Over the past four years, there has been a frequent catchphrase amongst supporters of Ghana's political factions, most especially the NDC which reads as: 'Se Onyame ensii wo ohene na se wokofa ahenkye hye a ……'. This translates as a person must have been chosen by God or the gods to wear a fitting leadership Crown. The frequency of this statement from the lips of especially NDC communicators across Ghana has pervaded the airwaves ever since Prof Mills contested the 2008 Presidential elections against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, in which case, the insinuation directed poignantly to Nana Addo, apparently for posing out confidently as the better and more capable, therefore an obvioue choice of the people to succeed His Excellency J A Kufuor. Indeed Nana Addo was of a better disposition to win the 2008 Presidential elections, the always magical fingers of Kwadwo Afari Djan and his Electoral Commission, their fingers and equipment that have the potency to always transmute figures and situations for the worst and never for the better, catapulted Prof Mills from defeat to triumph. Jaws dropped in wonderment as the results of the elections were read to Ghanaians through the airwaves by the congenital rubicund-eyed and from the burned mischievous lips of dare-devil evil may occur Kwadwo Afari Djan. In less than a hundred days afterwards, there were visible signs of majority discontent with the Mills-led NDC administration through songs and in open public discussions as people began murmuring as to how Mills managed to become President of Ghana instead of Nana Addo. Was Mills the one chosen by God/the gods to wear the leadership Crown and if so how long would he last as civitatis ghanaiensis conduitur?
An uncanny election rigging plan had been hatched by the NDC, different from the usual use of violence and intimidation by way of a prank to snatch ballot boxes that would be stuffed with pre-thumbprinted ballot papers and later recovered for counting. Meanwhile, since 1992, voters register and corresponding population census have been inordinately bloated such that anybody indenting to challenge votes cast would have little proof of over-voting. With the coming into operational force of a newly hatched hard-to-detect vote-rigging plan, NDC supporters and communicators through the medium of the airwaves would have been envisioned to state categorically that their candidates is the one onctioned by God/the gods, in derision of an obvious peoples' choice.
John Mills became President of the republic of Ghana through an unguarded postern to apparently settle comfortably and rule but was dogged with the self-inflicted misfortune of trumatic stress of leadership through the backdoor. In his own words, John Mahama states that his boss, John Mills, delegated his entire Presidential powers to him, except for the fact that he did not assume his name as well. Mills, though President, to whom all national allegience was owed, transformed success, triumph and happiness into becaming the most miserable, regretfully wistful for who he was as lecturer and the unhappiest person in Ghana. Aptly put by our savvy elders as 'whim whim ade ko sro sro' which translates as ill-gotten treasure dissipates and withers into thin air the quickest, John Mills could not live even his ailing life any longer, let alone a full one term in office as President. The through the backdoor mechanism continues to persist in which situation John Mahama apparently ensconces at the castle through the frontdoor in disguise, election 2012 sees an advanced form of vote-rigging ever to be recorded in the world. The ever pervading derisive insinuation of Onyame ansi wo hene catchphrase against an overt peoples' choice Nana Addo drops from the lips of NDC communicators when indeed there is overwhelming evidence that John Mahama couldn't have been the winner of the election 2012 Presidential slot. In spite of all the earlier bragging of they have no evidence, the President cannot be sued, any idiot can go to Court, swearing-in has already taken place etc, a President made through the backdoor is battling with the truma of an imminent shame of being branded a Crown thief.
Even in cases of a back-pass from an adored winner to a colleague who could possibly not have won had he been initially in the saddle, as in the case of British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair and successor Gordon Brown, subsequently sought recognition for frontdoor entry proved unacceptable for the British electorate. Nigeria is currently undergoing a state of national disintegration as the Goodluck's Yar'Adua/Goodluck goodwill waned and waned though Yar'Adua controvertially won as the world was made to believe. Others in places across the world have, through the use of violence, unconditionally foisted their rulership on their discontented people and ended up at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands where they battle with justice accordingly. There are also others who face the wrought of the overwhelming majority and pay for their wrongful and unwaranted entry and stay with their life.
In the current Ghana situation of postern entry, people's discontent have occasioned the invocation of the all powerful, unforgiving and fearful deity of Antoa Nyamaah, whose justice administration is so prudential and circumspect though Rhadamanthine in his infliction and enforcement of punishment that all backdoor entrants their accomplices and complicities who have already begun feeling the nettlesome anger of this most dreaded deity amongst deities. This notwithstanding, these backdoor entrants et al must of force and by law, appear before the Supreme Court to defend their entry as lawful and in accordance with the Constitution without any breaches of its provisions in any way possible as their accusing petitioners stand tall against them. On the international front, development partners across the world sense the Ghanaian feeling of discontent and may not be giving their full sense of cooperation to a bully who breaks-in as a burgler with intent to subvert the constitution Even before all encumbering prelimnaries are cleared, heart pulsation has gone higher and higher for some with wearisome physionomy whiles others feel so much relaxed and smiley. Is the Presidential crown made-to-fit its current wearer; is it forced to fit him rather hurtingly from day-to-day occassioning sleepless nights, uncomfortable days and uneasy moments or is it just hanging on his skull with straps apparently keeping it in place? What is likely to follow after everything is found out through the on-going juridical process at the Supreme Court if in fact the President ascended the Presidency through the backdoor will be shameful, disgraceful and loss of honour publicly, nationally and internationally. However, in the mean time only time will tell.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
John Mahama's Obstinacy, yet Silent Inward Confession to the NPP, Ghanaians and the World
We hate the way you think accurately ahead of time; we hate your sense of moral, ethical and intellectual supremacy in Ghana; we hate your bright perceptive ideas for a future Ghana; we hate your excellent ideas for Ghana's development; we hate your sense of artistery and unparalleled aestetics; we hate how you set high development targets that we cannot match, not even if we are allowed a century to be in office; we hate how our NDC Party is composed of savage mediocritic non-entities who cannot reason for themselves with the highest sense of herd-mantality, and we hate how all reasonable, well-meaning and sensible people in Ghana appreciate and talk well of NPP. The real reason is that we love what you do, your composition and disposition and who you are. We would want to be like the NPP but we can't no matter how hard we try, so we envy you, that is why we hate you because we are paranoid. The above is the un-sung confession in the heart of 'President' John Mahama and the NDC as a political party. This is an extremely zoilist-pocessed Party that would criticise everything including even a candid advise given to them to shelter themselves from a heavy tempestuous downpour. Their conduct in relation to their mental disposition is that, they would eventually shelter themselves but would do so after having been heavily soaked
Within a space of four years, what has changed about the celebrated Jubilee House, the magnificent edifice built by the J A Kufuor-led NPP administration? NDC raised several red flags about this Jubilee House as Presidential Palace including being too proximate to the Nima Zongo community of Accra; so, have they managed to distance the Palace from the Zongo people? John Mahama's NDC Party's position was too cynical, including using the edifice for a poultry farm whiles on a milder note, they would use it for a hospital. None of these came to pass whiles at the same time nothing has changed, neither in real nor dramatic terms. Therefore, what has prompted John Mahama to all of a sudden decide to move into the Jubilee House?
There are four theories; one, two, three or all of which could apply for this shameless change of mind. As a preamble to the first of the theories, it is said that, whenever a toad is seen jumping about on broad daylight, an assailant predator might be after its life; this is a nicely loaded sentence taken from Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart'. The first theory is that after murdering Professor Mills in his office at the Osu Castle where his office remains closed to this day, vengeful and vindictive Mills as he has been known to be keeps on haunting his murderer, John Dramani Mahama and all accomplices who assisted in any way to facilitate his killing. This situation has evoked an unanimous concensus that the Osu castle be left alone as a haunted place. The next option for a Presidential home and offices would have been the Peduase Lodge yet various factors militate against it for a seat of government including the psychological obviousness that would pervade in the minds and eyes of the public of having fouled the Osu castle therefore a U-turn to move into the purpose-built Jubilee House had to be made to save the situation. Mills, it is said, hated even to cast a glance at the Kufuor-built Jubilee House so he would live his principle not to haunt Mahama if he moved into a place he abhorred so much but hei! Mills will be there.
The second theory is that Mahama and Amisah Arthur, his vice-President need to be closer together for a probable he-man wife and he-man husband to be closer together for a most comfortable and convenient proximity of reaching for one another to satisfy their lust for their bisexual gratification, whiles the third boarders on Mahama, an eudaemonist, sensing that he has a short time left to enjoy all the good things imaginable in Ghana, hence ensconcing at the Jubilee House must one day be counted as one of the life's enjoyments he has experienced. Fourth and finally, John Mahama is dissociating himself from the thoughts and thinking of the NDC by frowning on and scorning their decision in regard to what the edifice might be used for. He has therefore, contrary to NDC insipience, settled for the Jubilee House as a Presidential Palace and seat of government by even insisting to retain its maiden christening by Kufuor as 'Jubilee House' instead of a Flag Staff House. It may be recalled that several countries and international organisations have metronymic references such as the White House for the US administration, the Kremlin for the Russian, No 10 Downing Street for the British etc. Whereas Jubilee House would be unique in reference to Ghana, Flag Staff House is not unique to Ghana, so cannot be metronymous to Ghana as it should be
George Orwell, aka George Arthur Blair, whose clever Muse as we all now know from his 'Animal Farm' political satire novel, that after taking the Manor Farm from Mr Jones into Animal Farm, the animals agreed that the Pent house, which was Jones's residence and office would be used for a museum so no animal would live there. Afterwards, when Napoleon had succeeded in kicking out Snowball and had gained control over the animals, to tha jaw-dropping amazement of the less equal animals, Napoleon and the pigs moved in to settle in the self-same Pent house. Napoleon's explanation for the U-turn can be as obscure and too distanced as John Mahama will have to give. Never did any person, let alone clear-minded, within the ruling fraudulent NDC think the seat of government would be moved from the 17th century-built Christianborg Castle that was transformed into a slave-holding warehouse, into the purpose-built Jubilee House magnificent edifice. Big square-mouthed Asiedu Nketia and his like-minded miscreants had informed the whole world that the NDC would use the US$56 million Jubilee House Presidential home and offices and ceremonial grounds for a poultry farm and grazing ground.
Most times, it is easier to identify the weak-minded fool not by the the answers they give to sensibly asked questions but by the questions they themselves ask as well as the comments and suggestions they make. For the NDC with their so-called 'Dr' Tony Aidoo, general secretary Asiedu Nketia, Oko Vanderpuje etc to make comments and suggestions that would eventually bounce back on them can overtly suggest to anybody the sort of academic qualifications claimed by most of them, the mental faculties possessed by the Party members as a whole and their king pins. Jubilee House is now officially the official Presidential Palace and offices of the presidency but not a poultry farm as posited by some weak-minded nonentities. Any idiot can go to court has had its lashing back as Asiedu Nketia finds himself begging to go to Court with some frivolous matter, several of his applications thrown out whiles he doses off in Court. Oko Vanderpuje must be awake from his frenzied overdose of fanaticism and see things objectively with both eyes and with open mind.
It is a welcome news that 'President' John Dramani mahama has at last defied his Party's position to live and work from the Jubilee House. It wouldn't have been a matter for political give and take commentary had the NDC not made such prior unsavoury comments and suggestions about the edifice however it is better late than never. John Dramani Mahama must shirk his haughtiness, pride and arrogance that has inebriated him, sober himself and apologise to Ghanaians, his Party and the international communities for licking back his own sputum.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
Dishonest Ghana?
Some people, certain communities, gangs and even nations pride themselves in negative attributes without shame. We often see people beating their chest we hear them bragging about proudly as being killers. Such statements as 'Look, do you know me? If you don't, ask anybody and they will tell you that I am a killer; I am really bad and I can show you where power lies! Sheegelege banza'! Such a negative attribute and others amongst them such as lying, insolence, rudeness, haughtiness, indiscipline, bestiality, paedophilia, necrophilia and the most recent development of homophilia as a growing cultural desire do not augur well with well cultured people, societies, communities and nations. These cannot go without mentioning hipocrisy and indeed dishonesty which, including all of the above are gaining stronger buttress roots in Ghana.
Aside ranking high on the world's corruption index, Ghana is persistently and alarmingly leaning towards a culture of dishonesty, a culture in which hypocrisy, prejudice and paranoia are given extra strength to militate against truth, sincerity and honesty. Tax-payers' money is spent on the education and further higher education of individuals who show the potential and capacity to learn and acquire knowledge and wisdom to serve Ghana beneficially yet these same emerge as public officials only to further exploit the already indigent Ghanaian society through a wide array of dishonesty in their official capacity. Tax payers' money from the public purse is used to fund political parties only for us to realise no sooner than later that politicians come out to display their prejudices and paranoia. Religious leaders of the established churches shirk their responsibility to lead by example such as being honest, sincere, truthful and faithful and rather fancy and adore hypocrisy. Ghana's cultural institutions are dramatically corrupted and adulterated such that culture is only given a lip service. Though dishonesty is used to describe any instance of lack of probity, cheating, lying or being deliberately deceptive or lack in integrity, knavishness, perfidiousness, corruption or treacherousness, intellectual, political, moral ethical and cultural dishonesty transcends the ordinary meaning as applied. Intellectual dishonesty implies not living up to the expected standard. This might happen because of laziness, superficiality and other "lesser" evils however, when these evils manifest themselves in fields such as science, engineering, etc, they are qualified as Intellectual Dishonesty because in these fields everyone is expected to strive for higher standards
As stated above, countries like Russia and South Africa would unwittingly pride themselves with being the world's highest murder-rated on the world's crime index with about 50 murders a day yet no positive steps seem to have been taken to curb let alone abate it. Their institutional organisations have been so made that reversing the ntrend is virtually impossible so murder in these two countries is taken for a cultural and traditional status quo though punishable. In the same vein, honour-killing is traditional in especially Pakistan whiles suicide is a daily occurrence in Iceland and the Scandinavian countries. Homosexuality and prostitution are accepted norms in the Netherlands whiles eating frog legs is natural and normal in France. Dedicating one life to hard work to build a stronger national economy is a German virtue whiles North Korea is synonymous with propaganda. The English amongst the British on the other hand are the all time cunning and exploitative and that is a fact. When we mention Nigeria, it cannot go without the stigma of fraud of all kinds, high profile corruption and cheating. Where then would Ghana be on the virtue/stigma attribute index?
As a once upon a time very respected people imbued with hospitality, honesty, sincerity, modesty, disciplined and brainy intellectuals with a rich culture united for peace, tranquility, freedom and justice, Ghana today stands at the crossroads of collapsing under a yoke of dishonesty. One may ask why all the above virtues hither-to attributed to Ghana have waned and disappeared? The answer lies all in all in politics and the breed of politicians and political tactics Ghana has come to know over the last four decades.
Some Institutions in Ghana are Half-blind, Half-deaf, Stammer and woefully get Everything Wrong
President Barack Obama found a growing hope and confidence in Ghana's institutuins so he made a whistle stop in Ghana on 10th July 2009 to encourage for further strengthening of national institutions. “'We' don't need strong leaders; what 'we' need is strong institutions” The American President did not talk to Ghanaians and Ghana's Parliament on a 'them' and 'us' basis by using objective clauses and referring to Ghanaians as you Ghanaians needing strong institutions; rather, he included himself as a Ghanaian, as an America partner in democracy and the 'civilised' world as a community striving for fairness, justice and equality. John Evans Atta Mills had barely been sworn-in as President of Ghana who proclaimed himself to be 'Father for all Ghanaians' and went ahead to form and established what he called as 'National Peace Council'. The composition of this institution and their selection criterior remains in arcanum to most Ghanaians to this day.
Some communities to the north of Ghana have often been in internecine wars and conflicts usually over trivial matters that could easily have been solved had our institutions been that strong and fair, others have been of more grievous nature involving chieftaincy factions which could similarly and equally have been solved by fair minded strong institutions. Aside these above mentioned fracas, other communities have seen relative peace over several decades. The formation of a Peace Council institution in regard to the above as a way forward to forstall future conflicts as well as resolving present and past conflicts would have been in the right direction as a most welcome idea. These notwithstanding, a so-called National Peace Council of whatever composition has never made a single statement of proposal, neither have they ever sat on the most pressing, controversial and seemingly irresolvable but resolvable Yendi skin conflict, a conflict that has persisted for well over 60 years. Other minor community conflicts have cropped-up ever since the formation of this so-called NPC yet hardly does any well meaning Ghanaian hear of their involvement in joining other relevant institutions in mediation for calmth. What then does the NPC stand for? What are their aims and objectives? What is their understanding of 'Peace'? How do they promote, establish and foster Peace and what modalities do they apply to bring Peace?
The relevance of the NPC could in fairness also be felt in dealing with other institutions that abuse their powers either through omissions/negligence of their duties, commissions/malfeasance or misfeasance of their public duties to ensure fairness to all in Ghana, citizens, straigers and visitors alike. Yet since the NPC has an ambiguous job description ascribed to them and only have a particularly prescribed interest that has no relevance to promoting Peace in Ghana, they can only see what is stained inside their looking-glasses, smell only the scent that they have been conditioned to smell and react to, hear the tunes that they are made to love to enjoy hearing, stentor and trumpet-out grievances not for the general good of all but for particulars whereby they would come into public even in pyjamas or bath towels wound around their waist to make emergency statements. National Peace Council sees nothing wrong with Police negligence when other equally-regarding citizens equally entitled to protection are abused and brutalised by their favoured group. NPC, the Police and other security forces etc see something wrong with statements made by an unfavoured group and so rushe to make emergency statements of condemnation but see nothing wrong with their favourites who emerge in amulets-riddled battle smock, indicative of war readiness. To this, they see, hear and say nothing because either they stammer badly and have not gathered enough gas to push their statements out or that they have developped aphonia by earlier shouting in emergency. NPC and other concerned institutions of State see nothing wrong with a wanton command by whosoever to parade National arsenal and armoury across the country. NPC and others see nothing wrong with political thuggery, gangsterism, hoolinganism and the baculine approach of some identified rubble-rousing group against all others irrespective of. The police especially had glaucoma in their eyes so could not see anybody to make any arrests for breaching public order rules.
