The honour among the manipulative geezers

In their consuming desire to return to the Jubilee House, in 2024, the then NDC flagbearer, President John Dramani Mahama and his brassbound NDC supporters gleefully gave all sorts of lofty and richly interesting, albeit unachievable promises, among other things, the seemingly illusory 24-hour economy of ‘1,3,3’ shift work, astronomical cocoa price increase for farmers, get rid of the NPP administration’s single/sole source contracts, sign the LGBTQI+ bill, and halt the menace of galamsey.

The crucial question every concerned voter should be asking is: has the Mahama administration honoured the aforementioned lofty promises upon the assumption of office?

If you would recollect, prior to the 2024 general elections, the NDC loyalists informed the good people of Ghana that President Akufo-Addo and his appointees were voraciously emptying the national coffers through the squeamishly ugly sole source contracts, and if given the nod, the NDC administration was going to put an end to such irrational practice.

But upon the assumption of office, the Mahama administration has hypocritically resorted to sole source contracts under their much-touted ‘Big Push’ projects.

The Mahama administration, disappointingly, has given about 81 out of 107 road projects to contractors to the tune of GH73 billion on sole sourcing since assuming office, with a flimsy excuse that it is not unconstitutional.

The overarching question then is: was single/sole source unlawful during the erstwhile NPP administration?

We can, therefore, conclude that the Mahama administration is deceitfully using sole source to create loot and share.

Let’s be honest, if such behaviour is not a typical example of hypocrisy, what it is then?

In spite of the fact that 24-hour economy is more or less a free market economy which draws its strength from the all-important supply and demand with minimal or no government interference, President Mahama and NDC operatives somehow managed to hoodwink the unsuspecting voters in believing that it is a sustainable policy.

Truth is, no government on planet earth can legislate, coerce business owners, or have total control over a 24-hour economy.

Regrettably, as I write, the much-trumpeting 24-hour economy of ‘1,3,3’ shift work promised by President John Dramani Mahama has not been honoured.

Again, the Ghanaian hardworking farmers were given a juicy promise. President Mahama, somewhat deceitfully, promised to increase cocoa price from around GH3100 to about 6500.

Sadly,, the Mahama administration has rather unkindly reduced the price to around 2500 to the dismay of the farmers. How unfortunate?

I cannot for the life of me, get my head around as to how and why after accusing the Akufo-Addo administration of blatantly refusing to sign the LGBTQI+ bill and promising to sign, on assumption of office, the Mahama administration has since turned a blind eye.

Moreover, despite President Mahama promising solemnly to stop the activities of the stubbornly impenitent galamseyers on assumption of office, the conscienceless illegal miners are back in business. How unfortunate?

We cannot ignore or deny the fact that small-scale mining is a significant contributor to the economic and social well-being of many people and households in rural, remote, and poor communities in Ghana.

Nevertheless, the way small-scale mining sector is being managed in Ghana, it does not look promising. The sector is being managed abysmally.

Unfortunately, the recalcitrant illegal miners are all over the place stealing our mineral resources, terrorising the indigenes and destroying the lands and water bodies with mephitic mercury and cyanide.

President John Dramani Mahama must keep his promise of ending galamsey. He cannot and must not allow some criminally-minded foreigners, greedy politicians, mindless Ghanaians, and villainous chiefs who do not have the nation at heart but only harbour ulterior motives to enrich themselves at the expense of the rest of Ghanaians.

Given President John Dramani Mahama and the NDC’s enthusiastic devotion for dishonouring promises, some of us were somehow on point to doubt President Mahama on his 2024 manifesto promises.

The fact is, President Mahama asked the electorates to give him the mandate, and in return, he guaranteed everyone protection of life, property, provision of social amenities, better socio-economic standards of living and to a certain extent liberty.

With all due respect with no hidden condescension whatsoever, the teeming supporters of the NDC must engage in a carefully considered reflection and accept the painful truth that they blatantly lied to Ghanaians to win power in 2024.

May God bless our homeland Ghana!
K. Badu, UK.
[email protected]