Silent is golden indeed

Stephen A. Quaye

Its very difficult for anyone who is being treated badly to remain silent over the maltreatment he is going through. When someone is being treated badly and you encourage him to be remain silent, you may receive the bad condemnations ever from the sufferer.

However, there is a great saying that our fore fathers normally used to soothe the heart of a sufferer or comfort someone being treated badly, and that words of encouragement are "silent is golden".

Yes silent is golden but it takes time before really things manifests itself for the one who has remained silent over issues which he has been charged wrongly to the extent of damaging his reputation. Simply put get vindicated.

We hear every day politicians making accusations against their fellow opponents over financial misappropriations, we read prosecutions of suspects picked by the security services over having allegedly involved themselves in criminal activities and we hear persons insulting others for believing they have done something wrong to them.

Often than not, most accusations have been found to be untrue. Meanwhile those accusations have already caused huge damage to the suspects. No wonder theses days we see a lot of politicians, doctors, nurses, civil servants, security personnel dragging people to court in order to prove their innocence on allegations leveled against them, hoping to clear their names and have their hard won reputations restored from damage.

When former president John Agyekum Kufuor, was ushered into office in 2001, he presented the state of the nation to the entire citizenry as he came to meet it and blamed the NDC government that handed over power to him for causing financial misappropriations backed with figures.

He therefore zoomed into action by putting in place plans to restore the bad economy as he described it at that time, held onto it till he also handed over power to the NDC this year.

As Ghanaians need to know the state of the economy at every change of government, there was no mistake by the former president Kufuor to render accounts his stewardship. He chose his words very carefully in order not to use abusive words that would mean insult to his predecessors.

The same way president Atta Mills is also doing by telling Ghanaians about the state of the economy, but here, he lacks figures to back his claims for the individual to do his or her own checks.

However the problem has to do with the first couple Mr. Jeremiah John Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, who have been calling former NPP ministers with all sort of names that are not accepted such as "criminals, nation wreckers, cocaine dealers and corrupt people".

These former NPP ministers who are being accused as criminals, nation wreckers, cocaine dealers and corrupt people are having their names badly soiled by these name calling. But have for sometime now remained silent. May be they know within their hearts that they would not be found wanting so therefore remaining silent and getting vindicated later on.

All these hullabaloo that surrounded the acquisition of the office for the former president, seizure of his cars and that of his ministers and many more he chose to remain silent and gradually many citizens who opposed his policies and leadership during his term as president seem to sympathize with him now that the truth are coming out. Many of the things being said about him are lies and fake accusations, giving meaning to golden aspect of silence.

The NDC wanted everyone to believe that NPP former ministers were corrupt therefore making noise everywhere. See what has befallen them; massive corruption under their nose at the ministry of youth and sports. The chop, chop tractor matter too as well as already corrupt practices going on in some of the, district, metropolitan assemblies so soon.

Suppose the NPP made the same noise calling the NDC corrupt persons, we wouldn't have had the opportunity to assess what happened under the administration of president Kufuor and that of the NDC for our own judgement. But everyone now have the picture as to what is going on now and can do his own assessment as to who and who is doing propaganda politics.

In fact I must say that really, former president Kufuor, has won the hearts of many residents here in Canada, by remaining silent and his recent relocation from the controversial office apartment has really shown that he is a father who wants peace and a distinguished person indeed.

What could be said to the former president is please remain silent or come out with your facts and use the due process of the law to ensure that those accusing you wrongly are put before the law court for the law to deal with them to zip their mouth from making noise of false allegations.

President Atta Mills is in charge currently as he tackle every issue tactfully. He also believes that silent is golden that is why it has been observed that not all allegations made against him attract responds but that of national interest.

It is time the former president acknowledges that he still commands certain amount of respect and to make it complete, he has to keep silent at times but share his opinions on issues that are of much interest to the running of the country Ghana.

Credit: Stephen A. Quaye, Toronto-Canada.
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