What then does it take to promote Peace? Naturally, it takes avoidance of conflict through encouraging and maintaining a culture of fairness and justice to promote Peace both in situations where a conflict has occurred or is nigh, and this can only be achieved through mediation by well-informed elders or through appropriate juridical processes in the established Courts of law. If so, then how does the National Peace Coucil see mediation and the law Courts and what image do they cast for these approaches to peaceful settlement of disputes? From their conduct, the NPC see all jural institutions as monstrous and dangerous mosters. They have portrayed themselves as ant-mediation, anti-intervensional and anti-Court and juridical. In effect, the NPC is amorphous in shape, in thought and ideas, in aims and objectives, in functions and foresight. Their understanding of 'Peace' need to be redifined and knocked into their brains so they need proper erudition to merit their so-called titles with which they are encumbered, with little significance as manifested by their mis/malperformance. It is rather unfortunate that Ghanaians have come to acculture themselves with a strange fear for people who are wont to apply a jural process to seek redress for wrong once done rather than taking up arms and combat. Such people are referred to scornfully as litigious and shunned. The person who is combat-ready for a similar wrong done as a way of claiming justice is hailed as a hero and a no nonsense man. This latter approach to seeking justice in the 'might is right' mentality is what makes the difference between civilised people as in Western Europe and North America etc and the savage stoneage mentality of others, typically of African and developing countries of lesser development that have lost their goal and keep wandering about without finding what they are looking for.
The following could be tips for the National Peace Council if they truly are for peace and not real hipocrites hiding behind the veil of peace. All of them are presumed to be parents so they must know that children live what they learn. Therefore taking themselves as parents of Ghana by appointment whiles Ghanaians represent their children, the following would go for them:
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight
If a child lives with fear, she learns to be apprehensive
If a child lives with envy, he learns to be covetous
If a child lives with criticism, she learns to condemn.
But if a child lives with fairness, he learns justice
If a child lives with tolerance, she learns to be patient
If a child lives with security, he learns to feel confident
If a child lives with honesty, she learns to be truthful
If a child lives with encouragement and recognition, he learns to have a goal
And if a child with approval and friendliness, she learns to love the world.
Friendliness and acceptance as the mainstay of world love is the reason why the American President, the most powerful man on earth moved down to Ghana in 2009 to encourage strengthening of our State institutions for Ghana to move ahead amongst developing countries as a beacon of hope for democracy. It is rather unfortunate that President Obama came to waste his time and his voice delivering a brilliant speech with a cohort of non-starters in democracy, led by the worst hipocrite the world can ever think of in the person of John Mills as then President of Ghana. Obama stressed on the possessive pronoun 'we' in his statement 'We need strong institutions' by reason of world love; a world envisaged for fairness and equiparity which includes Ghana but not a world of partiality, envy and paranoia; not a world of injustice and insecurity with little or no confidence in even people living next door to us in our communities.
With eyes still focussed on the so-called National Peace Council that had been presumed to cause to make a difference in the operational functions of Ghana's institutions for whom the above ten statements go, I wonder the nature of training and teaching they give to their own children at home. From the above, the NPC must either be up and doing or bow down their heads in shame as the most hopeless, useless and tracklessly confused institution that does not deserve to exist. If up and doing, the National Peace Council can be seen and recognised in a similar capacity enjoyed by 'Medicine sans Frontiers', with unlimited powers and capacity to intervene and advice any and every institution that matters in promoting Peace through fairness. They can cause to make a difference to merit their establishment else they must resign and not waste public time and money.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
Delusive John Mahama / NDC are in Extreme Paranoia
Paranoia is madness of a certain kind. It is a self-inflicted disease of the mind occasioned by overt lack of confidence. Paranoid people have a mental illness characterised by a delusional belief of self-importance and prominence. In this regard, desperate John Mahama and his group have hitherto had delusional beliefs that have been proved to be wrong. They have wrongly believed that his 'regency' position, much the same as his spare tyre Presidency was above the laws of Ghana so could not be brought before the Supreme Court of Ghana. They have believed, albeit rightly or erroneously that the Courts of Ghana have been established for idiots etc. NDC as a political group do not only think, behave and talk crazy, their scribe, Asiedu Nketia and others fascinate them by combining craziness and stupidity in thought, conduct and talk, a blend that provides them with a strange, rare, weird, uncanny and peculiar moral and ethical personality and culture that they adore as normal in this modern world of growing and constantly improving civilisation. Several types of paranoia are manifested in the NDC culture but this script will concentrate on six of them including irrationality, delusions, fanaticism, monomania, fear and vexatious litigation.
Irrationality in both general and psychological terms is equally a form of cognition, thinking, talking or acting but without inclusion of rationality. It is more specifically described as an action or opinion given through inadequate use of reason that is replete with emotional distress, or cognitive deficiency. Regarding NDC general outbursts, the term irrationality fits them because they can be pejoratively described as acting before thinking on matters and issues that are, or appear to be less useful, or more illogical than other more rational alternatives.
Irrational behaviours of individuals within the NDC Party include taking offense or becoming angry about a situation that has not yet occurred with such example as Nana Addo's intention to go to Court over the election and some detected frauds was simply enough to bring them to their tantrums then subsequently parading national security armoury. They have engaged in irresponsible conduct akin to problem intoxication whereby non-NDC members of the public have been attacked and badly assaulted in unprovoked incidents. When it comes to planning for good and beneficial purposes, 'regent' President Mahama and his Party are disorganised but can be extremely extravagant. These are people who lack confidence and have several complexes so they fall victim to confidence tricks. One such scenario is whereby they cobbled up responses and legal support to go to Court with inadequate preparation.
Pre and post-2012 elections as traced through the campaign messages delivered to the electorates suggest clearly that NDC are in delusion by holding on to a belief with some strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary they had not the least convincing let alone credible message passed on to win the elections. NDC delusion is pathological because it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information. They knew the public had rejected them yet confabulated from their usual dogmatic cheating culture of the past that has already begun proving rather illusive after-all. Two forms of delusion are common with NDC followers in the manner of grandiose religious delusion whereby they belief that their Party leaders are chosen to act as a god. They also portray somatic delusion by simply showing apathy in their actions and utterances for as long as the mouth would speak and the body would act. Just imagine the unthinkable of a pregnant woman and children in NDC thuggery nonsense in baculine readiness against NPP supporters who show no aggression in the vicinity of the Supreme Court building. The participants in this thuggery could clearly be seen to have been engaged only in their somatic performance without their minds presence as well
The uncritical and unchecked zealous behaviour of some NDC followers can be aptly referred to as fanatical paranoia. Philosopher George Santayana defines fanaticism as redoubling one's effort by incidentally forgetting one's aim whiles Winston Churchill's version describes a fanatic as one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject even if it is clearly leading to disaster. By either description NDC fanatical cranks display very strict standards of indiscipline, disrespect for public order and little tolerance for contrary ideas or opinions. These cranks behave and appear ludicrous and indeed wrong by holding on to odd and weird beliefs and conduct whereby they are quick to apotheosise any vindictive hypocrite as a son of God and an impudent pompous and kleptocrat as humble, honest and a man of integrity. In contrast, the subject of any fanatic's obsession may be "normal" but that of NDC cranks is abnormal and disproportionate. Several incidents of unprovoked attack on opponents express such conduct that can be deemed as malignant, obdurate, querulous and obstructive.
Knowing very well that they have no case to answer, NDC paranoia has pushed them to the Supreme Court with a joinder application whereby if successful, their obstreperous crowd would stream daily to the Court in their numbers as interested filibusterous group on a mission as vexatious litigants as well as to create havoc and mayhem. If truly John Mahama and his 'spoilt' bunch of cranks think they have genuinely won the 2012 parliamentary and Presidential elections, they should readily submit to the Court for the law to take its normal course to be exonerated whiles Nana Addo and his colleagues would be shamed. Contrary to the just above stated conditional advice, I see John Mahama as a person who has collaborated with others to stage a constitutional coup d'état against the will of Ghanaians. His book, 'My first coup d'état' must not be literally interpreted as a simple biographical story, but as a feat he was up to achieve during the 2012 elections. However, unfortunately for putschist John Mahama, this coup will not only be your first, it is rather your first and last with no more opportunity for you to stage a second and another and it will surely be a two months wonder with many years of regret to follow.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
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Messrs 'Gyae ma no nka', 'Fa ma Nyame' & Co have Misled Afari Djan & Co into Constitutional Transgression
'If you are not satisfied you can go to Court' was the arrogant and pompus statement made by Kwadwo Afari Djan when he declined a request to revisit the election results from the constituencies in order to amend anomalies that had been uncovered before deciding to declare and announce winner of the 2012 Presidential elections. This same statement had eralier been made by a so-called Peace Council' composed of oviform lupine hipocrites. Winner of the Presidential elections was a done deal long before even voters went from their homes and queued to cast their votes whereby their toils were frowned on and scorned as mere formality in the eyes of Afari Djan & Co of the Electoral Commission.
Naked robbery of the peoples' mandate had come into play as the trust and integrity of the would-be trusted refrees had sunk into extreme venality for personal and parochial gains. Who and what factors would cause any person/group of persons/institution that is supposed to command, instil and enforce trust to lose the necessary and relevant will-power be so compromised, has today been identified to be in the 'personalities' of Messrs 'Gyae ma nonka', 'Fa ma Nyame', 'Enye hwee' wait for another occasion etc, a genre of ubiquitous self-styled moral and ethical advocates that have established their strongly adhered-to influential and readily applicable cultural institutions across Ghana, an institution that always persistently militates against justice but seemingly appeal to justice yet oblivious to the fact that Peace and Justice are didymous inseparables whereby Justice as the eldest carries along Peace with it everywhere but not vice-versa.
The above-named 'personalities' have lived in Ghana with premordial origin, have plagued society with a culture of counter-productive and timid mentality in the guise of 'the fear of God'. These 'personalities' take on the image of orant religiosity without the least commitment to being religious and God fearing when dealing with their victim customers. They would always stand firm behind cheats and scoundels and promote a continuum of criminal negligence, recklessness and carelessness with their full support and encouragement because they have the skill to advice innocent and hapless victims to forgive and live for another day without prescribing any form of remedy or compensation. These 'advocates' capriciously hide behind potentially venal institutions and high-ranking personalities who act as their shameless prolocutors. Whenever criminals of any sort commit or intend to commit any infrngement in Ghana, bandits would lift up their eyes to either of the 'golden' images of these mischievous 'Messrs' for the relevant courage and aspiration, whence the offence procedes with the hope that the intervening interference of 'Fa ma Nyame' & Co would prevail. There is no wonder Afari Djan & Co have fallen prey to the attractive uncannies of Messrs 'Gyae ma no nka'. In his responding affidavit to the Supreme Court he admits fundamental errors in his constitutionally mandated duties and responsibilities that can cost him a lot.
There are countless occasions on which Afari Djan & Co have, having appealed to Messrs 'Enye hwee' & Co, have won the day and escaped punition because these Messrs have been over-influential whenever such heinous constitutional crimes have been committed spanning twenty years of Electoral Commission avtivities in Ghana but this time they have met their match. Afari Djan & Co are about to be trapped and nipped as they find themselves trapped in a cul-de-sac with no escape route whiles their angry seekers have closed in on them. One very bad news is that, 'Fama Nyame' has brought a strong message expressing God's extreme anger, saying that God has had more than enough of man's wilful rubbish of commissions and ommissions in His warehouse so cannot accept any more of the 'Fa ma Nyame' nonsense on this occasion.
On 28th December 2012, as soon as a petition was announced to have been filed in the Supreme Court by a group that I have personally dubbed as Messrs 'Nkwaseabuo nye & Nokware nna adi' & Co, this 'Fa ma Nyame' and his cohorts have since suffered a serious cardiac arrest. Their adherents feel itchy and restless as if they have been sprayed with pruritus. The bold and fearless 'Nkwaseabuo nye & Nokware nna adi' & Co. trio and their supporters, working hand-in-hand with Messrs 'Gyaesaayo', a Themis incarnate, an upright equanimous socio-moral, ethical and legal Advocacy Consultancy are waging a politico-social, moral and ethical Velvert Revolution in Ghana's electoral history, the like of which has never happened anywhere in the world. If successful, and God willing it will, its shells will surely wound, maim and scorge Messrs 'Fama Nyame' & Co in their capricious interventionist activities such that their influence will be drastically reduced to mere nominal levels whereby their operations will be few and far between. Its sweet perfumed-breeze will pervade the entire air across Africa and the rest of the world.
Soon after the filing of the petition became a reality and not a farce as earlier presumed, 'Enye hwee' has sensed serious forebodings ahead and is retreating and has signaled a plea of 'Eye hwee enti fa kye me' whereupon Afari Djan has come to admit vicarious fundamental errors in his affidavit. Gang leader 'Gyae ma no nka' is undergoing soterial if not a most probable escathological rebirth and re-christening to be known and called 'Di nokware' especially in electoral crimes and malpractices. Upon completion of acceptilation and rechristening, reborn 'Di nokware' will successfully apply to join the morally, ethically and legally exhalted chambers of Messrs 'Gyaesaayo & Co. to herald rectitude in our Ghanaian socio-political and other institutions.
Pride, arrogance, pomposity, impudence with impunity coupled with stinking dirty-handed venality have continued to bedeck the EC institution so much that its members appeared in their own imagination to be sitting above the laws of Ghana, whereupon from their Zarathustrian heights they looked down upon and scorned Ghanaians and all of Ghana's institutions except those which smoked from the same pipe with them. Strangely, controvertially and hipocritically enough, some of these selfsame institutions have never and would never accede to 'Fama Nyame' & Co. under any circumstance when or if ever they were confronted with such situations in which they would instead invoke these one-sided capricious anti-justice deities where others are loser victims. Rather, they would send gangs to physically confront, attack and assault neighbouring community heads and their people with dire, gory and devastating consequences and eventually go to Court even over minor land and boarder disputes. Certain media and communication institutions did not and will definitely not entertain Messrs 'Fa ma Nyame' & Co whenever they are infringed upon as they have been known to have behaved earlier before. Intrinsically the advocates of 'Fa ma Nyame' & Co may not be anti-justice as such however when the music is not about them, they may dance heartily with esoteric intricate steps never seen before but if they are directly mentioned or insinuated in the song, they would cower and cringe in silence. 'Do onto others what you want others to do onto you' has been an ancient Egyptian Maatian principle fiften millenia ago that has been rephrased and buttressed by the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucious three thousand years ago and also ingeminated by Jesus of Nazareth of the X'tian faith.
Detractors of Ghana's fearless heroic trio, the determined who are seeking justice for Ghanaians of today and our future generations, must stop pining and moaning because if the 'kukukuku' had stopped, the 'kekekeke' would have un-noticeably vanished un-pursued. Therefore, kudos to you the fearless and determined. May the grace of the Almighty, the wisdom of the benevolent and beneficient spirits of the universe descend on our Supreme Court Judges for them to have the fortitude and will-power to display a high unprecedented sense of integrity and equanimity in their deliberations and subsequent determinations to save our dear Ghana from injustice!!
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
The 'Crown' That May Not Fit
The much awaited 2012 general and Presidential elections seem to have come to a close but not yet concluded. Never in the history of Ghana spaning twenty years of its fourth Republican era have Ghanaians been as enthusiastically appetant to be bold and travelled en masse, walked out of their homes, towns, villages and hamlets, streaming to polling stations to cast their votes aimed particularly at directing their mandate to their preferred leader and members of Parliament for the next four years. For all we know, the messages of the contestants and most especially those of the flagbearers of the two major Parties were more than clear with no words-mincing vocabulary that would require further interpretation. The 'can do' spirited message of Nana Addo doing battle against the 'can't do hebetating counter mseeage without any competing alternative of John Mahamah on free quality education up to SHS dominated the minds of the voting public. This posed as a major onslaught between the two for determination as to whose head would emerge the mandated choice to wear the 'Crown' in the electoral showdown.
Closed but not concluded is apt enough in reference to the 2012 Ghana elections because jaws suddenly dropped when on the night of 9th December the chairman of the Electoral Commission controversially pronounced John Mahama, the can't do hebetating desperate assailant on free quality education as the wearer of the 'Crown'. It was the one announcement that imported a deafening silence across Ghana; a declaration that petrified almost every citizen, winners and losers alike. Yes, this is Ghana in 'Black Africa' where everything is pitch black both on the outside and on the inside because money talks; a place where anything goes; a place where trust and fairness are alien entities yet even if the prevail their emergence is persistently few and far between; a place where the people sloganise Freedom and Justice yet unknown to them as a mere populist deceptive platitude and a place where people clamour for peace and tranquility but alienate justice. As to how John Mahama emerged the jaw-dropping over-all winner, I beg the question and can only sardonically suggest that the 'spontaneous elation' his supporters especially elicited across the country at the breaking of the news told the tale.
On Monday 7th January 2013 John 'Macbeth'-Mahama goes to 'Scone' to be sworn-in, apparently to wear the Presidential 'Crown' not only with the blood of John Evans Atta Mills perpetually staining his hands and robes as it seeks justice but also with the obloquy of detected votes theft and subversion of Ghana's constitution hanging on his neck, as a writ is filed in the Supreme Court for a hearing to determine if he really is the person who truly and most veritably has the mandate of the people to be President of Ghana for the next four years. The desperation and hurry with which the electoral commission beguiled a greater majority of Ghanaians and the world to declare the 'can't do' edebee keke campaigner winner of the election can only be recounted after the matter pending before the Supreme Court of Judicature has come to a final determination. It will be written so much in style à la both Ovid and Hommer put together for education to Ghana's posterity. From this point, it sounds sad to reverberate NDC communicators who have been ingeminating that a person who is not unctioned to wear a Crown but forces to wear it loses it in no time, not realising this Kedjetia thief adage points to their own John Mahama. In effect NDC's John 'Macbeth'- Mahama happens to be desperately and undeservedly clinging on to a crown that he is not unctioned to wear.
