead to throw dust into the eyes of the public that JM had receive the vehicle for himself from a businessman whom he had awarded contract to work on the Ghana Embassy in Burkina Faso when indeed, the said vehicle was not in possession of JM but among the fleet of vehicles being used at the Office of the President.

So, from the very beginning, the NPP government and surrogates know very well that JM is not a corrupt politician and yet sort to destroy his brand-type by peddling falsehood against his persona to rebrand him as a corrupt person without basis and justification. Clearly, this intent is diabolic and an act of politics of equalization orchestrated by axis of evil within the NPP government to dent the image and brand of His Excellency, Former President of Ghana John Mahama as corrupt to find answers to questions being asked by Ghanaians purporting the corruptible nature of the NPP government under Nana Akuffo. The political elite of the NPP government have demonstrated over the years since it won power that they are corrupt in nature, by essence, by character and by their stewardship in government since 2017. In the history of the 4^th Republic, it is John Mahama who has demonstrated a political will to fight institutional corruption. He is on record to have sanctioned the investigations and the prosecution of his own Party stalwart and friend in the GYEEDA scandal. His exemplary leadership as a fighter against corruption led to the retrieval of excess monies paid to the Bus branding brouhaha. So, over the years, JM has demonstrated his commitment to fight corruption within state institutions and the political elite.

Ghana today under the NPP government is fraught with economic hardship, social repression, high inflation rates and high cost of living, high unemployment rate and institutionalized corruption among the ruling elite including the President Nana Akuffo Addo and his Vice Dr. Bawumia who by one way or the other have been cited in some corruption relation activities. Recent Fitch and Afro-barometer Report by the Centre for Democratic Development corroborates these ills of the NPP government. In order to divert the attention of Ghanaians against the abysmal performance of the government, they sort to attack the persona of the former President and Presidential candidate of the NDC in the upcoming General election as corrupt in order to score a political point like they did in 2016 and 2020. This has been an exercise in futility by the outcome of the OSP Inquest. Instead of the NPP government to fight institutionalized corruption that has crippled the Ghanaian economy and address economic challenges confronting Ghanaians, they are rather thinking of breaking the 8 mantra with no work done, only to have ruined the gains of the economic fortunes chalked under the NDC government. A heartless government which promised to move the Ghanaian economy from Taxation to Production but has rather subjected Ghanaians to high tax rates and less production which has led to high cost of living, economic hardship and majority of citizens living in abject poverty. The NPP government under Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr. Bawumia inherited a national debt stock of GHC 120 Billion from John Mahama led government in 2016. Today, the national debt stock stands at GHC 742 Billion. Further, to compare and contrast the economic fortunes between the NDC and NPP Government under JM and Nana Akuffo Addo, the exchange rate under NDC was GHC 3.7 to the dollar. It is GHC 15+ to the dollar today. Fuel price per litre was about GHC 14 per gallon, it is about GHC 70 per gallon under Nana Akuffo Addo government. Inflation was about 16% per average in 2016. Under the watch of the NPP government it shot to about 54% and it is now 25%. Unemployment rate was around 8% under NDC. It is 14.8 under NPP. Debt to GDP ratio was 56% under NDC; it is over 100% under NPP. Debt Default leading to debt exchange; non under the NDC; in 2024, there has been debt exchange even with crude oil—the scandalous gold for oil mantra which has yielded no dividends and frozen funds of bond holders and pensioners. Under the NDC government of JM, there was access to the bond market where the ordinary Ghanaian could access the bond market every year. The bond market is currently locked under the NPP. Debt per citizen under JM was GHC 4,000. Today under NADAA, it is GHC 24, 000. So, looking at economic statistics, it clearly shows that the NDC have performed better than the NPP.

