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03.08.2012 Opinion

Was The President Dying Or Was Dead?

By Daily Guide
John Evans Atta MillsJohn Evans Atta Mills
03.08.2012 LISTEN

Last weekend was a very difficult one for those of us in Sekondi-Takoradi and its environs. Around 2am on Sunday, it started raining torrentially. Sometimes when you have a reasonably good place of abode, you enjoy sleep when it rains, particularly in a very hot tropical climate.

I enjoyed the sleep until day time, when it continued throughout the day, stopping intermittently to change gears and put it at overdrive.

Since we were thinking of how to get out to enjoy our usual Sunday omo tuo and the rain persisted, life became a little uncomfortable. Indeed many families who did not have reasonable stock of food in their homes did starve because they could not go out to get anything.

Even if some had dared to go out, who was coming out to sell to them anyway? It was a terrible rainy period and it went on till early Monday morning.

My biggest worry was how to ration my mahogany bitters in the midst of the temporarily confinement imposed on me by the rains.

In this era of economic challenges, I have decided to embark on a serious austerity lifestyle, particularly on the mahogany bitters.

When your personal economic conditions change negatively because of official mismanagement of the national economy, it is very prudent to change course to meet your own conditions.

So I have decided to take two shots of the bitters every day until there is an economic bail out for me. I wanted to apply to the EU, but I realized that I am not a member of the EU group.

I belong to ECOWAS, but as for them, hmmmmmm. Unfortunately the weather situation is such that I am unlikely to maintain the austerity, particularly in this time of cold conditions and the effects of judgement debt payments to people we do not owe.

Sorry, the long and short of my story is that I did not hear anything, be it official statement on the health of our President or any rumours about his death or otherwise.

I was therefore surprised when on Monday morning, I heard that the President was rumoured to be dead and the fact that the President came out when travelling to the United States of America for what has become known as a 'routine check-up'.

This has become a subject of political discussion throughout the week and no one knows when it is going to end.

While I do not support those who might have mischievously rumoured that the President was dead, at least, for the first time, the President through himself and not Koku Anyidoho, has told this nation that he has been visiting the United States of America for 'routine check-up'.

Last December, the President unceremoniously left this country for the same country during the yuletide.

When Ghanaians questioned that hasty and unceremonious travel, we were told that he was visiting the New York Stock Exchange to meet some investors during the Christmas holidays.

The government propaganda machinery, which takes each Ghanaian for a fool, caused to be published in the Daily Graphic , an old picture of a British official taken in Britain to represent the President's visit to the USA.  

Indeed there were rumours again that the President was not well and had to be rushed out of this country for treatment, or if you like, routine check-up, since according to the NDC lying machine, that is better than medical treatment.

The President did not come out to deny the rumours that he was not well.

In fact, the President himself said prior to his departure that it was not the first time that he had heard that he was dead.

If indeed that is the case, then there must be something seriously wrong with the President's health which occasions the occasional rumours that he is dead. As a people, we should know the health status of our leader, after all, all of us fall sick at one time or the other.

As for me, when I am not moderate with the mahogany bitters, it teaches me sense. Various people get afflicted by illness through one form of action or inaction; we are humans.

But to lie about one's health is as bad as painting a picture of someone who is as fit as a fiddle when indeed he or she is not well.

If indeed people from which ever quarter speculated or rumoured about the health or life of the President, did they not do that out of sincere concern about the whereabouts of the President since he was too silent to the amazement of the whole of Ghana, particularly when parts of this country were at war with themselves and the whole nation was on edge?

Ethnic clashes have taken lives in some parts of the Northern Region; properties have been destroyed in the wake of it. Uncharacteristic of the Fantis, an opinion leader was killed and Ewe settlers going about their legitimate lives were blamed and attacked for a crime they had no knowledge of.

Again, in the 'second home' of the President, an unusual conflict between the Zongo community and the indigenes of Hohoe also led to the loss of lives and property.

Indeed, a refugee situation was created in that otherwise peaceful part of this country; once again the voice of the President was not heard appealing for calm.

The only time we heard of him in the midst of the conflicts was when he told us he was not dead but was going for a routine check-up, and the NDC is saying what?

Blaming the NPP for that, or that the NPP is wishing the death of the President? Let me tell Ghanaians that should the President die today, which obviously is not the wish of any Ghanaian, it is the NDC and members of the government who would have killed him.

The level of corruption and scandals that have been recorded in the government of Prof. Atta Mills is unprecedented in the history of this country.

A man of his age, how can he cope with such gargantuan payments of monies to undeserving people and companies in positive defiance by his ministers, without impairing his own health?

How can the President be healthy, when blatant stealing by people in his government has become a normal way of administering this country?

How can he have a peaceful frame of mind when his founder is constantly breathing down his neck?

A President who faces positive defiance on a daily basis from his appointees when it borders on stopping payments must be a worrying man.

President Mills cannot be himself when the umbrella which covers the NDC has been taken away from him during the rainy season?

Oh yes, the exposure of criminality by members of his government by his own former Attorney General is enough to have serious health implications for him.

Six months into the year, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of state are yet to be given operational funds to undertake very critical activities needed to develop this country.

The District Assemblies' Common Fund is in arrears for three quarters, making it difficult for the District Assemblies to operate. Nothing is going on at the local levels. The President will not be healthy under such circumstances.

I would not be surprised if in his quiet moments, Egya Atta tells himself in Fanti: 'eben asem nso na makafa ato medo yi?  Meka asem biara kyere hon a, wonfa. Adzekye na adesae, de mbra wodze me din mu ara yi.'

To wit, 'what kind of troubles have I brought upon myself? They do not take any of my advice and day in day out I take the blame for what is going on in this country.'

After all, who benefits immediately in the death of the President, the Vice President of the Republic and no one else.

He will immediately go looking for Shanghai Tuapin Xiahun (STX) to build a coffin; Woyomean Consults would be engaged to do the financial engineering for the funeral, Construction without Precedence (CP) will pave the road to Ekumfi Narkwa for the interment while the refreshment would be done by Watervillage Ghana limited.  The rest of us will remain passive mourners in the event that we lose our President.

The flood gates would then be opened for gargantuan and unprecedented looting by criminals masquerading as leaders of this country. Long live Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills, but perpetual death to his government.

(This article was published a few weeks back. In the face of what is happening today, it is being published again)

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