Frenetic necromantic invocation of the soul and spirit of murdered Prof JEA Mills, ritual zoothapses of bulls and heifers at the so-called asomdwe/nyaatwim park and vicarious sacrifices in the guise of road accidents involving Presidential convoys and innocent hapless victims to facilitate Mahama win have all been pursued without shame and guilt as equivocators' occultic illusions filled their minds. The oracle's equivocation went as follows:
• John Dramani Mahama shall be made substantive President of Ghana before the 2012 elections
• John Mahama shall be controvertially declared winner amid alarm raised about electoral fraud. This notwithstanding, ye shall be sworn-in as President.
• John Dramani Mahama shall never vanquished be until the Supreme Court may direct otherwise.
Come six months to election 2012 and Atta Mills is still President, full of vigour and dances to the tune of Azonto. Mills is poisoned the next day and hurriedly buried whiles John Dramani Mahama is quickly sworn-in as President. The first prophesy is fulfilled. Mahama and NDC mock Mills' death as timely divine intervention to avert a would-be perceived 2012 electoral defeat
7th December 2012 arrives, people turn-out in their numbers to vote for a change, ostensibly for free quality education for all to SHS level. Schematically, to achieve a particular objective, voting in several particular polling stations breach electoral rules as enshrined in the Constitution of Ghana. Faxed Electoral forms containing constituency results are unlawfully intercepted and re-faxed with transmuted figures. Alarm blows. John Dramani Mahama is controversially declared winner notwithstanding. The fulfilment of this unsavoury part of the oracle's prophesy still maintains some glimmer of hope because the 'notwithstanding' clause is not yet exhausted so John would be sworn-in as President. John consults his 'Ahithophelic' scribes and advocates for advice and direction. In their sciosophy as they are always wont to be, beleagured John is soothingly advised that the cheating was so perfectly scientifically and technologically designed and executed that there can be no evidence whatsoever however, even if any is found and tendered, as a continuing sitting President, once he is sworn-in again as President for another term of office, he would remain above the laws of Ghana and cannot be made to appear before any court of law in the country. But instinctively and realistically John now senses severe pressure and begins to accede to dismay when he learns from better erudite brilliant advocates from his pursuers side that his human image as leader and flag bearer of a political Party rather than his legal personality image as President can be sued and is what they have sued. If sueable, then the Courts of the land can direct anything otherwise juridically justifiable against him as a citizen. Here ends the gospel of the illusive equivocal prophesy that may perpetually shame and disgrace occult-inclined power-drunk John Dramani Mahama who on Monday 7th January 2013 will porrect himself at 'Scone' to be crowned with a 'headgear' that may not fit his head.
Like the mystery Cinderella pair of shoes, the Crown, this time may probably have been designed particularly for the head of the most principled yet misunderstood hence the most feared, the most hated, the most despised and the 'Cinderellared' Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, whereby it wouldn't fit anybody else's head let alone that of John Mahama's, known thief of Baghdad however, in the interim and in fulfilment of the oracle's 'notwithstanding' clause in his prophesy, it may, for the sake of convenience be adjusted with straps fitted to hold it in place to fit though he would feel very uncomfortable in it as if it were composed of nettle for which matter he would put it down sooner or later afterwards.
The massive and impenetrable forest of evidence that has marched its way to the Supreme Court, purportedly to militate against an alegedly perpetrated electoral fraud with enough force to demolish it once and for all is more than likely to justicerily exhort and impel the chairman of the Electoral Commission to countermand the misplaced Crown and put it where it rightly belongs according as Ghanaians have demanded it.
As a prelude to acceding to and impliedly conceding defeat, things unthinkable are beginning to happen as even Presidential state of the Nation's address has had to be delivered in two phases; a new creation by John whose mind is currently full of worms over grave uncertainties. Does John have any reason to be dismayed and accede to imminent defeat? He realises he has the worst constitutional case ever to respond to whiles his trusted legal team have proved themselves to be non-starters.
John's oracle has delivered an equivocal prophesy that he is more than likely to live to regret for the rest of his life; an event for which he is likely to remain wistful never to have ever come to pass. John Mahama would wish to have lived a better and happier life as former, though stained with scandals Vice President for three years and 'spare tyre' President for six months than having forged ahead to, by dubious means, completed a vicious cycle of moral and Presidential stigma including disgraceful thievery that would stain and tarnish his image; an incident in his life that will remain in Ghana's and the world's political history books for ever. Whether the Crown be adjusted to fit or not, John may live in doubtful joy thereafter with the most likelihood that the Crown will surely be given back as it wouldn't fit.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London,UK)
What News? Is Ghana's Electoral Commission Exposed? Its yet to be Confirmed.
The Ghana's electoral commission's underhand chicanery for two decades since it was commissioned by the PNDC dictatorial administration to superintend over Ghana's population census for purposes including economic planning, the electoral register and also act as refree in general and Presidential elections with impartiality is about to be detected.The commission's work is believed to have been heavily flawed with botched up figures and huge performance difficiencies. The magnitude of bias, partiality and such untold institutional preference of one group to another as it is forensically detected in an up and coming matter involving the 2012 general and Presidential elections would merit the hither-to unasuming august institution being satirically rechristened the Selectorial Commission rather than an Electoral Commission in reflection to its nefarious activities over the past twenty years. The commission and most especially its chairman has been so unbecoming and arrogated to itself the title of the Monarch of all it surveys and wealds unequalled powers to, contrary to the popular would-be mandated choice of Ghanaians, select, choose and impose who it wants to lead the country as well as those it wants to represent people and communities in Parliament. If confirmed, there will be serious question marks not only on the credibility of the past activities of the Commission and its personnel, there would be follow up ad inquirenda as to the credibility of Ghana's population as depended on by the statistical services and other affiliated stakeholder institutions including national economic planning. As it stands now it appears the commission has grossly misled Ghanaians just as much as they have killed many for less also in their individual public or private official capacities antecedent to becoming members of a supposed most trusted and respected institution in Ghana
The gloom that was spontaneously imported into the ever vibrant and glitzy social ethos particularly in this post-election spirit that gripped party supporters even including children and toddlers told the tale that there was something grievously wrong in Ghana. Retrospecting into the entire national jubilant character as it has always been, win or lose, Christmas has always been Christmas but this year's Yulitide has been different. The usual lively solarium Ghanaian mood was not just seen to have been doused even to a glow but completely quenched, indicative of an omenous mismatched happening across the country.
Christmas, as the occasion is well known and celebrated in Ghana and elsewhere is markedly expressed in a blend and variety of feelings. Chrismas has a characteristic of 'you'll never walk alone' spirit such that others spark up glows of happiness in others' faces yet the 2012 X'mas was overtly markedly adiaphoristic. Not even a Presidential Christmas message was heard as is apparently the status quo in most Christian-dominated countries around the world. Somebody apparently has empocketed not only the Christmas festive happiness of Ghanaians but derailed, ditched and murdered the spirit and image of the destiny of the present and future generations. Who might this ugly gremlin be and where might it be lurking? The hunt has closed in on the supposed killjoy with all fingers pointing to the Kwadwo Afari Djan-chaired Electoal Commission whose greed has unequivocally sold Ghanaians into a home-made slavery of some sort to the powers that be for only God knows what reward but thanks to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Dr Bawumia and Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey, whose fearlessness and never relenting astute leadership has propelled a spade of investigations into a serious electoral fraud and filed a suit before the Supreme Court. Mysteriously, the dark cloud that obnubilated Ghana's post- Afari Djan declaratory allocution of John Dramani Mahama as winner of the presidential elections is thinning out. The mood of the country is changing, hoping for their mandate to be put where it should belong that will be known sooner than later.
Evidence before the Supreme Court, some of which are in public domain and for which reason I can set up my own court of personal opinion has sent riples of shock waves like pruritus to the respondents who felt and thought they could escape heinouis next to treason crime undetected but today feel so itchy that they can't hide their feelings. This is purely an issue that the constitution provides for redress and follow-up action and mention must be made of the fact that win or lose either way, Ghana wins, democracy wins, our judiciary would then pass a serious and difficult acid test and it will historically dubbed 'The Ghana way'; a shining example that all other African countries including those that have preceded a juridical process to solving similar electoral misunderstandings with causing mayhem to emulate its example. Between now and the final determination to be announced by the Supreme Court, Ghana becomes a unique star that will be focused on high above by all eyes across the whole world.
Before I proceed any further, as a point of interest, I deem it an important ergodic factor for readers to refresh their memory that, Dr JB Danquah, grand nephew of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, who led the UGCC in the Gold Coast struggle for self-government from the British Colonial masters spaning from the late 1930s depended on the provosions of the then Colonial constitution and took the Colonial administration to court on 21 (twenty one) different legal suits, seeking for the rights of the citizens of the Gold Coast colony and won all his suits against the Colonialists before finally the UGCC was launched at Saltpond on 4th August 1947. In all his suits filed before the Court, Mr Obetsebi Lamptey (LLB; Barrister at Law), father of Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi Lamptey was his lead counsel and lawyer who crushed and reduced the British Colonial lawyers representing the administration into rubble before the law as it was applied. Dr JB Danquah and his UGCC thence became a thorn in the flesh of the Colonial administration for knowing too much and pushin too far. Their cases, mainly drawn from constitutional provisions relating to abuse of powers, oppression and suppression of citizens and organisations were supported with hard core evidence and exhibits that were so obvious, so irrefutable and so compelling that though all the judges were of British extraction, however bias and prejudiced they were, totally forewent their inclinations and stuck to the law as it was applied to decide on the basis of merit as was required to be written down in their summing up and ratio decidendi.
Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan, chairman of Ghana's electoral commission and candidate John Dramani Mahamah, flagbearer of the NDC square-up with Nana Akufo Addo, Dr Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey before seven reputed high calibre judges of no mean standing of the Supreme Court in a few weeks in a suit that can be dubbed the clash of the Titans. Has Afari Djan bitten more than he could chew this time round? Do Nana Addo and his team have any case at-all? Are they not playing a ruse on their supporters by pretending appearances as a way to dulcify their defeat before their teeming supporters just to calm them down? Will they not take the Court's verdict in tears and thereafter meet the wrought of NPP supporters? Can John Mahamah be implicated as a complicity? Has Afari Djan deceived Ghana and the international world that has showered on him several performance-related acclamations as a star of electoral commissioners in Africa and beyond? Can he retain and maintain his hitherto fame and glory and walk with head held high or keep his head bowed in shame and disgrace? Will John Dramani Mahamah wry his jaws and plead I dey steal keke before the Judges? Can the respondents/defendants be able to put up any credible defence or will they concede to having commited the offence? Will there be an unanimous, split or quorum per curiam decision in this matter or will the respondent/defendants be exonerated from any wrong doing by the Court? All these questions will soon be answered as the D-day is just in the corner and soon all appetant interested parties will witness everything across the world, so hold your breath.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
Institutional Corruption: Is Afari Djan's Electoral Commission the most Mischievously Corrupt Institution in Ghana?
Lessons are taught and lessons are learned hence it is only fools who don't learn lessons but it appears some people and some institutions refuse to learn lessons no matter how much is taught. Across the developing world, electoral disputes have cost precious lives of several innocent citizens including women, children and even the unborn as well as the old and weak; properties have been damaged and in most cases destroyed; nations, societies and communities have not only been displaced, they have been dispersed and accrimoniously set against one another with very bitter lasting consequences. Are these not enough lessons taught to be seriously learned for others who have not yet fallen prey to such unfortunate situations to guard against them? The cause of most strifes have been attributed to the respective countries' electoral commissions whose role responsibility in conducting free, fair and tranparent elections have been flawed with blatant inaccuracies whereby the commissions accord clandestine unfair huge winning advantage to either a prefered contestant or a contestant who pays his way through at the expense of other equally competitive contestants. In many cases of electoral factional violence, the electoral commission so appointed may not be culpable but in others the institution could be jointly and severally answerable for such cheating cunducts involving fraud and unfair advantage.
It would be said that once bitten twice shy, but this adage seems to apply only to those societies, communities and countries who have gone through such bitter experiences as those who tend to learn lessons out of their past. Others who only observe the fallout attrocities that import sufferance, misery, death to persons and damage and destruction to properties seem to have nothing valuable to learn from such calamities until and unless they have by themselves had same or similar such bitter experiences. But in this context, it would take only a wise person to take measures to avoid untold situations of any nature just by learning about them but a fool would wait until sufferance arrives and enters to do mischief.
All said and done, some people who hold political and ultimately financial power have all tendencies to use all means availably possible to corrupt and drag institutions into conducting themselves mischievously to their favour. It would take only and only principled and strictly law-regulated and law-enforced human institutions to resist the temptations of compromising their trust and responsibilities that would cost lives as innocent as those of women, children and the aged as well as a nation's peace and quiet. Not only does the greed and interest of the unprincipled institution affect the nation and its especially innocents, it affects the international communities in diverse ways too numerous to mention for lack of space, though some would gloat because it would enhance theirindustrial and financial interests.
Post-election blues have gripped Ghana and its entire communities by reason of some suspected and yet to be proved underhand dealings perpetrated by the electoral commission during the just ended 2012 general and Presidential elections. The victors subconsciously see a doubtful victory so they could not spontaneously welcome their victory won; having to wiat until there came a directive from the top hierarchy of their Party goading them on to celebrate. Could such a directive-oriented celebration be a heart-felt genuine pageant festivity of a true reflection of victory or a victory celebration that would be short-lived and merely epidictic? The 'vanquished' are dissatisfied by claiming 'clever' technological underhand dealings to the advantage of the victors that need to be reviewed by the Supreme Court of Ghana. The supposed 'vanquished', on the contrary see a clear victory-denied therefore justify a reason to blend a complexity of gloom and sullen yet feel hopeful; hope that would tilt the scale and turn tears not only into joy but joy that would come with a huge spontaneity of response to victory. It would only remind me and discerning readers of the truth-emerged Seoul Summer Olympics 100 meters championship hot contest between Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis in 1988, an aftermath eventual dope test of which went to perpetually disgrace an all time celebrated 'champion' Ben Johnson. Is the NPP juridical challenge an expected kind of 'Deus ex machina' that the 'vanquished' expect to be the eventual result of the of the electoral commission-declared results? Let us wait and see.
The electoral commission is a major if not a main claviger of Ghana's fledging democracy. The institution has won several international communities' acclamation and glory which they have apparently deserved but as to whether they rightly and genuinely deserve the performance glory lavished on them by the international communities remains to be tested affirmed and confirmed by the impending Supreme Court case yet to be filed by the 'vanquished' NPP. If the Supreme Court, in fairness, rules for the appellant that the electoral commision accorded unfair clandestine advantage through technology fraud, and thereby applies an order of mandamus to compel a review of the electoral results so announced, the commission stands to lose both its national and international credibility.
So, what did the Kwadwo Afari Djan-led seven member electoral commission intend to achieve? One suggested answer is that they took Ghanaians for granted as they have always done in most elections since they began presiding over elections, that the gyae ma no nka spirit in Ghanaians would prevail to cover their misdeed. Did they reasonably foresse a possibility of mayhem following thereafter in case the Ghanaians' forgive, forget and let it pass spirit had died and been buried at the so called 'Asomdwe' park to share company with JEA Mills? I think they reasonably foresaw dissatisfaction and discontent but not an ensuing Supreme Court matter that would expose every misdeed about the EC. If the EC are unable to successfully defend their about to be exposed misconduct, it would be tantamount to committing high treason plus various other criminal offences relating to the Theft Act.
In order to conceal ther misdeeds, information reaching me indicates that the Commission has ordered among other things resetting of the verification devices used in the elections to zero, a kind of obliteration; printing and filling-in new electoral blue/red/pink or whatever colour sheet for the NDC with figures that correspond to the figures announced by the EC that declared John Mahama winner of the Presidential elections, another kind of forgery. If this is the fact, then the EC must better think twice because by so doing, I can advise that they are compounding further offences. The international communities must not tarry until Ghana is set ablaze before they intervene because the John Dramani Mahama-led NDC do not intend peace; a situation which their activities such as parading security forces' armoury across the country manifestly expose. A word to the wise is enough.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
Justice as a Tool to Strengthned State Institutions
As the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections enter into despicable dispute between the opposing Parties with the New Patriotic Party as the major victim pursuing a legal battle against Ghana's Electoral Commission, breaths are held as to the outcome of this electoral dispute to be determined by the Suporeme Court of Ghana. The Ghana's Supreme Court stands the test of all time, an acid test to evince its uprightness, its justiciary and uncompromisable image; an image conceived and perceived to be the most reliable whose determination of good from bad, right from wrong can be flawless and unquestionable.
Why after-all do we need justice? When the opposing Parties and especially the NPP raised the 'red flag', protesting against an electoral fraud in the figures reaching the 'Strong Room' irrespective of which Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan of the EC went ahead and declared the winners and losers of the elections, many are those who were and continue to be of the opinion that with or without fraud, let sleeping dogs lie for the sake of peace and tranquility in Ghana. There is an old stupid tenet in our traditional moral ethics to which I personally do not subscribe any way, that aggrieved minors dare not lay any competing claims against their superiors irrespective of the fact that such a tenet is not only unfair, it is immoral, it is unethical, it is wrong and it is un-Godly. Indeed, there can be tranquility in Ghana with a dangerous simmering dissatisfaction. The same applies to peace when in fact a perceiced justice is denied in what appears to be a daylight robbery of one against the other with impunity. Such a phenomenon must not be seen ordinarily to be affecting only the domain of individuals and groups of people, it goes a long way to further weaken our beleagured established national institutions and would do so in continuum.
We therefore need justice because it is fair for all. Justice for all is necessary for social cohesion and a strengthened national integration. Without justice there can be no peace. Not only do we need justice for the above three attributes, we need justice because it is moral, ethical and priceless as well as rewarding. A just person is necessarily truthful and impartial. Many of us see the symbol of Themis, aldo known as Lady Justice at either entrances to courts of law or at the summit of towers of law court buildings as we in the UK find it here on the Old Bailey tower without incidentally understanding what the image depicts. Lady Justice either in sitting or standing posture holds a sword depicting the law's coercive power in one hand and a human scale weighing competing claims in another. Lady Justice always appears blindfolded symbolising unbiased and blind to personalities, groups, factions, race or colour. She is therefore a symbol of impartiality. Such is the power of impartiality and uprightness vested in all judicial systems across the world. This is not to say that all justice systems are perfect however it is the greatest expectation of all to hear and see justice as a human institution done when it should and most especially at this watershed moment in Ghana when the whole world stands alert with ears pricked, eyes widely open, breaths held and pens poised to assess the nature and level of equanimity and equiparity of the judges of our highest court in Ghana's democratic dispensation.