Touching on corruption related activities, it is on record that the president, Nana Akuffo Addo was fingered in the Al Jazeera expose on gold smuggle to the gulf from the state of Ghana. Since, the president is yet to prove his innocence. In recent times, an Auditor’s General Report has fingered in a scandal, the daughter and in-law of the president in a contract to procure ambulance spare parts for maintenance of national ambulances worth $34.9 dollars when the company belonging to these individuals is not fit for purpose to undertake and execute such contract according to the auditor general’s report. Other scandals under the watch of Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr. Bawumia government such as the building of the National Cathedral where the government invested about $58 million into a manhole which remains the biggest in Africa is a case to answer by the government. The SML, PDS, the misappropriation and diversion of the Covid funds, the Eurobond scandal involving the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, the disappearance of about 500 excavators seized from Galamsey sites, the Public Procumbent Authority scandal, THE Cecelia Dapaah cash under bed scandal and most recently the inflated road contract scandal involving about 83 million awarded to the brother of the Vice-President Dr. Bawumia and many other scandals cited in the Auditor’s General Report have all been swept under the carpet by the ruling NPP Government. So, by all indications, there is enough justification that the ruling NPP government has no political will to fight corruption as was done under the NDC government led by JM.

Therefore, Based on these facts as adduced above, it clearly shows that, the corruption tag against JM is borne out of shear hatred against his persona. JM has an enviable track record of a former President who bridged the infrastructural gap through massive infrastructural development in the road, energy, housing, health and educational sectors of the economy. His political journey has been from Jericho to Jerusalem. By the outcome of the OSP Investigative report, JM has broken the Jericho walls surrounded him and has entered Jerusalem to save Ghanaians from perishing as Christ saved humanity from perishing. This upcoming general election is a rescue mission and this is non-negotiable. John Mahama has been the most hated leader by NPP surrogates for no reason as Christ was hated but his triumphant entry into Jerusalem from Jericho inspired his quest to save humanity from sin and error. So as JM, His achievements as president, his transformational agenda and visionary leadership during his tenure cannot be over ruled in the annals of Ghana politics for which reason, he deserve better from Ghanaians in the upcoming December general elections. He deserves a return to the seat of government juxtaposing his achievements to that of the ruling NPP government.

Bible teaches that “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people—Proverbs 14:34. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice but when the wicked rules, the people suffer—Proverbs 29:2. In the words of Peter Abraham, a Prolific Writer in the Apartheid era of South Africa in the 1950s wrote “And Judgment is turned away backward, and justice stands afar off, for the truth shall fall on the street and equity cannot enter” So as the NPP pronounced judgment on Ghanaians by subjecting us to suffering. Let us then turn that judgment against them and demand for accountability when the table turns. Thus, soon shall the truth fall on the streets of Ghana to know who the wicked is and who the righteous is, when Ghanaians vote for the change we want. Harold Laswell wrote in his Book “Politics, who gets what? When and How-- 1960. So, Ghanaians should demand for accountability from the wicked leadership of the NPP government to get what they want which is good governance. Yes, Ghana is under the rule of the wicked so Ghanaians are suffering through economic hardship. Historiography also teaches that the outcome of something is not what man willed for, for which reason man shall always live under constraints—William Butterfield, the Doctrine of Free will and determinism. But as for these constraints the NPP government has subjected Ghanaians to, is too much to bear and such a heavy load to carry. The NPP bulldozed their way to power but through the mercy of God, Ghanaians have the power to change this narrative in the upcoming general elections in December. This general election is not about NDC and NPP. It is about Ghanaians against the NPP. So, vote wisely, vote JM for economic freedom and prosperity through the implementation of the 24hrs Economic Policy.

God bless our homeland Ghana.

Dr. Michael Richmond Smart-Abbey is a Political and Public Policy Analyst, Governance and Security Intelligence Expert, Writer and Author. BA Hons, Political Science with History, MDiv. THD, PHD, General Certificate of Training in Organizational Security Management, Executive and Advanced Executive. Certificate in Security Intelligence and Forensic Studies—Security Industry Association License Holder, UK [2006-2009]

Smartabbeymichael2404@gmail.com

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