Shame on you, President Mills

As the NPP dissect its election loss in 2008 and re-strategise while the NDC savour its corresponding win and settles in to govern, it is past time to shine the light on a single person who is most responsible for how things are happening or not happening in our country Ghana. In this respect, I dare say, shame on you President Mills. You have been so ineffective and wrong, Mr. President. And, you must change for the sake of your own success, but more importantly Ghana's.

If anyone had any doubt about the good work done by the previous government, one does not need more evidence than the fact that both a Republican US President Bush and a Democrat US President Obama, who succeeded Mr. Bush, think highly of Ghana. President Bush accorded President Kufuor a State Visit. Then, President Obama has made Ghana his first and only stop in Black Africa.

These affirmations are not the result of propaganda. These are the results from serious work done by the NPP government in areas of human rights, economic development and regional/foreign policy leadership. The NPP government could have focused on prosecuting and digging so many graves related to the P/NDC era beforehand. Instead the Kufuor government set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to deal with sensitive accusation of abuse or even crimes during that era, without pre-occupying government with court cases.

What do we see today? Even cars and lands that were sold/bought per previous practice or even better than previous practice by the last NDC government has been turned into a scheme to defame the NPP. The Osu Castle and the disgraceful Ministry of Information has been placed in charge of the car snatching and propaganda scheme. What does that Ministry have to do with cars, naturally? President Kufuor's office and cars have been seized from him, even though Mr. Rawlings picked his office and cars in a similar fashion to Mr. Kufuor, before leaving office. It also turns out that Mr. Kufuor was not paid his salary due him since leaving office while Mr. Rawlings was receiving his.

Now, the BNI is being used to investigate people even when there are no conspicuous national security implications. Worse, the BNI, without court warrants, are detaining and seizing passports and preventing free citizens and their families from travelling outside the country even while no charges have been brought against such persons of interest.

Mr. Mills has also sidelined Ghanaians of Akan origins (except Fantes) in his government, even though he received about half the votes in Western and Brong Ahafo regions, about 40 and 30% of the votes in the Eastern and Ashanti regions respectively. With all due respect to those who think this all right, Akans are at least nearly 50% of the population of Ghana and cannot be sidelined like that because just from a statistical standpoint, the government is likely not availing itself of the best leaders to manage the country. Some of us preach fairness for all peoples in Ghana, and, that includes Akans.

As Nana Akufo-Addo detailed in his recent press conference, there are many documented evidence of harassment and even atrocities committed against NPP supporters or sympathisers across our country that have gone un-investigated or un-prosecuted.

There is talk that the NDC's strategy is demean and defame so many of the leaders of the NPP that Ghanaians will have no other choice but to opt for the NDC again in 2012, because they will be so appalled at the NPP. That is a strategy that will almost certainly not work.

Governments in power are judged mainly on their own record and the NDC government will be judged similarly, I believe. Their re-election prospects will mainly depend on how Ghanaians think they have affected their lives while in power for 4 years. The people will judge and decide to keep or give them the boot based on how they fulfill their promises and how well the country grows and develops over the 4 years.

Also, what this government has to realise is that they are setting bad precedents, which when followed by another party in power will stagnate Ghana's development. Another NPP government will surely not set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission!

And, as President Truman said, "the buck stops here". As President, Prof. Mills needs to take control over his government and ensure human rights and freedoms, ethnic/regional/tribal/religious/sexual balance in leadership and sound socio-economic management and the rule of law prevail. He cannot shirk responsibility to anyone else.

President Mills should indeed be ashamed of how the Ministry of Information has been turned into a Propaganda Ministry. He should be ashamed on how President Kufuor has been mistreated. He should be ashamed of the extra-judicial activities coming out of the BNI. He should be ashamed of the lawlessness of so many NDC supporters, who are committing crimes or inciting division and violence. Even the Chairman of the NDC has gotten into the act and asking for specific NPP personalities to be prosecuted, as if he is the Attorney General. Shame on you, President Mills.

Regards,
Prince Ofosu Sefah.
[email protected]
Toronto, Canada