In British society, people lament when somebody commits an offence and takes his/her life with the statement that he/she has escaped justice. When I was least informed, I did question why people would be grumbling at such incidences because the culprit is no more living, having visited himself/herself with the utmost punishment. I later came to realise that British ordinary person's understanding of justice does not make any room at-all for self-inflicted punishment at one's whims but must be determined by a law court of competent jurisdiction however small or disproportionate the remedy expected is to the magnitude of the offence commited. Having said this, in Ghana, we see justice with different lenses as compared to how others see the same in other advanced societies. The understanding of justice and its application in all spheres of life makes life much easier and worth living unlike the Trachymachus version of justice in 'Plato's Republic' that imports nothing but misery amd discontent to the poor and weak in society at the expense of the rich and powerful. Ghanaian institutions are bedecked with all forms of venal practices simply because of the missing element of justice which is even more expensive and unaffordable where it is even amenable for all. My personal opinion is that, if our Supreme Court can set the pace for justice to be seen and heard to be done in a high profile constitutional matter of this nature as confronts the justices, thare can be serious impact from the fallout of the judicial ethos so created. Should the Supreme Court on the other hand flaw its justiciary mandate, it would mean an endorsement of injustice with impunity.
Discerning from the performance of the Supreme Court over the last decade, I am personally confident that Ghana's supreme Court justices are highly rated amongst the world's best who depend on high levels of jurisprudence in their deliberations and determinations where their ratio decidendi that emerge thereof become plausibly unquestionable for bene fide acceptance by contesting parties to the disputes at stake. It is therefore up to Ghanaians to clear all doubts from their minds and wait and see what judicial ethos the justices would clad themselves in. An impartial and upright Supreme Court with a powerful and impartial national leader promoting justice and rule of law can go a long way in removing every negative image associated with our national institutions for freer, fairer and more robuste institutions that would function independently with diligence such that they would desist from looking over their shoulders in the performance of their duties as required.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; (London, UK)
Should Ghanaians Endorse Politics as a Mine Field?
Can we Ghanaians Trust our Lives on Cuba-trained Doctors?
Ghana and Cuba have a mutual arrangement to train Ghanaians who have a clout to study medicine and qualify to be doctors under a Cuba government scholarship scheme. This very kind gesture of the Cuban authorities is not demanding any form of reciprocity, neither by way of exchange of same nor by payment in kind; thanks to the leadership arrangements of ex-President Rawlings. For many years now, some selected Ghanaians continue to flock into Havana – Cuba to be trained in the medical sciences and other allied fields for the benefit of Ghanaians. The objective of this offer of training by Cuba is to save lives and an ability to postpone death where necessary by capable trained hands, competent enough to fulfil this unique objective as enshrined in the Hippocritic oath ingeminated in the Helsinki and Nuremberg declarations. To achieve this objective, capable students with the relevant clout and capacity-building must be the sole criteria for selection, yet what we see in Ghana is a nepotic selection of favourates based on Party political colours and flavour; a selection of incapable Party faithful with no smattering of knowledge in anatomical and biological sciences but can only qualify for selection by reason of Party-belonging where the said Party is the ruling authority, hence even housemaids with the poorest of poor SHS grades are pushed on to pursue a course of training to become doctors in Cuban institutions where they are enroled as a matter of protocol curtesy without checking their academic and vocational suitability. 
The image inserted in this script is my uncle who walked into Sefwi Wiawso hospital on an arranged appointment to undergo a surgical operation to remove a hernia. To his woe, he walked into this hospital with intent to undergo a healing process on a surgical table but ended up on a butcher's table only to be carried home in a coffin. Nana Kwaku Besseah, Agyaaku as he was affectionately called, walked into the hospital on Monday 4th November 2006 with his full life in vigour and agility, was butchered and pronounces dead the following day as a result of some botched up surgical operation performed by a Cuba-trained 'Doctor', a butcher indeed, leaving behind a widow and six hapless children. This hospital, staffed with surgeons trained-in-Cuba of a high magnitude of incompetence did not accept vicarious responsibility on grounds of bioethical incompetence and impropriety in the conduct of the operation by the said 'doctor'/butcher. There have been similar such cases across Ghana where victims have suffered untold jeopardy at the hands of medically incompetent doctors who are later identified to have been trained in Cuba.
A young woman in Berekum claimed on Hot FM radio to have suffered loss of her entire womb a few weeks ago through a supposed medical treatment at an approved hospital. This woman who will remain childless for the rest of her life complained to the authorities for compensation yet what she received was insults and vilification by the hospital authorities. Ghana needs stricter laws governing the medical profession whereby incompetence can be punished either jointly or severally as it pertains in other countries as a way to foster competence. R v Adomako (1994) All ER vol 74 is a cited case involving medical negligence in English Law against incompetence.
I do not blame the incompetence on the training so received in Cuba per se, I blame it on the selection; a selection which does not take into consideration any innate clout, a desired connation, zeal and passion, the qualifying criteria of the candidate to become what the intended selection so made aims at achieving. Medicine, like legal or architectural studies is full of challenges whereby practitioners aim to achieve beyond the ordinary with zeal and passion. Much as a legal practitioner strives to make legal history through professional expertise, architects designing structures beyond the ordinary, so are doctors and physicians. Signs of extreme attristed sorrow is visibly expressed on the faces of competent Doctors and nurses when they are unable to save a life even in dire and hopeless situations.
Fabrice Muamba, a Bolton mid-fielder collapsed on the playing field at White Hart Lane, an incident in which Muamba was said to have stopped breathing, (virtually dead) for 72 minutes yet through the very challenging efforts of paramedics, furthered by the well trained and dedicated Doctors of the cardiology department of Chase Farm hospital, the 'dead' Muamba was revived. Such is the joy and pride of studying medicine and indeed any profession; to prove and exhibit an acute knowledge and practice of what the brain has been cultivated for through training but not to practice a profession perfunctorily for the sake of doing a job.
In view of the cost involved in training our doctors both at home and abroad, the NDC administration under John Mahama has made Ghanaians to believe though erroneously that, the cost of training a doctor in Cuba is US$5,000 however the fact remains that the training is under a full scholarship scheme by Cuban government yet Ghana spends US$50,000 on every medical student trained in Cuba. In the government's untenable explanation regarding the extra massive cost, if the parents of the students were to be responsible for paying for their training, they wouldn't indulge in such inordinate profligacy. In view of this, wouldn't it be more prudent to invest more in expanding our own training facilities in our teaching hospitals to produce more home-made physicians under a better competitive selection process to achieve the best? My question enquires into if it is just the prestige of having been trained outside one's country. If Ghana can spend so much on 'incompetent' training, it would be better to have those so selected trained in better university hospitals worldwide. If it is not the fault of the trainer institutions, then the blame must be on the selection process that decides how prospective trainees are so selected. There are several Ghanaians who were cobbled up out of political convenience to study agriculture in the former Soviet Union where the so-called graduated and returned to Ghana improperly qualified with insufficient knowledge in agriculture to enhance agriculture input but rather became propaganda personnel of the defunct CPP of the 1960s.
There are indeed some Ghana-trained doctors, a few of whom I know as former school mates who practice as physicians in British health institutions with satisfactory performance after going through a brief orientation training. On the contrary, there are Doctors from other former Soviet communist block who are required to redo the full length of their training so received before being accepted into British medical institutions. I therefore see no point in not expanding our existing medical institutions which are as equally competitive as those even in the advanced countries. We in Ghana do not have trained career advisers who are capable of delving into our post-secondary education incident to choosing a course for professional training. How on earth could hairdressers and housemaids be selected for training as Doctors in Cuba? No British university hospital would accept such candidates for medical training because if their GCSE results were satisfactory enough, no amount of frustration would push them to opt for hairdressing and serving as house-maids incident to becoming physicians. This clearly shows that candidates are selected out of political convenience but I must tell readers that training to become a medical practitioner should not a matter of convenience but that sacrifice, high standard mental qualities, devotion and dedication. The medical profession can only be pursued by best brain high calibre people who can cultivate their brains to produce the best for patients as good and not bad Samaritans to staff our hospitals The medical profession is so challenging that it doesn't make room for vainglorious certification to brag of; it rather places extreme importance on high hopes of expert performance that brings joy and contentment to be proud of.
It is expected that an in-coming His Excellency Akufo Addo administration from January 2013 will ensure competence in handling our patients to safe precious lives through giving training only to the right and committed candidates irrespective of Party belonging to pursue medical studies both at home and abroad because Ghana first. It is poised to be a government that is people-centred and will not gamble with peoples' lives by reason of political expediency, a selection based on job for the boys and girls as we witness in a total of over 23 years of P/NDC administration where butchers rather than Doctors are trained to staff our hospitals.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; London UK
The Idea, Construction and Creating of a Necropolitan Community of Asomdwe Park: A Real Dilemma
All creatures that live must die is a truism in the laws of nature. Humans as homo sapiens bury our dead in cemeteries so digging graves ahead of anticipated deaths in metropolitan and urban communities where simultaneous death and burial are daily occurrences is not uncommon, it therefore behoves that fossors are employed fulltime to ensure our right to burial after death on time. But digging graves in village communities where death and burial is few and far between is a stupid abomination the curse of which must be borne by whoever plans and executes it. It is like counting one's chicken before they are hatched; it is like staking all of one's property on gambling with a 1 in 100 probability chance yet thoughtlessly expecting to win.
It is not uncommon to find special exclusive burial places for the most powerful, very important personalities, celebrities, the rich and famous etc in certain countries as there is in the UK at Westminster Abbey however, it must be made clear that the British have not created any one particular necropolitan community of British Prime Ministers. Such a nationalised community only has its history in The Vatican for the Popes based on Catholic faith and their doctrinal tradition and also in Russia at the Red Square in Moscow where it is a purely political command and a gauche. Of the 38 American Presidents who have passed away from George Washington to Ronald Reagan, only Kennedy and Taft were buried in one and the same cemetery at Arlington but at different locations within the necropolis however not by any Presidential fiat but by accident of where they were born. American Presidents have always demanded that they be buried in their respective home towns however there is a nationally and federally created, preserved and maintained Presidential library for each President who passes away. Kings and Queens of various monarchies across the world have, for sundry reasons been buried at different locations depending on their royal lineage and this, I opine is a most sensible decision for any sensible human-centred culture and tradition.
In our cultural and traditional settings in Ghana as in most cultures across the world, our moral, ethical and spiritual beliefs accord our dead some sacred image which behoves that we do honour to them by according them decent burial for eternal remembrance, visiting them and paying homage according as the believes of their family members demand which for this reason, many traditional royal houses create charnel houses or family burial grounds for their members.
The idea of and creation of an Asomdwe Park community of 'expired' leaders of our country may not be seen as wrong a proposition after-all for simple revolutionary-minded minds but a gauche in the principles of our varied cultural and traditional context. Ghanaians and indeed people of African descent have myriad cultural practices which cannot be uniform as it may be in other non-African countries
Corrupt Politicians Mustn't Just be 'Thumbed-out' with Their Ill-gotten Booty kept intact
To serve as a deterrent from corruption and amassing of ill-gotten wealth through abuse of office, public office holders who fall foul to corruption and abuse of office must not only voted out as in the case of politicians and sacked, transferred or demoted as in the case of other public holders but must be made to forfeit every morsel of illegal gains made therefrom. Corrupt and dirty-handed politicians have the penchant of using their influence and political power and organised threats by hollow-minded supporters of no substance to avert interrogation let alone prosecution, forfeiture and possible imprisonment. What corrupt politicians cannot do is controlling the power of the thumb of voters on polling day to decide the fate of such politicians yet being voted out of office alone should not be satisfactory enough because the unscrupulous person would already have got what has been vied for: the ill-gotten wealth and property acquired undeservedly.
Writing in her book, Mill on the Floss, George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) portrays a rather negative public perception of politicians and people who spend their entire time in public affairs in C19th England as people who have no business of their own. How far this ancient perception of political office holders held and continues to hold sway in modern times needs serious consideration. In governance, dedicated politicians become indispensable yet Robert Fullinwider has this to say: 'we need politicians just as we need garbage collectors as in both cases we should expect them to stink'. I personally disagree with Fullinwider on several scores as will be expressed in the course of this script. My concern is that our politicians of today don't just stink but have gone fetid beyond any level of acceptable tolerance.
When we look back to the fathers of the world's democracy which started in England where the Whig Party stood up against the Monarchy, both the Whig and Tory Parties were founded on rich politicians, people of substance with substantial wealth who would not covet and venture into State assets. In US political history, from the days of George Washington when there was no political party to Barack Obama in 2012, holding political office has always been a no-go area for 'dirty' nonentities who would covet and 'rape' State treasures but a preserve of men and women of integrity. Deducing from the above, George Eliot's image of public perception of British politicians in the C19th could be said to have been heavily biased, spiteful and made out of paranoia; a perception that would suit only some but not all Ghanaian politicians. In fact, there have been and there are today political practitioners in Ghana who are in politics not for personal gains but to serve with their expertise and foresight to improve the lot of the indigent needy. Politics, like teaching, nursing and medicine is a noble and sacrificial work. Sacrificing to lead people and conduct public affairs has lifelong reward if done diligently and conscientiously. With sense of selfless dedication, the huge licit reward and recognition in politics goes beyond one's life into future generations but if done recklessly with selfish intent, generations of politicians including their siblings scatter and suffer the obloquy so created everlastingly. There is an endless list of examples over the decades including Hitler, Mussolini, Gadhafi, etc who though may have some crazy admirers, do so in their own heart without public expression.
Politics in developing countries has become a precious minerals mine field for its practitioners. Many a self-styled Ghanaian politician of today have emerged from very poor financial background where they have been possessed with poverty irrespective of intellectual attainment for lack of managing their own affairs, dishonest even to themselves and their family and friends, have become greedy aggressive predating thieves to become multi-Dollar millionaires within a very short spell of time to the jaw-dropping amazement of observers. We do need politicians just as we need garbage collectors but whereas the politician must volunteer to do service to his people, whereas the politician asks for the mandate of his people through promising to lead and serve diligently, whereas the politician is lavished with generous rosy subventions both whiles in office and after with fat salary and various allowances, a politician is expected to wash clean and not be expected to stink let alone smell fetid.
The white colour crime of corruption has set Ghana and most developing countries aback. Many northern Ghanaian communities fetch water from worm-infested ponds and pools shared with cattle and pigs whiles our cities and towns remain bereft of potable water to the amazement that the Ministries in Accra where national administrative decisions are taken and controlled from do not have water running through their pipe lines. Quality and level of education, especially girl-child education has dropped to its lowest level though they claim to have completed a cycle of formal educational training and over 50% of Ghanaians cannot read and write. Our cities are malaria hotspots due to poor sanitation whiles Ghanaian hospitals are poorly equipped with doctor/patient ratio at 1:10,380. Our future generations are withering away as a result of unstoppable alarming rate of child and maternal mortality. Youth unemployment has been on the increase with acute loss of national ethos and social ethics, importing a high personal and property insecurity alert with rising armed robbery in a country where police/civilian ratio is 1:1,040. Roads and streets in our cities and urban towns have remained dark, dusty and unsafe for decades culminating in all sorts of pollution and dust related maladies. State-owned road public transport system has collapsed whiles rail tracks have disappeared, virtually buried under road works. The welfare of Ghanaians is never the priority of our political leaders, most especially under the current NDC administration in which corruption, to the knowledge of all genuine Ghanaians has graduated into unprecedented high-powered robbery of State assets by a sworn-in caretaker President who has pledged to protect Ghanaians and all State assets under his care. A 'spare tyre President' who has not only wilfully caused a series of financial loss to Ghana but amassed so much wealth for himself through negotiating dubious deals so does not worth endorsement; an endorsement that will surely secure and empower him not only to rob but mercilessly plunder and pillage Ghana into irreversible indigence and immiseration. He knows he has soiled both his position as former vice President and presently 'spare tyre' President. As vice President, his boss, the late president Mills came to realise and uncover his dubious and mischievous conduct as a crook who should be investigated by setting-up a commission to investigate him, a commission whose duty never saw the light of day by reason of the machinations of the accused vicious vice President.
John Dramani Mahama's scandalous deals he has perpetrated motivated a clandestine plan to get rid of the late President Mills; deals and a sacrilegious murder/killing which he was privy to are the haunting reasons for his fears and desperation to remain in power. To this end, desperate 'spare tyre' President Mahama is disingenuously telling Ghanaians his Party is mandated to govern for eight years from January 2009 to January 2017 which is false but he says so because he reckons most Ghanaians are ignorant; appealing to ethnic and tribal sentiments for votes; distributing lap-tops to 'thousands of students' including students of the famous 'Sunyani College of Education', a 'college of education which has produced more teachers than even Akropong since it was established and unveiled a week ago' and similar such colleges of education and institutions across Ghana; distributing cars to Paramount chiefs and traditional leaders, some of whom cannot even afford the fuel to travel on them. This lecherous 'spare tyre' President has a penchant of identifying female and only female university students to be given cars free of charge for his campaign. All these economic crimes can be committed because there is a magic image to look up to which provides for some impunity, a protective 'waterproof' constitutional indemnity clause, so John Jinapor would 'Squealer' the President's way through. Naked lies about Ghana Ivorian relations have been told by this President yet when taken to task provokes the anger of his mischief-inclined aides and followers. Kudos to Okatakyie Nana Addo, the fearless and prudent patriot from a patriotic party, the man who judiciously and perspicaciously calls a spade a spade who challenged John Mahama to come out clean on matters of our international relations not only with the Ivory Coast but the world at large. This and many more adequately suggests how desperate John Dramani Mahama is for endorsement as President which if he gets would conceal heinous crimes he has committed against 'mother Ghana' and Ghanaians.
John Dramani Mahama and his NDC will surely be booted out on 7th December. Should he and his mischief-centred Party go with their booty kept intact by reason of a so-called indemnity clause? Ghanaians must wake up to the harm this clause in Ghana's constitution causes and can cause in future. Unbridled thievery, 'rape' of State assets and dirty-handed dealings are major 'attractive' features in our constitution that need to be expunged immediately from this very important national document of ours; an attraction that invariably attracts mischief-inclined contestants porrecting themselves to be political leaders and public officials. Our officials must have enough self-conscious drive to resign when they go wrong inappropriately and it should be done without tarrying. That evokes conscientious selflessness; that is nationalism; that is patriotism; that is moral and ethical and that should be the way forward.
Our Ghana constitution takes after the American document yet American political leaders are open to fraud and corruption investigations when such are committed or suspected to have been committed with such follow-up punishment as may be appropriate. No one should under any circumstance be above the law in Ghana yet we appear to be over-obsequious to our corrupt and heartless political leaders even when we know them to be corrupt and insincere as it is happening with worse case scenarios in the current 'spare tyre' administration. Enough is enough so every conscientious genuine patriotic Ghanaian should sit-up and see thievery of State assets and corruption in Ghana as a serious canker that should be visited with very severe forms of deterring punishment including such measures as total confiscation and stripping of honours, titles and entitlements. Our constitution should reflect our needs and circumstances by not doggishly following and copying styles and provisions from elsewhere that can be inimical to our progress and development. Politics and public office holding should no longer be made into a mine field for crooks and disingenuous personae for now and the future. Will John Dramani Mahama's political office holding credentials rank him among the noble ever-rewarding trusted numbers? Will his generations and his siblings inherit his trust or mistrust created in the eyes of Ghanaians after he has been booted out on 7th December 2012 in view of his misdeeds? Only time will tell.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; London, UK
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2012 Election is a Referendum on Free SHS, NDC Unbridled Corruption, Lies and Propaganda, Arrogance & Impudence
As in the erstwhile SMC 1 Achampong-led referendum on Union Government (UNIGov) of 1976 in which the government sought the determination of Ghanaians between a so-called military cum police and civilian government and multi-party democracy, this December 2012 general and Presidential elections will seek the determination of Ghanaians to either elect Nana Addo as President of Ghana for Free universal basic education up to SHS, free health care for under 18s, pregnant women and the aged, rid Ghana of unbridled 'Wayomimania' corruption, kick out NDC governance of lies and propaganda, kick out NDC arrogance and impudence and disrespect for others or endorse John Dramani Mahama and his NDC only to continue lingering in discriminatory privileged free education only for communities of the three Northern Regions of Ghana irrespective to their socio-economic status. In the UNIGov referendum, the government lost mercilessly in spite of heavy pre-election thuggery, intimidation and rigging on polling day by government machinery because the choice was so obvious. Since Ghana's independence except NPP administration under JA Kufuor, all regimes have apparently been oblivious to the fact that abject poverty pervades all Ghanaian communities.
From 1965, by Presidential fiat, cocoa farmers had to sacrifice 2/3 of their output earnings for government use to sponsor education and other development projects. This commandeering of farmers income impoverished many a cocoa farmer where they had to pay for the education of their own wards whiles paying for others as well. Today, as a matter of human negligence which has attracted nature's response, a savannah vortex has swept and continues to sweep across almost all the cocoa-growing forest areas of Ghana, decimating the number of cocoa-growing families and communities, a phenomenon which is a threat to our cocoa industry and the entire environment. These are unique unsung environmental, climatic and socio-economic realities on the ground that only the sympathetic and all-embracing human-centred heart of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo finds gravely alarming and lamentable for all indigent families across the country, hence worth taking into serious consideration for positive amendment aimed at benefiting all Ghanaian children. Beneficent nature is so merciful that when it takes away with the left hand, it provides by compensating enormously with the right hand, hence by divine providence we have oil which has boosted our cocoa-based national income two fold. Not only is Nana Addo looking forward to making education for all free to SHS level, with oil boosting the national income, a people first-thinking President-to-be in waiting has a similar dream to make health care free for all Ghanaian children, the aged and pregnant women.
On the flip side of the political coin is the care-taker President, John Dramani Mahama, who by virtue of being a Northerner, benefitted from free education through to university first degree and beyond, in league with his NDC group argues among other negative references that free education for all Ghanaian children to SHS level is an abomination, it is impossible, it is not economically viable, it will create floodgates of future Ghanaian intellectuals, it is un-judicious, it is reckless, it is hasty and un-implementable and indeed many more such negative, nihilist, selfish and obscurantist dissuasive references.
As to why it is an abomination for all Ghanaian children to benefit from free universal basic education to SHS level but not an abomination for children in the communities of the three northern regions is unexplained. Unfeeling John Dramani Mahama, in the simplicity of his mind and oblivious to the plight of about 75% of Ghanaians who are not employed by the public sector, sees poverty as endemic only in the northern communities whereas in fact, his parents were affluent enough to foot his educational bills unscathed. John Mahama and his can't do-spirited cohorts are desperately convincing Ghanaians that free universal basic education to SHS is impossible yet it is possible in other parts of the world including neighbouring Nigeria. I and many others have benefited from free education even up to university here in the UK, so why can't we do it in Ghana even minimally to SHS? Is it not time for cocoa farmers, other crop farming families, the public and private sector workers to enjoy some levity on their fee-paying burdens? Can do-spirited Nana Addo and we the NPP are convincing Ghanaians that if it is possible elsewhere, then it can and will be more than possible in Ghana under the right and able economic management team which is only available in the NPP intellectual group who think beyond the periphery of the box. It is possible because the NPP would not indulge in the 'Wayomising' profligacies of JDM; because NPP is a serious Party not an 'edey bee keke' outlaw'd cowboys group, rather NPP is a conscientious conscious people-centred Party of un-paralleled record on social interventions; the party that lives up to its promises; the Party with no room for propaganda so no position for propaganda secretary's office in any of our offices across Ghana.
After John Mahama has failed in convincing Ghanaians that free SHS is not economically viable because Nana Addo has indicated to Ghanaians where the funding would be sourced from, desperate Dramani Mahama has shifted his argument to quality, unable to think and realise that quality is a property that must be established, implemented and enforced but not conjured. In 23 years of P/NDC rule, quality education was never achieved because they have no clue as to how to do it. They would rather call for CDRs to teach in schools and colleges when reputed educators threaten to go on strike for making reasonable demands which the government does not heed to. In their laeotropic communist thinking, Kwesi Botchwey and Tsatsu Tsikata promised utopia by sheer conjecture and proclamation but rained on us dystopia for 23 years. In their paranoia, they don't know how to go about governance except cheating, lying, bullying, propagandising and corruption so they see all things possible as impossible, typical among them is the NHIS which they campaigned against. Nana has shown the way for free quality basic education for all to SHS so he says and stresses on Teacher first, yet stunned, hollow, bewildered and confused John Dramani Mahama struggles and argues un-intellectually and unreasonably to the contrary by 'chooboing' as if chooboi is all what it takes to govern and to lead a nation to success.
Unable to win either way, thick-skinned Dramani Mahama callously and recklessly argues that free SHS would open a floodgate of intellectuals in Ghana. What a tactless argument! Dramani Mahama forgets that knowledge is power, that education is the key to progress and development, that education for all is a basic human right. John Mahama wants Ghana to be in a state of socio-economic and development stasis, he is literally denying Ghanaian children and our future generations their basic human rights whiles he has enjoyed it and continues to enjoy it. What a wicked and callous caretaker President we have, yet shamelessly vying to be elected President on 7th December 2012. May God forbid!
John Mahama has come to his wits end. Having nothing intelligible to tell Ghanaians, he brands free quality basic education for all as un-judicious, reckless and hasty. Enkosi daben before Ghanaian children and their parents would enjoy a system that they are entitled to as their basic human right? Should it be in 20 years after Ghana's coffers would have been completely Wayomised? Should it be after members of parliament have become mega-rich through untold salary increases and huge arrears payments? How does John Mahama see the link between education and development? Of course, it should be now or never. These are issues for you the voter to consider carefully as a guide to making an informed sensible pro-Ghana choice in voting on 7th December.
Further to the above, there are other more serious considerations why John Dramani Mahama and his NDC must be rejected in these elections. John Mahama has used the veil of Presidency to cheat and steal from our national coffers. John Mahama has inflated the heavily-subsidised cost of training Ghanaian doctors under a Cuban scholarship scheme, the excess already pocketed. He is dishonest, untrustworthy, and lacks integrity. If it were here in the UK or elsewhere where the business of politics vis-à-vis the governed are serious-minded, un-indulgent and critical, he would have been made to resign, tried and jailed therefore not fit to run for Presidency.
STX Korea is another deal which has stained his reputation as an uncanny, unforgivable, corrupt, insincere and un-trustworthy person who should not even attempt to vie for any public office in Ghana let alone the high seat of the Presidency. The Korea deal, Woyomi, the Cuba scholarship hype and the Air Force Fighter jets deals are living testimonies known to all Ghanaians whether discerning or not as the case may be, for indeed there are some anti-Ghanaians clad in the identity of Ghanaian.
Lies and propaganda are hodiernal occurrences within NDC settings. Hedge schools that have NDC terminology as schools under trees, 1700 of which they claim to have been given brick and mortar image are mostly sham assertions; many of them have received their rebuttals because they were built decades ago, others were just painted whiles most of the rest are non-existent. In the words of caretaker vice President Amissah Arthur, the single digit inflation claimed by his own government cannot be relied on. He further tells Ghanaians that NDC has not built any houses either affordable or whatever except those built in the PNDC era yet ET Mensah claims NDC has built more homes in three and half years than the NPP did in 8 years under President Kufuor. There are more lies and propaganda unleashed by NDC in their misinformation machinery than I can enumerate in this script.
On arrogance and impudence, image-worshiping NDC have a penchant for idolising their leading personalities by arrogating apophatic attributes that are contrary to their true natural dispositions. Prof Mills was affectionately called a so-called 'Asomdwehene' yet an Asomdwehene fanned and flared the feuding flames in the Ivory Coast post-election crises in which he took the stance of 'Dzi wo fi asem' whiles gravely interfering in it as an interested third party. Mills the 'Asomdwehene' retorted to a polite question by a journalist by asking 'Do I look like a cat killer?'
John Dramani Mahama in whom the NDC see humility has eristic guts to insult opposition members of parliament as baloney. He insults cocoa farmers and their children whose toil and sweat have made him who he is. A self-professed Dr Tony Aidoo has a doctorate degree from the World University of Impudence, Arrogance and Insults. He pours a plethora of insults on everybody including men of God. Pesky mosquito-buzzing Asiedu Nketia has been brought-up in a culture in which making even a single phrase out of thoughtfulness and prudence is an abomination. Every statement that Asiedu Nketia makes contains no sense, a statement that even a brain-damaged child would not make. The NDC Minister of health, both past and present has had a swipe at nurses and doctors respectively. Kobi Achampong refers to Ashantis as kokooase nkurasefour, Elvis Afriyie Ankra does not even have sympathy for the dead and injured when he makes untoward remarks in regard to a major national disaster that happened to Melcom staff and shoppers. The list has no end yet these are people who arrogate humility to themselves.
On Friday 7th December 2012, the favoured choice to make in this 'referendum' is quite simple. This is no matter to be taken for a political dilemma because the choice before you as a voter has no competing values to reflect on. It is such a straight forward a decision between good and evil as can be decided from above without any mental tussle. John Mahama and his NDC's inability to find a solution to our socio-economic, education, development and political issues confronting us does not mean no-body else can do it. It is like being unable to solve a complex mathematical problem and resigning yourself to convincing others that the problem cannot be solved or that mathematics itself is fatally flawed. NPP have done it before and we assure voters that we can do it with the least hassle. The choice for you to make is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo for President at No 3 on the ballot paper. Remember to do the right thing by not voting for evil but for progress and prosperity.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa; London UK
NDC Vibrancy was Destined to Live for Two Decades
Whiles the life of the NDC may linger on for a few more years as an ailing political party, the life of its vibrancy was terminated on its twentieth birthday. The Party lost its animus soon after it won the 2008 elections by the skin of a tooth, leaving it bragging about in its somatic presence in Ghana as a political party.
Nana Addo's Free Education Policy: What The World Says
Education for all has become one of the key pillars of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as a major catalyst to development. The Education For All (EFA) Global Monitoring published its report in 2002 with a view to monitoring progress towards six Education For All goals enshrined in the historic Dakar Framework for Action. Compiled here are excerpts of some of the key points which dovetail squarely with Nana Addo's Free Senior High School Policy if elected President of Ghana coupled with his envisaged redefining of Basic Education attended by some brief commentary. In their 2011 report, it was discovered that some sub-Saharan African countries are either adamant or lag behind in the Education For All Dakar Framework for Action. The EFA sought to pursue the following goals:
Expand early childhood care and education
Provide free and compulsory basic education to all
Promote learning and life skills for young people and adults
Increase adult literacy by 50 per cent
Achieve gender parity by 2005 and gender equality by 2015
Improve the quality of education to Education For All by 2015
The Dakar Framework for Action in line with Nana Addo's concept focuses on equality for all as the overarching policy goal of any government and as a key to measuring the success of initiatives by the international community. Governments across Africa and most developing countries are failing to tackle inequality, as in Nana's view which is rightly so, the government of Ghana under John Dramani Mahama and his deceased predecessor have not been up to the task in their current approaches to governance. Developing countries are not spending enough on basic education so donor countries have not lived up to their commitments for fear of diversion of aid funds. Stagnating aid to education is a serious concern for educational prospects in a large number of low-income countries especially Ghana. The report stresses that increased financing without provisions built-in to ensure equity will not benefit the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups as in the current NDC selective handling of basic education needs on partisan lines for Ghanaian children.
The World has the following to say with my commentary:
Progress towards Education For All is one of the defining development challenges of the 21st century. The right to education is basic human right and, as such, it should be defended as an end in itself. However, education is also means to wider social, economic and political goals. In the current situation of economic crisis and competition of various interests, it is timely to stress this critical role of education as this Report does. Only educated citizens can achieve economic growth and this requires equalized access to quality education, now more than ever. No country or society today can afford to exclude anyone from education because of poverty, ethnicity, religion or gender yet NDC is inclined to stifling access to education for all Ghanaian children by making it fee-paying to the disadvantage of poor families south of the Volta. The Report argues at length about wider benefits of education in economic terms. For example it cites several studies which have found that one additional year of schooling lifts average annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 0.37% yet NDC has reduced SHS training from 4 to 3 years.
Education is more than skills for economic sustainability. Schools are cultural institutions where children learn the languages, history and culture of their respective societies, acquire social skills and self-confidence, broaden their horizons and address issues as full and active citizens. People who are denied this full broad-based education are less likely to participate actively in their societies and can hardly influence decisions that alter their lives and those of others. That is why education is also fundamental to democracy and government accountability.
Education for All is a Fundamental Human Right and Catalyst for Social Justice and Development; Education for All is social justice; Education for All is economic justice; Education for All is the path to development. Millions of teenagers have never attended primary school and many more have left Ghana's school lacking the skills they need to earn a livelihood because they have inadequate training by ending up at JSS, not enough to enable them participate fully in society; therefore, Nana Addo and we in the NPP believe that every citizen of Ghana be given adequate free education at least up to SHS level from where all other vocational and socio-economic interests and developments would have been well groomed to maturity. According to Alexander Pope, C18th English Poet, 'A little learning is a dangerous thing so drink deep or taste not the intellectual spring because shallow droughts drunken our brains and drinking deep sobers us again'. This is Food for thought. Leaving basic education at JSS is waste of time, and resources because the learner acquires nothing for intellectual and mental development. Unlike Japan where 98% of the population have at least a university degree, in the UK, only 25% of the population are university graduates. It has therefore been imperative for the government to set the minimum educational requirement for a job at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), up to where it is free and compulsory. At GCSE level, ambitious employees and many individuals not in employment have what it takes to progress to higher heights of intellectual attainment.
Many are those of us in the diaspora who have followed the path of opsimaths, learning late in their lives and having pushed themselves up by their own bootstraps and contributing tremendously in Ghana's socio-economic development because there has been a solid intellectual foundation laid earlier at secondary school level. Nobody who completes JSS would ever be offered any job in the UK or any of the countries in the diaspora, not even cleaning toilets but with SHS qualification, immigrants compete for jobs with the indigenous people. In child psychology, not all children develop intellectually at early childhood. This should not mean that children who have late development should be left-out. At least, up to SHS is enough a starter pack to ensure parity and social justice amongst Ghana's children for the future.
Millennium Development Goals cannot be achieved without EFA, but neither will education goals succeed without progress in other development areas! The Dakar Framework for Action was adopted in 2000. In the same year at the United Nations Millennium Summit, world leaders adopted the Millennium Development Goals, which extended from the reduction of extreme poverty and child mortality to improved access to water and sanitation. The MDGs put education goals in this broader context, thus clearly linking achievements in one area with the development in others. Indeed, as this Report illustrates, it is difficult to sustain progress in only one area of development. Halving poverty or cutting child mortality by two-thirds appears not to be a serious proposition, given the slow and unequal progress towards universal primary education (UPE). By the same token, achievement of Universal Basic Education (UBE) will not be feasible without increasing and equalizing access to food, sanitation, medicine and other life-sustaining resources. Children whose lives are blighted by hunger, poverty and disease are clearly not equipped for realising their full potential in school. Public health and child mortality are both linked to education. Universal Basic Education cannot be compulsory if it is not free in the sense that the beneficiary does not pay for it.
Amongst the many world-wide organisations that sponsor UBE are Global Campaign for Education; Right to Education Project; UNICEF; Oxfam International; Safe the Children; Peace Corps; UNESCO; World Bank; Child Aid; World Food Programme; FAO; Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN); Fast Track Initiative; Building Tomorrow and indeed many more.
A John Dramani Mahama-led NDC administration proposes pro-poor approach to solving Education For All needs across Ghana without telling the people what criteria he is going to use to identify those who might qualify. If the pro-poor approach had been used, he wouldn't have been a beneficiary of free education for being a Northerner because his greedy father who was wealthy enough to pay for his education benefitted from the then affirmative action put in place for Northerners of whatever socio-economic status.
Ghanaians should not be confused with the complexities of semantics when we talk about free education as some predator capitalists like Mensah Otabil expound the issue of things and services that are deemed to be free. Though someone somewhere pays for our goods and services that we call free, they are free because the intended beneficiaries do not foot the bills for those goods and services. There are various goods and services that we presumably enjoy free yet they have been paid for by tax payers in donor countries. The same applies to what our own taxes and natural resources cater for us. What sense would it make for the rest of us Ghanaians if for some weird reason some people must benefit from our taxes and resources whiles others do not. Now is the time to grab the bull by the horn. Vote for Nana Addo and the NPP for a people-centred approach to governance.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, LLB; MPhil (London) London UK
These links seem obvious but are too often forgotten in sector-narrow policy debates, and this is why the Report places so much emphasis on the interdependence of the MDGs and EFA.
Edebee kɛkɛ; What After-all Does it Mean?
Ejor bodoo; Eye zu eye za; Edebee keke are amongst the chain of slogans used by the NDC however, whereas slogans and logos are used by nations, organisations and businesses as significant connotations which identify their goals and objectives side by side their operations, conduct, actions and activities NDC slogans have little to talk about as a serious and conscientious political organisation. Going by the importance, motivation and ethos that anthems, slogans and logos as meaningful and motivational as they may be, if well interpreted and explained, the above NDC slogans have little bearing on any degree of serious-mindedness that aims at leading a nation like Ghana in governance to any level of success.
The red cockerel used for the CPP logo as well as its chooboi slogan aimed at announcing a new political dawn, an awareness supposedly proclaimed by the crowing cockerel that crows at dawn of every day break. This was supposed to have been followed by All Hands on Deck chant of chooboi. The United Party tradition of the UGCC symbolised their supposed unique leadership with the indomitable great elephant whose path if followed would be safe and securely sheltered. Eye Pro! Eye Sure! was a slogan of confidence used by the Progress Party. Today, the indomitable 'great' elephant as symbolised in the days of the UGCC has the Eshie Rado rado rado slogan in accompaniment. Eshie is Ga word for an elephant, whiles rado rado means shaking or tremor of creatures and organisms in its path that can be associated with the size, weight and the movement of an elephant. Besides Eshie, there is 'All Die be Die', a motivation to resist bullying and cheating, a phrase coined out of the Party members' bitter electoral experiences at the Atiwa bye election in the Eastern Region of Ghana following the death of Hon Kwasi Ankomah. At least, All Die be Die has a cause and a source therefore a reasonably discernible ratio decidendi behind the coining of the slogan which we stand by. No longer are we going to remain a sitting duck in an NDC bullying gladiatorial electoral arena. At least we the NPP have an explainable reason for 'All Die be Die', what about Edebee keke of the NDC?
I am not a speaker of Pidgin English and I hope never to be one however, for the sake of political interest and in the interest of the welfare of the future of Ghanaians, I have sought interpretation from various sources which give me an idea to interpret Edebee as being/ontologic, a sort of coming into existence, coming into being, having surfaced or having come about. This is a heavily corrupted and jargonised form of patter phrasal expression as it is wont to be used by cheating/coning black-marketeers such that their victim target may not understand and be aware of the low quality of the product. According as I understand from the jargon Edebee keke, the NDC as a political Party has resurfaced on the political scene out of sheer luck/serendipity without any aim or objective; that they are in government just for the sake of being and nothing else. Keke is akan expression of ordinariness, mere, sheer, and any such associated meanings. Therefore, a combination of edebee keke has no specific significance in meaning. No wonder all that they are good for is extremes of corruption and 'thievocracy' because they are aware that this is their end for decades to come.
Going back to NDC slogan jargonising, ejor bodoo is a Ga expression meaning 'it is cool and ready for chop'. As a conscientious Ghanaian, ask yourself what is cool and ready for chop as meant in the slogan? The NDC of yesteryears was made up of ragamuffins who were picked up from the gutters. Most of them had messed-up with their own lives such that their socio-economic life was in self-induced tatters. Many are those who wore heavily worn-out Charley-wote (bathroom slippers) with badly encrusted cracked dusty and dirty heels due barely to the fact that their heels treaded on the bare ground. Others wore Afro Moses as a kind of fashion in vogue but lo, the secret is that it was pennilessness. These are the nondescript cognates who chanted loudest to be heard for governing positions in the (P)NDC era of 19 years. Having been considered by Papa 'J' in his revolutionary years, giving them the opportunity to examine themselves and their background story to stand up for the poor and needy in Ghana, they have become greedy and monstrous extreme oligarchs.
The period 2009- 2012 can be reckoned as years of utter regret for Father of the Party. Not long after winning the 2008 elections by a split of a hair, the illusions of Papa 'J' began to surface whereby he openly referred to the Cabinet so formed by Mills as Greedy Bastards with most likely oblique reference to John Dramani Mahama, then Vice President as the head thief. Three years on, illusions have substantiated into incarnated 'Old Evil Dwarfs' not only in the eyes of Papa 'J' but as something manifested for all Ghanaians to be witnesses thereof. Party Father has rejected Party son whiles Party son, being so pompous, arrogant and mischievous has become prodigal and insubordinate is therefore calling for rejecting Party father so, Party son is fatherless and indeed a bastard in the making. What a dramatic turn of events!
Are these not the same who screamed, yelled, shouted, chanted and echoed probity and accountability? Are these not the people Papa 'J' proudly beat his chest and referred to as men of integrity in his (P)NDC government? Is it not for and on-behalf of these that Papa 'J' used his blood to stamp a manifesto? Probity and accountability have regressed to ejor bodoo, eye zu eye za, eye azaa to edebee keke, yebediibi keke. All is vanished into vanity. This is vanity of the vain, vanity of probity, vanity of accountability, vanity of governing ideas, vanity of sense and direction, vanity of Ghana's destiny under conglomerates of edebee keke.
Edebee keke!, so mosquitoes have increased in size to that of a housefly and still sucking greedily and mercilessly to reach the size of a tsetse fly. Edebee keke so the President can pay hefty judgement debt to undeserving appellants. Edebee keke so South Korean STX deal takes $17 million as freebee. Edebee keke so hangars can cost $1 million each. Edebee keke so the cost price of aeroplanes can be doubled. Edebee keke so Cuba government scholarship for training Ghanaians as doctors is no longer scholarship. Edebee keke so President JDM does not even know what does and does not pertain in their own Party manifesto including what they have written in their documents on areas of Free Education and National Development Planning. Edebee keke so Party members clap and applaud without understanding what has been said. Edebee keke hence they are in government just for being sake. Oh, what a cheek! The good people of Ghana must wake up and vote en masse against these venal NDC edebee keke by voting for Nana Addo to be elected President on 7th December 2012. He is a personification of the great and indomitable elephant whose path is so clear, clean and safe for all and sundry
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, London UK
Every Sane Ghanaian Reckons Nana Addo 'd Excel as President of Ghana, Except 'Old Evil Dwarfs'
It takes great brains to achieve great feats for human progress yet such extraordinary people with extraordinary knowledge and ideas are seldom admired by the subnormal thinker. It is not just normal but a specie of human weakness to vigorously criticise, hate, castigate and even yell for the blood of people with extraordinary knowledge and visionary ideas that obviously appear to exceed our normal thinking capacity. It has taken extraordinary brains like Archimedes to solve mathematical problems that have seemed without solution; Copernicus and the likes of Galileo Galilei to pave the way for modern day epistemics of cosmology, the galaxies and the universe. Both were found guilty during the era of capricious inquisitions by the Roman Catholic Church under Pope Paul V for alleged heresy for which Copernicus was executed whiles Galileo was found guilty of erroneous faith, an apparently lesser offence that placed him under house arrest in a dungeon where he died in January 1642. Following their pace set in cosmology, by the use of improved and more powerful telescopes, cosmoramic astronomers have discovered that even the sun in our Milky Way solar system is not at the centre of the universe instead, it lies only 2/3 way to the centre of the universe. Discoveries are that there are thousands of galaxies in the vast expanse of the universe in which there are even bigger and hotter suns than what we have here. Going by the above analogy, it is enough to conclude that the Roman Catholic persecutors of the 17th century inquisitions behaved in the manner of simplicity of minds, abnormality, hesychastic slaves to faith, tantamount to mental stasis, stagnation of knowledge that imports all the extremities of obscurantism and ignorance; they compromised reason cum rationality for the application of wanton bullying in the manner of 'Old Evil Dwarfs' (OEDs) of Ghana today.
'Old Evil Dwarfs' are heavily possessed with malevolent retrogressive can't do spirit. They don't dream because they can't sleep for fear of losing their grip on what they erroneously believe in. To OEDs, there is no difference between night and day. Their government, best described as mediocracy sees everything however doable as impossible because they are limited to seeing only up to the distance of their nose. Any effort by anybody from outside their 'convent school' with an attempt to do what to them is undoable though doable is classed as one of committing 'heresy' to Ghana's constitution or attempting an abomination; branding such ideas as immoral and unethical, poisonous for the people of Ghana.
'OEDs' walked out of Parliament when the NHIS bill was passed in Parliament yet today, they beat their chest with ostentation and arrogate to themselves a sort of success and improvement to the health system, though it is on its knees; same doubted the discovery of oil in commercial quantities and dubbed it palm kennel oil presented as crude fossil oil yet they are sucking Ghana's oil money like starving mosquitoes by adding oil discovery to their undeserved credit. Same 'OEDs' are today branding free education for all from 2013 Akufo Addo-led NPP government not just a charygma but an abomination. At best, His Excellency Mr Judgement Debt Maniac (JDM) has, in a heavily applauded chooooboi allocution to his 'OED' faithful claimed the idea has been stolen from the constitution. This is a carbon copy of how Napoleon pissed onto Snowball's Windmill plan but later asserted Snowball had stolen the idea from Napoleon. O George Orwell, great was your Muse in writing the 'Animal Farm' satire which best fits Ghana's situation under a regime of 'Old Evil Dwarfs'! I wish every positive-thinking Ghanaian could read Orwell's Animal farm, a political satire that was banned in Ghana during the 1st republic.
So soaked are they in negative pessimistic thinking and malefaction that the self-same 'old evil dwarfs' who have benefited from a similar free education scheme under an erstwhile previous administration are the most vociferous advocates against universal free education system that would benefit all Ghanaians including their generations to come. Listening to their tasteless and directionless argument on radio, it is sheer hypocrisy and psychological selfishness and malevolence to note that, those especially living abroad whose children either enjoy or have enjoyed free education have the guts to speak against a similar system to be introduced in Ghana. Anybody with the least sense of rationality of judgement would conclude that these 'old evil dwarfs' who are objecting to free education are not just criminally possessed, their brains are composed of shea butter that would melt and congeal as and when required. 'Old evil dwarfs' cannot think for themselves, do not even behave intuitively like rats and mice but like zombies or robots controlled by a one-eyed monstrous monster whose monocular capacity is designed to scheme a continuum of everything associated with evil, negativity and destruction.
Like beaver ants that would colonise mainly on fruit trees and thereby inhibit anybody from climbing to reach for their esculent sweet fruits, OEDs would viciously attack any progressive thinking mind outside their 'formicarium' just to derail every enhanced socio-economic progress because they have nothing to lose. The amazing similarity between OEDs and beaver ants is that, when the head of a beaver ant is crushed at a painful bite, what comes out representing its brain is a substance like melting shea butter.
Clad in armour of bigotry, intolerance, suspicion and fear, 'OEDs' have a tendency to poison our political climate, a situation that is honotic to our national integration. My personal knowledge of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo as a selfless individual and shrewd politician impresses upon me to wonder and mull over any apparent reasons why 'OEDs' hate and portray him as an odious personality which I find to be something beyond my comprehension. Here is an all-round man who has not lost the common touch and would relate with all persons. In his candid and Socratic disposition he would speak his truth quietly and clearly and listen to others for their story however, Nana would brook no nonsense. Nana is not corrupt and he's resolute to be incorruptible. He is a rare genre self-made man who is formidable in thoughts and ideas with pragmatic approach to issues; qualities which clearly porrect him as a nonpareil compatriot, legal brain, politician and businessman. In spite of his parage, he has never relaxed to depend on bequeathed family wealth and prestige but has sought to reach for the stars through strong bolts and iron bars. To sum everything up, he is instar omnium as Cicero described Plato. As our elders say, he has washed his hands so clean that he dines with Kings and Queens. If naked truth would be told, if people compare themselves with him, they do not just become dwarfed and vain under his image but also they feel bitter. Nana Addo is therefore very enviable to be proud of as a man of exceptional virtues and qualities; a man worthy to be pointed to with pride which in Islam would be expressed succinctly as Maashallah (God has willed it), also expressed in the metaphysics of morals in Buddhist terms as 'mudita', same as Halleluiah in Judaeo-Christian phrase (taking joy in the good fortune of another). Instead of celebrating in him as above, 'Old Evil Dwarfs', a mishallowed group of people with one accord would in bewilderment lament, wail and stain his hard earned reputation acquired through hard work and sweat. Thieves, scoundrels, hobgoblins as they are, 'OEDs' claim to be socialists who don't even understand the virtues of their cherished ideology therefore they would attack all socialist-oriented big-brained ideas for Ghanaians whiles they shamelessly and blatantly steal from public coffers and glorify philandering thieves as heroes. Nana Addo's foresight, his virtues, what he stands for, his beliefs, his strengths and weaknesses etc are more than adequate enough to find in him a man who would be an excellent President from 7th January 2013. What therefore makes OEDs bitterly hate him?
As their referenced title suggests, 'OEDs' are either brainless or mentally defective Ghanaians turned human hobgoblins who live with thoroughbred Ghanaians, hailing from all communities across the country. They are our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, uncles and aunts, friends and foes with minds that are socio-politically defective and impaired reasoning capacities. 'OEDs' take progress and good fortune for abomination because 'bayie mpe adepa', a usual mind-set of thinkers of evil. They have seen through the crystal seed of time that Nana Addo's endowed great potentials, if allowed to take off would expunge their entire acclaimed achievements therefore they'd do all that they can to abort them before his potentials can develop and grow to maturity for all to see, enjoy and celebrate in. I therefore enjoin all and sundry prudent and sensible Ghanaians that we are in excess of 50+1% of the Ghanaian voting public wishing for respite from the yoke weighing down on us by evil-thinking 'Old Evil Dwarfs' to look up to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, leader of the New Patriotic Party and his team for our expected rest and solace. He is the visionary who can deliver Ghana from its current socio-economic regression that will make a difference for a better future for all Ghanaians.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, London UK
Ghana's EC Dr Afari Djan tells the world that he's Morally Corrupt After-all.
Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan, Ghana's Electoral Commissioner has by his conduct eventually exposed himself as a morally inept and corrupt public official who cannot be trusted after-all. His affected stolid reputation as he seems to have established for himself, his seemingly unbending attitude as a public office holder is exposed as only epideictic and apparent. In his inner self, Dr Afari Djan does not after-all only have his Achilles' heel, he has a soft heart towards the NDC as a doting favoured political party for which he would apply all technicalities to bend the rules if it would so benefit them. Even Rhadamanthus as in ancient Greek mythology, the god of the underworld who is believed to administer rigorous justice has some ambit within which some flexibility is allowed whereby people regain life and vitality after serious and severe illness. Wherein then does EC commissioner Dr Afari Djan manifest his weakness of purpose, his ineptitude, his bias and corruptibility as a public office holder of whom the highest level of reputed justiceship is required? Before analysing the above, incident to coming to this conclusion, let us consider this simple scenario and objectively assess where his conduct dovetails with his moral corruptibility and corrupt conduct.
Imagine going to a hospital or indeed any public building for some service where there is a notice to the public that the establishment closes at 17:00 hours GMT or its equivalent. In this scenario, the patient or customer enters the building before the stipulated closing hour and is accepted by the authorities therein who begin to work on whatever cause has occasioned the patient's/customer's presence in the building. At 17:00 hours GMT, all pens and tool are laid down with the reason that the establishment is closed so anybody whose matter is not seen to must vacate the building whence security is immediately deployed to push everybody out.
To use the expression unfair is understating rather it shows the low level justifying mentality of Afari Djan as a public office holder. His conduct towards the NDP, URP.IPP etc was gauche, otiose, awkward, crude, unprecedented, hopeless and indeed tantamount to displaying a comedy of errors far beyond reconciliation. Afari Djan must, as a public office holder of this magnitude hold himself out as a reasoning, rational and thinking human being and not to show out to be a robot. In this regard, is the EC telling Ghanaians and the world that he has always been punctual to exactitude without having ever made any error that has occasioned withdrawal of a document for correction or amendment for resubmitting before being accepted? As it is quoted in the Bible, 'let him who is without sin throw the first stone'. Would Afari Djan take it kindly if he were ever told by any of his loved ones that a Doctor had refused treatment on them for time catching-up on the establishment whiles on the operating table or in the treatment queue within the building? It must be poignantly pointed out to Dr Afari Djan that he is treating his position and his office with sensational fantasy and must be prepared to receive sensational and fantastic responses that can disrespect and stain his office with opprobrium.
It may be recalled that the formation of break-away NDP as a proselytised wing of the NDC has dealt a deadly blow to the ailing and infirm ruling Party bedecked with corruption and non-performance scandals that has caused them to be desperately clutching even onto straw for stability. Afari Djan, by his Rhadamanthine conduct is telling Ghanaians and the world that 'wishes indeed are horses' that can be ridden on so the NDC's wish that the NDP especially does not contest in the up-coming Presidential race can be injected with lifeblood and the required afflatus for the wish to function as they would want it to be. To make this obnoxious wish come true, a 'ways and means' policy has been applied by Afari Djan for the Electoral commission to commit the NDP into disqualification, a situation the NDC has cherished to welcome. Before Owusu Bempa arrived inside the EC building to submit the documents, a ridiculing disqualification plan had already been hatched between the Commissioner himself and the President John Dramani Mahamah. The electoral commissioner Kwadwo Afari Djan hereby becomes morally and occupationally corrupted because he is in bed with the NDC, a political party to which he owes so much allegiance and for whom he would do anything possible to augment their winning chances.
Afari Djan has authorised the registration of so-called students studying abroad on scholarship which hitherto he disagreed to do under the ROPAL under the NPP administration. The NDC is currently on death's throes whereby it is not surprising to notice that Afari Djan personally has his heart in the coffin in which the Party whose predecessor-parent appointed him as Electoral commissioner is nailed down.
All said and done, whiles castigating the predator cat, a similar reprimand awaits the mouse. The Ghanaian culture of African time and lateness has very negative influence on all our activities. It is yet unknown when the punctuality 'Messiah' would come and deliver us from this our uncanny servitude to time-keeping and change for the better. Funny enough, some of our Ghanaian political parties have developed a superstitious belief in positioning on ballot papers as they link it with numerology. The NDC have always believed that being on top is significant to emerging first and winning one touch. The NPP won with aseεho in 2000 but has since placed no particular importance on positioning however there is some axiomatic credence on either being on the top or bottom as a position of distinguished prominence such that even the least informed voter cannot miss with such slogans as εsoroho and aseεho. These and other factors may cause political parties to voluntarily exercise delays which may turn out to be detrimental as in the current situation under attack. I believe that people with such thoughts and beliefs get their thinking wrong because whatever will be will be no matter where on the ballot paper a candidate may be positioned; winning depends not on numerical positioning but on credulity of message sent to the voters coupled with work done in campaigning.
Ghana's EC has risen to prominence not because of what the institution per se has reasoned out and instituted but because there is the NPP that always calls for all the shots for electoral reform that are ratified into law for the commission. When in 1992 the PNDC used names only as qualifying criteria for voting, it took the NPP to call for photo identity in accompaniment in subsequent elections. It took the NPP to call transparent ballot boxes to replace the opaque boxes. The NPP asked for the colour photo identity, the biometric system and a lot more to our electoral reforms, all of which initially the NDC would oppose to before accepting with the end result that the EC takes the credit for their success. It therefore makes it incumbent on the good people of Ghana to make useful suggestions to the EC for absorption and ratification to further its misplaced recognition and approbation for their enjoyment otherwise the EC itself is in dearth of ideas. Parties must not sit aloof and gloat over NDP's disqualification scandal for tomorrow it could be you falling victim to it.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, London UK
NDC are 'Dirty', Dirty-handed, Evil-minded, Foulmouthed and play Dirty Politics.
If I as a conscientious Ghanaian I were a member of the NDC for any assigned reason, I would call it a day with this obnoxious political Party. Any clear-minded thinking Ghanaian would shun people and organisations that think evil, promote evil and do evil as the NDC as a political group are wont to do to the knowledge of all Ghanaians except of course those who are clad in the same garment with them. Readers may not even wonder how and why they can be so described.
Routing out Corruption from Ghanaian Society? Nana Addo and his NPP have the way forward.
Corruption has been a strong topical issue not only in Ghanaian politics but also in most social discussions, suggesting that the society appears to have been corrupt beyond redemption from the canker but I believe that, Ghanaian society and its institutions can be relatively corrupt-free or as minimally corrupt as any country of the Western World. This piece aims to look at the climate that breeds corruption and assesses what measures various administrations have ever put in place to combat it and also to test the waters if the prevailing wind that carries the pathogen can either be averted or cleansed of the germ.
Looking closely at the world around us, there is a clear distinction between Eastern and Western socio-political and institutional outlook on issues of socio-ethical advancement and corruption. Whereas the institutions of most developed Western countries are minimally corrupt, most or all the institutions of Eastern and developing countries are very corrupt. The reason for these differences can be found in socio-political and economic ideologies that can have serious telling influence on society and its institutions. A typical example can be seen in the difference between property-owning democracies as against the democracies, dictatorships or totalitarian regimes of the Eastern and developing countries of the world. Whereas the former are relatively affluent and enlightened the latter are riddled with poverty, high levels of illiteracy and ultimately corruption. Therefore, the first stop at combatting corruption can be located at the spread of economic justice, fight illiteracy and poverty together. By economically empowering the citizenry through creating enabling environments that would foster social affluence, people work hard for themselves as proud property owners. Coupled with broad social interventional support, more and more people aim at and afford to become enlightened as in big society concepts of Western democracies. Conversely, a socio-political and economic system that immerses itself in dirigisme not only trails along with it a socio-economic system of total dependency on State subvention but also dependency on others; resulting in putting over-burdened strain on the State and its limited resources as in many banana republics. Common sense tells us that when so many chases so few, corruption in all its colours come alive as in most former communist societies of Eastern Europe. This is reasoned from a simple elementary economic theory as well as from simple observation and simple common sense reasoning
The NDC as a Party is made up of unconscious ideologues and insincere political practitioners who profess social democracy but practice self-centred extreme oligarchy when in power, also best described as common sense egoism. These are people who not only envy but are wistful to become elites and affluent yet by the adage of sour grapes point at elite and affluent individuals with venomous odium, in which case they would cheat and thieve State resources to be thus at the least opportunity.
Nana Addo, the most promising candidate to lead Ghana out of NDC misrule into a future socio-economic bliss has been constantly attacked by detractors as being of an elite and affluent extraction therefore he feels no empathy for the poor and needy Ghanaian public. In rebutting this baseless and infantile assertion, I can state emphatically that, Nana Addo is so principled and has a most sympathetic heart towards the poor and oppressed like that of C19th American President, Abraham Lincoln who though married to Miss Todd the daughter of a 'slaveocrat', he strongly opposed slavery and its spread in America, initiated its abolition and called for emancipated compensation. Nana Addo has the heart of the Albanian nun, Agnes Gonxa Bojaxhiu (Mother Teresa), who devoted her entire time to charity for the poor irrespective of her elite and affluent background; her father was an affluent businessman who owned a building company and a food shop. Unlike Yosef Vissarionvich Djvugashvili, alias Josef Stalin who professed respite for the poor and oppressed yet terrorised and scorned millions, the most monstrous cruel revolutionary dictator the world has ever seen. Others are Carl Marx who was a failure in everything he ventured to achieve success so found vocabulary strong enough to condemn self-made successes. The world sees the most cruel and oppressive rulers such as Napoleon to have come from poor background who have no regard for the indigent. Such are NDC members.
It is not uncommon to notice that the indigent who rises to power wantonly uses the power so acquired to illicitly exploit, by grabbing affluence from left, right, back and forth to satiate previous state of hunger and thirst ever lived through before attaining power. The Awhoi brothers, Asiedu Nketia, Fiifi Kwetey and a host of others are typical examples in Ghana's ruling NDC Party in government who believe that the best way to remain on top is to check that those who hold them in awe never advance to anywhere. There is therefore no doubt that the NDC are a bunch of unconscious ideologues who profess social democracy yet down-play on social improvement and advancement. These are so-called politicians who tell lies for power which once attained practice 'thievocracy' of State resources.
Comparing the record of social interventions by Ghana's political Parties that have ruled in relation to their length of time in office, it can be proudly stated that the NPP currently led by Nana Addo has the country best at heart because, as I borrow an expression from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, 'when that the Ghana's poor hath cried, ex-President Kufuor of the NPP hath wept and Nana Addo, his then Minister of Justice and subsequently Minister of foreign Affairs hath sobbed'. Though of affluent extraction, together they empathised with the poor, scrapped the cash and carry hospital treatment system in Ghana under an NDC rule, a system that adversely and severely affected mainly the poor and indigent, and replaced it with a nation-wide National Health Insurance Scheme; provided for free maternity treatment; free school meals, free bus fare for school children etc. These are system facilities for the poor that a so-called socialist NDC frowned on for almost 20 years in power. Since Rome was not built in a day, to kill poverty incident to killing corruption, the poor must be made to feel some leverage lifted off them that had weighed heavily on them. This is exactly what the NPP has done to establish and ensure poverty alleviation.
Apart from further strengthening the established NHI system, an Akufo Addo government would add a right to nation-wide free education for all Ghanaians up to Senior High School to prepare for a future Ghana of high rate intellectual aptitude; a future system of mass enlightenment imbued with moral and socio-ethical advancement to foster mass awareness of individual's rights and obligations towards a better understanding of individual and national welfare. The Progress Party put in place the Centre for civic education to educate the ordinary Ghanaian about citizens' rights and responsibilities aimed at fighting corruption with a slogan, 'Don't give bribes, they corrupt'. The J A Kufuor-led NPP administration brought in zero tolerance for corruption. The NDC in government, then and now, has had not one policy on fighting corruption.
Once citizens are enlightened with knowledge of their rights and responsibilities, institutions would school themselves accordingly to achieve the best for the nation whereby corrupt elements in institutions would either melt away or face prescribed punishment, a conduct that all would see as reprehensible abomination rather than as a norm which hitherto used to be, due to acquired formal educational enlightenment.
Since over 50% of Ghana's population depend on agriculture, a President Akufo Addo government to be established already has the utmost goodwill of anti-corruption local and foreign investors who would contribute immensely to eliminate poverty from especially the highly impoverished savannah regions of Ghana with the introduction of modern forms of agricultural technology in his conceived Northern Development Authority programme that would aim at providing perennial exportable and locally process-able cash crop that would turn poverty amongst the northerners around, shoot up per capita income as well as augment Ghana's GDP.
With a combination of force from providing next to free health care, absolutely free education for all, financial empowerment through agriculture and industrial development that would create a general awareness, epitomised by leadership by example as he has vowed, corruption and corrupt individuals would not be able to withstand the power of the vortex that would prevail therefrom. It must be strongly stressed that those of us intellectuals who favour a better governing body for Ghana do so not because as the proverb goes 'giving a hand in desquamating the hide is not for eating it rather it is in the interest of all enjoying the rhythm of the drums so made out of it'.
In fact there are also several institutional remedial changes that if not made would continue to facilitate corruption which a 'President' Akufo Addo from January 2013 would see to, in order to combat and annihilate corruption from Ghanaian society for a future Ghana to achieve a status as corrupt-free as the relatively corrupt-free Western societies. Any well-wisher for a corrupt-free Ghana would vote en masse for Nana Addo and the NPP.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, London UK
With or Without Mills as Leader, NDC Remains a One Term in Office Party
Two truths are told by NDC founder Jerry Boom Boom Rawlings as swelling acts to the December election theme but as to whether they are happy prologues to boost the morale of the ruling NDC's aspiration to retain governing power or they are portentous truths that bring about misery and disappointment remain to be analysed. 'The Old Major', Jerry Boom could no longer hold his tongue but spill the beans to near accuracy but for the fact that probably out of courtesy and respect for his Party's Presidential candidate, he fell short of telling 'Good luck' John Mahama that he was too corrupt to lead Ghana for another 4 year-term. It is now clearly manifest to all concerned and patriotic Ghanaians that putting NDC in power at the 2008 elections was Ghanaians' biggest misadventure; something they have lived to regret even by the Party's own founder who from the onset blasted them as Greedy Bastards. Having realised the disastrous nature of the adventure sought, the John Mills Presidency lost its envisaged candour and was reduced to a one term President whose leadership beyond 1461 days in office would no longer be tolerated. Today, Rawlings tells them they are the same 'old evil dwarfs', meaning, nothing has changed and nothing can change under John Mahama.
Boil it or roast it, the accursed piece of yam would burn beyond eating; so be it. The Mills-Mahama administration was doomed to last for one and only one term, therefore be it by divine intervention or whatever 'vention' that caused John Mills to be immolated as John Rawlings may have construed it, the NDC's position remains the same. The ecstatic NDC crowd that would lose confidence without the presence of Mr Rawlings but who felt his presence at Ho on Thursday had no time to open their mind and listen carefully to what anyone says let alone what he says so they always mishear him and interpret him differently. The NDC without Rawlings is always spiritless and crestfallen yet I am afraid that is bound to befall them either with or without their only hopeful crowd-pulling image because Ghanaians have now known the difference between the performance of a serious Party like the NPP in government and that of propaganda riddled NDC even with Rawlings. A lesson must now have been learnt by the Fantis whose 'precious jewel' has been so callously sacrificed to the gods of the underworld for the sake of reanimating a dying NDC Party.
How on earth do 'good' Ghanaians think John Mahama can be any different from his colleagues around him? Was he not trained from the very same stock that trained all of them? To the knowledge of all 'good' Ghanaians, probably including Mr Rawlings, John Mahama as Ghana's President is not only embroiled in dirty-handed dealings as an NDC high profile member, he is so much soaked and saturated with corruption that his 'colour' is nothing different from those of the 'same old dwarfs' with sharp incisor teeth that Rawlings said to the applause of a crazily ecstatic NDC crowd. So assimilated and corruptly accultured is he that he can hardly identify his own kind as Rawlings enjoins him to do.
Is Mr Rawlings telling Ghanaians that he doesn't know and he hasn't heard about what is pervading throughout Ghana about John Mahama whom he even refuses to acknowledge in his address as his President like all other Ghanaians? Would John Rawlings have spared John Mahama and his brothers if Mahama had been President in 1979 when he murdered Col. Roger Feli for allegedly using his authority to borrow ȼ50,000 from a bank as a repayable loan within the bank's terms and conditions of borrowing applicable to every borrower? How could a man like John Mahama be exempt from a bunch of greedy bastards groomed from (P)NDC and maturing under John Mills into the 'same old evil dwarfs' in a Mahama regime in the eyes of Rawlings? Or is he regretting his past misdeeds and injustice of the killing fields meted on others in the yesteryears, the corruption, social injustice, the divisive, ethnocentric and tribal hatred he has boldly come to strengthen under various radical revolutionary slogans and ideologies rather than weakening them?
Enough is enough for 1,461 days of majority of Ghanaians' time and life wasted under NDC mal-administration. Enough is enough for all the copycat propaganda promises played on Ghanaians by mediocre-minded NDC since January 2009 that can never be fulfilled irrespective of how long they would want to stay in office. Enough is enough for NDC high profile naked robbery and theft of State property under the protégé of ex-President Mills' dictum of indiscretion. Enough is enough for State control and use of State Security Agencies in brutalities meted on various sections of Ghanaians for the crime of being non-NDC members. So, enough is enough, Ghanaians have had enough.
NDC boasts of the good works initiated by John Mills for which reason they must be given another 4 years mandate that they may continue to completion. They woefully forget that John Mills himself was by virtue of his clue-less leadership profile declared a non-starter so he couldn't have lasted beyond one term in office. This is why Rawlings claims Mills' death was a divine intervention to save NDC from disaster of losing the elections and indeed Ben Ephson, a Mills-man and Fanti solidarity advocate in the Mills era and Ghana's so-called psephologist dreaded NDC loss under Mills' leadership had he been alive. Every reasonable Ghanaian is aware of John Mill's wretched leadership whiles he was encircled with propagandists who remain in place even after him. It is therefore only the pessimistic-thinking, the negative-thinking, the mediocre-thinking, the evil may occur-thinking, the obscurantist-thinking, the selfish-thinking and all those sorts of retrogressive-thinking elements who see the NDC as deserving praises and approbation rather than blame for Ghana's plight as it stands today.
Looking at NDC performance in office, it is so lamentable that there can be no fitting vocabulary to describe it, the worse of it all being their vehement opposition the NPP's Free Education for all Ghanaians that has absorbed everybody's attention, unctioning and lavishing admiration for Nana Addo. The saddest part of it all is the fact that the people who shout most against it as an abomination are the self-same those who have benefited from free education up to university and even beyond. Majority of Ghanaians know from now the nature of people NDC-thinking minds are, such that they do not deserve any chance to govern Ghana. If Ghanaians are in a quandary about who the same 'old dwarfs' are, at least I know one of them to be Asiedu Nkatia whose sharp teeth have made serious infectious bite into John Rawlings's pride and dignity and reduced him to rubble in the eyes of many, hence his deserving Jerry's vindictive response. For a parting note, no amount of prayers or witchery can save the NDC from falling; what they need is the viaticum however, the NPP needs not to gloat and bask in NDC failures but to work still harder to give them the final coup de grâce that they require.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, (London UK)
Mugabe Rejects 'Havening' in Ghana?
One man's poison is another man's meat as the saying may be so conveniently reversed. What Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has declared as noisome to his country's socio-economic growth in regard to his programme of economic empowerment to the people of Zimbabwe has been welcomed not only in Ghana but across especially the West African sub-Region who find it as the ultimate socio-economic panacea for fighting poverty in the sub-Region, oblivious to the untold damage these rejects do to our socio-economic progress on such an unprecedented scale even beyond the Victorian era Colonialism of the 19th Century. Though I do not share in Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe's wild and erratic Stalin-like communist totalitarian political gauche, his approach in dealing with slavery-mentality foreign investors in his country to restore the dignity of his people however poor or rich is in the right direction however, not without comments. These are foreign investors whose only interest is in exploiting and pillaging the natural resources of their victim countries, using their labour like slaves to maximise their profits, whereby their exploited are plunged into` further immiseration rather than bettering their standard of living as reciprocally expected.
It may be recalled that Mr Mugabe reclaimed tens of thousands of hectares of land purportedly owned by foreign investors either through freehold or leasehold ownership for farming, using the Zimbabweans as low-paid farm labourers on these farms and indeed exporting all their produce to their home country where they operate their business account so that the host country does not benefit. This trend dates back to the Ian Smith regime but Mr Mugabe as President, sees progress neither in the livelihood of his people nor in the national economic growth. These rejects are in fact predator capitalist investors. Although expelling them was neither the better nor the best option, Mr Mugabe's anger and disgust at Colonial Britain might have ruled over his rationality to renegotiate on fairer equiparate beneficial terms for both parties. Having been expelled from Zimbabwe, these predators, well aware that their amoral economic activities may not be accepted anywhere except by economically ignorant evil-may-occur dirtier-handed corrupt politicians, have sought to establish their pernicious colonies in Ghana and West Africa, with yet a few displaced others knocking on the doors of the corridors of power in some East and central African countries where they smell the stink of fetid dirty hands.
Jobs creation and economic growth have become such a hackneyed phrase on the lips of all of Ghana's political parties. Such cliché phrases are presumably used as pre-election promises to attract voters however in most or all cases, such promises either become outrageous unachievable cons because the promisors have no clue as to how the jobs so promised could be created to occasion economic growth or that they are simply pep talk. Having no clue, the commonest hope for creating jobs has recently been ranting the influx of foreign investors whiles hapless Ghanaians know not on what terms these crooks come in to Ghana to do business and how they would benefit from them.
Under NDC, Ghana telecom was once run and managed by Malaysians who invested nothing except their presence in Ghana, built their own bank of Malaysia at Makola market as a medium for transferring all their lawful and unlawful gains to Malaysia, thanks to the courage and ingenuity of ex-President Kufuor who rescued GT and Ghana from the tentacles of Malaysian neo-colonialist homo economicus.
It would be an over-statement to state that Ghana's domestic and national economy cannot grow at a reasonably faster rate unless there is hard cash to be invested in projects that will benefit both investors and stakeholders. This however doesn't give cause for randomly inviting and involving predatory and pillaging rejects whose unconscionable bargain and exploitation leaves the self-same people needing help and economic empowerment assistance rather worse-off simply because our political leaders breach the vested trust and confidence expected of them. Instead, they portray themselves as common-sense egoist stomach politicians as most of them in the current administration prove to be.
Exploitation of African resources is pandemic. In many cases, it is the supposed leaders who lead the way for others to heartlessly exploit. Ken Saro Wiwa was murdered by the Abacha regime for campaigning to secure the rights of his people against the oil giant Shell's epinosic operations in the Niger delta of Eastern Nigeria. About a month ago, South Africa's police opened fire on miners on demonstration, fighting for fairer entitlements in which 34 were gunned down in cold blood leaving others injured at a time when Jacob Zumah, an indigenous South African is President, not an apartheid foreigner. In fact, observers are persistently worried as Barbara Jones of Britain's Mail on Sunday worriedly writes in the 5th August edition of the paper concerning the indigence of the Angolan people whiles their politicians swim and bask in untold riches. Richard Dowden of the Royal African Society, writing in the Times of Friday 28th August also bemoans the unacceptable rate at which Africa's resources are being drained away by soi-disant investors.
African countries including my own Ghana suffer from an acculturation syndrome. In attempting to make giant socio-economic and development leaps abreast with the advanced countries of the so-called Western world who not only woke-up to the light of day several centuries ago by making their wealth through industrial and technological pioneering but also through heartless exploitation across the globe, we only risk breaking our fragile legs to becoming perpetually crippled. It would be best instead to make haste slowly according as our strength and stamina can reasonably sustain us to the destined goal.
I am personally not a Robert Mugabe fan, however I whole-heartedly endorse his approach to stamping out slavery-minded predator capitalism, an example to be emulated by all concerned African leaders yet I think he could also have educated them to think better with a possibility of opening fresh negotiations with those who would comply to bettering the lives of their stakeholders whiles the non-compliant make their exit much because the cash-handling investors are needed as much as the African resources are also equally needed. It mustn't be forgotten that African goods are always treated by the international world as raw materials to which the lowest value tags are attached, 'thanks' to World Trade Organisation's racist bias against Africa. Bear in mind that even if Western world's nuclear waste are found to be useful in Africa whereby it would even undergo further processing, they would be exported and valued as if it were a finished product with a high value tag. Africans are always projected by the rich international countries to be in the lurch. All these treatments notwithstanding, the African soil remains richer and grows even richer with what the so-called West would want most. It is therefore up-to us to identify and appreciate our identity and be proud of it to evoke our human dignity with a capability to standing up to all overt and hidden negative challenges to emancipate ourselves from indigence into prosperity, dignity and equality.
Ex-President J A Kufuor envisioned the Savannah Accelerated Development Programme to foster socio-economic empowerment and spread economic justice to the communities in the savannah regions lying to the middle and northern parts of Ghana, with the least hesitation, the NDC proposed their equivalent version which 'gullible' Ghanaians settled for. What we see today under the NDC version is a sell-off of our savannah arable land to foreign predator investors still harbouring colonialist slavery mentality with sole interest is in exploiting not only the richness of the land but the labour of Ghanaians as well to their personal exclusive gains. Economic justice, best achievable only through economic empowerment as a socio-economic just, as it has been championed by American philosopher John Rawls has been the bed rock of the policies of ex-President Kufuor and his NPP. The Party's sense of achieving equal earning power for all Ghanaians without being disadvantaged by any climatic and vegetation zones for being where the communities find themselves to be with especial reference to the savannah-dwelling communities especially to the north of Ghana has been prominent in NPP thinking so as to evoke the community's dignity. The SADEP in the projections of the NPP would occasion a making of these regions equally attractive to people of all walks of life.
Soi-disant investors from across the world swarm into Ghana today on a mission not only to exploit and pillage but also to do environmental damage to our soil from which neither the ordinary Ghanaian nor the Government may have any reasonable level of advantage. A case in point is the activities of predator foreign investors in Ghana who have acquired several hundred square kilometres of land for themselves with heavy machinery to establish jatropha curcas plantations, a biodiesel plant. The environmental effects of these plants (if any) as massive plantations have as yet not been fully assessed. The so-called investors exploit our rich soil and Ghanaian labour in unsecured jobs just in the name of job creation programmed by the NDC administration. Biodiesel cultivation in Ghana was an economic programme initiated by ex-president Kufuor in October 2006 to combat poverty amongst our subsistence farming communities so that they would be directly involved in its cultivation not for them to be used as labourers, but here we are with the NDC in government who would hurriedly pick up their bowl to be served upon hearing someone say thank you. NDC have literally sold off Ghana to foreigners yet these are the likes of people who rant most against capitalist investments, whiles the blunt of their inefficiencies is borne by their most loyal supporters.
It is rather paradoxical for the NDC as extractions of Nkrumah's CPP to be so embracing to capitalist investors whereas during his lifetime, amongst his commonest catchphrases in all his stentorian speeches against so-called Western influences were imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. However, there is no wonder that in his phatic application of these numerous 'isms' reverberating in the ears of Ghanaians, whereas the Osagyefo was angrily expunging imperialist and colonialist British and American super-power interests in Ghana, the Russians and members of the former Soviet communist fraternity, another breed of free-loaders were off-loading their equipment and settling in in their numbers as accepted alternative neo-colonialists.
As a concerned Nigerian grocer succinctly commented to me a week ago in London: 'Ghana is now an ideal place to do business but I dread Ghanaians stand to lose out because everything is like a freebee 'take-away''. As a nation poised to succeed socio-economically, we need caring able leaders who can stand up to and defend our property, our rights and dignity but not able treachers who would condone with others to knowingly take away everything or give away everything for their selfish ends as we witness in the NDC government. Ghana is for Ghanaians and welcomes all who wish well for the country and its people in fairness as a congenial place to be and also to do business but not for exploiters of our communities, our natural resources and plunderers of our economy be it by native Ghanaians or otherwise
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, (London UK)
Can Ghana's Electoral Commissioner Dr Afari Djan be NDC's Surest Hope for Winning 2012 Elections?
Ghana's electoral commissioner Dr Kwadwo Afari-Djan appears to have world-wide international approbation and acclamation as an able and competent electoral commissioner who has been called upon on several occasions by international bodies to assist in the electoral processes in some developing and even democratically advanced countries. They say charity begins at home but for people like Dr Afari-Djan, charity begins and ends outside one's home; therefore what prompts these international recognitions of approbation of a man who not only appears to be but is rather a devious character on the home front on matters of Ghana's electoral processes is a subject matter for scrutiny if Ghana's impending general and Presidential elections are to be conducted peacefully. From what angle reputed international organisations do focus their lenses on Dr Afari-Djan that depict him as an objective electoral 'angel' of delight and of Rhadamanthine impartiality that remains oblivious of his controversial dealings to them when it comes to Ghana's census and electoral matters is of great concern to concerned Ghanaians, a matter which the reputed world bodies which adore him must be made to know at this time.
African and in fact all developing countries including all countries of the former Soviet Block and its former and present allies have a different perception and understanding of the currently prevailing Western democratic system pervading throughout the world. Though it cannot be adjudged the best, the world has not yet found any other alternative better system than that, all of them struggle with objective fairness let alone goodness and excellence. There was even a time when a democracy like that of the UK was unfairly biased in their dealings with their former Colonial subjects. A case in point is the Clement Attlee-led British Labour Party Government's open hostility towards Dr JB Danquah in the 1951 general elections when they overtly opposed Dr Danquah against Nkrumah because Nkrumah was a pro-Russian ideologue, at a time when the British feared the Russian Red Army and their prowess during the 2nd World War like Hell fire and bowed down to wherever Russian influence prevailed [Ref: Post-script notes to George Orwell's Animal farm and JB Danquah letters] In the same vein, during the 1st Republican era, Nkrumah's One Party State did not tolerate any political opponent let alone free and fair elections. Though the position of Electoral Commissioner is supposed to be independent, be mindful of the fact that in almost all developing democracies, ruling authorities fish out for their favourites to be appointed Electoral Commissioner; someone they can trust to depend on when the need arises. This obviously suggests that ruthless ruling authorities in developing countries have a good deal of influence over electoral processes either with some direct bearing, indirect bearing or by some overt flagrant tactical application to the acquiescence of the Electoral Commissioner so appointed who has no option but obtemper.
Post-CPP Ghana saw in the seat of Electoral Commissioner Mr Justice VCRAC Crabbe who was appointed by the NLC to supervise Ghana's transition from Military rule to multi-Party democratic 2nd Republic. This is not to say that Mr Justice Crabbe like every other citizen did not have leaning to any political tradition at that time however, his office enjoined him to be objectively fair to all in doing service to his nation. His office performed its duties to Ghana not to any one political Party hence no overt or covert influence was complained of by any of Ghana's political factions. After Mr Justice Crabbe was Mr Justice IL Abban who in spite of the ruling authorities' pressure on him and contrary to the aspirations and expectations of the appointing regime SMC 1, he performed his task with so much professionalism to exquisite perfection. At a time when he had to declare to the nation Ghana to which he belonged and loved as proved by his objective deeds that the regime had lost in their bid to win the thumbs up in the UNIGOV referendum, he felt threatened by the appointing body and sought for armed protection. The Electoral Commissioner considered all electoral factors relevant to fairness in jurisprudence, so he did not adjudge the verdict only out of the ballot papers counted in the boxes irrespective of how they got in; he took into consideration the extent of the government's organised flagrant bullying, intimidation and unbridled rigging to declare a no win by the government in the referendum. These are the Peace-makers and the children of God who refuse to be compromised at the expense of peace and tranquillity. Mr Justice Kingsley Nyinah was appointed by the SMC II to supervise another transition in an electoral process which saw the Dr Limman-led PNP win political power. In all these afore-mentioned electoral processes, all census and electoral register figures reasonably tallied proportionately to credulity for all and sundry to accept wholeheartedly. Mr Justice Kingsley Nyinah is adjudged as one of the finest of Ghana's Electoral Commissioners who supervised over one of the most free and fair elections in the country's history.
Ushering Ghana into its 4th Republic in 1992 saw the appointment of Dr Kwadwo Afari-Djan as Electoral Commissioner whose performance profile needs to be carefully considered to determine an answer, if any at-all for the rubric of this script. Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan was appointed by the PNDC administration that dropped the 'P' abbreviation and retained the NDC to oversee to another of Ghana's transitions. He began his task with a national census incident to compiling an electoral register. Concerned observers from even the appointing regime decry to this day a bloated census which was meant to match and conceal a bloated electoral register which followed later. A case in point is a tiny village between Asuotiano and Dormaa Akwamu in the Dormaa East District of Brong Ahafo Region with only eight partly dilapidated structures and a small cemetery sitting at the junction to this settlement called Mmomesumuor. In the 1992 elections, from this tiny settlement with only 8 structures and a population of less than 60 people including children, toddlers and the yet unborn, the electoral officers declared an NDC win with over 3,000 votes which Dr Afari Djan as Electoral Commissioner who hails from around the area and knows this tiny village accepted the votes so declared. In the 1992 elections, notwithstanding the massive boycott, this Electoral Commissioner declared a fantastic 90% voter turnout, a turnout record figure only possible in former Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Dr Afari-Djan's maxim is that once the ballot papers are in the ballot boxes, they must be accepted, suggesting a complete departure from the 'spirit' and judicative ethos that must characterise the objectivity expected of him as an EC office holder as did Justice IL Abban.
Dr Afari-Djan has been Ghana's longest serving Electoral Commissioner due to Ghana's prevailing political stability, during which period there has been three transitions from one political faction to another, one of them (the NPP) being in opposition to his apparently favourite appointed authorities. Dr Afari-Djan can be read to be either stilted or flexible in his position on both census and voting issues depending on how it may advantage or disadvantage the NDC which effectively appointed him even if the realistic facts and factors are unreasonable. For instance, the EC boss is aware that the electoral register is bloated yet does nothing about it and goes ahead to create 45 new constituencies which clearly amounts to gerrymandering in favour of NDC. The EC has the constitutional mandate to expand or absorb some constituencies into others where the figures determine which way to go. The EC only appears bound by the letters of the legislation, he is in his capacity devoid of the spirit of the legislation. After-all the ancient Solomonic celebrated decision was not written in any book of law, he used discretion in the spirit of prudence to determine who the mother of the child under dispute genuinely was. Such is what is expected of Ghana's EC boss Dr Afari-Djan, to be rationally reasonable not to be stilted with bias.
The EC boss appears to be merely 'window-dressed' in his position, ready for the ruling NDC to oppress, intimidate and bully in opponents' strongholds, rig en masse in their strongholds whiles he would sit unconcerned and apply his maxim. It can therefore be confirmed that he is the NDC's surest hope for retaining themselves in power after losing on all their contested and contestable issues that the voting public would consider to determine whether to return them to power or not. If therefore a light is shone on Dr Afari-Djan for recognition by reputed international bodies, it is not by reason of any good job done but by reason of the forbearance of affected Ghanaians over the years since he has been EC boss, a situation which other developing countries with young democracies are in dearth of. He has not earned his apparent recognition by any proven deed rather it is a bestowed credit thanks to tolerant Ghanaians who bear discomfiture in dignified silence and also the lack of post-election disturbances in Ghana which is prevalent in other young democracies. If however he thinks it is the contrary, 7th Dec 2012 will be his acid test
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, (London UK)
'Holier than thou' Ex-President Rawlings Equivocates on President John Mahama
Life has always been valued to worth more than property. But for ex-President Rawlings' address at the Volta Regional House of Chiefs confab last week where he was a guest speaker, I never thought that the NDC as a party and as a property belonging jointly and severally to John Rawlings was worth more than the life the late His Excellency John Evans Atta-Mills. In effect, for the NDC party to suffer electoral defeat, it would be best for Mills to suffer death. From the mouth of Jerry John Rawlings, the death of John Mills was a divine intervention just to save the NDC from a disastrous loss at the impending elections. What Ghanaians and I want to know from Mr Rawlings is that, was his statement at Ho a confirmation of John Mills being offered as a sacrificial lamb to the gods of the underworld, a situation which even 'the man of God' T B Joshua could not intervene and save? The sudden turn-coat appreciation of 'lucky' John Dramani Mahama's post-Mills Presidential performance by Rawlings has a lot of loaded linguistic, allocution, vocal and interpretational elements for serious contemplation.
John Rawlings has the penchant for making straight forward yet dubbed cryptic and controversial statements which have been mostly defended and vaguely interpreted by his sacked loyalist Victor Smith. Several others have their versions of interpretations of any one statement he makes however his current statement can easily be decoded to assume ordinary dictionary meaning unless otherwise conceived. Divine intervention, corruption in the NDC, fear and anxiety created by NDC under Mills, loss of confidence in NDC under Mills, restored confidence in NDC under Mahama are among the lot what message he intended to convey as spoken which do not require any special knowledge and interpretation skill possessed only by Victor Smith to decipher.
There is one speech psychological thing that Ghanaians must have known about John Rawlings especially when he makes insincere statements, [when he makes statements against his conscience]. Rawlings is known to be glib-tongued, he can cackle when he has a point to make with strong stressing alliterations whenever he's making a point, but in speaking against his conscience, there are lots of hesitations during which he gabbles, picks his words hesitatingly to construct a statement which become obvious in his inflections. A supposed 'clean handed' Rawlings of the early days of the PNDC era who reverberated probity and accountability was more articulate in voice but a dirty handed Rawlings of mid-PNDC era to the end of his so-called presidency have witnessed several gabbling speeches, most of which Ghanaians were told had to be decoded by skilled interpreters.
A few weeks after John Mills was sworn-in, Jerry Rawlings stated angrily that Mills had surrounded himself with greedy bastards. Since then there have been no changes to Mills' appointee personalities surrounding him until his death on 24 July. Barely seven weeks later after a Mahama succession, the only supposed change is the exclusion of Mills; all others have only been reshuffled. Does this instantaneously transform the greedy bastards into 'Mother Theresa-like' altruistic probate frugalists? What has occasioned this sudden U-turn coupled with gloating over the death of a 'beloved' cosset or poodle of a one-time infamous Sweduru declaration is an interesting matter to investigate because John Mahama was nowhere near Mr Rawlings' beloved favourites. Having been branded a mad dog that barks unnecessarily that needed to be caged to foster tranquillity in the NDC, it can be subsumed that John Rawlings is putting up an appeasement behaviour to reclaim trust and confidence once lost in the eyes of his 'masters' controlling his fortune and future . Alternatively, is Jerry Rawlings sincere in his address to the Volta chiefs or is he flattering Prez John Mahama?
Does he truly have a conscientious moral confidence to beat his chest and boast that Ghana was corrupt-free during his 19 years rule? Taking Ghana under Rawlings into retrospect, in respect of the prevalence of indiscipline in Ghana, we mustn't so soon forget about especially the era of PDC and WDC when Jerry openly and fragrantly instigated Ghanaians to disrespect. Was it not John Rawlings who removed the status difference between a Managing Director or Chief Director and a messenger? On terror, fear and anxiety, insecurity, injustice and human rights abuses, after murdering the eight Generals in a roll whiles others simply got missing from the surface of the world including the case of the murdered three Judges and an Army Major, he made Ghanaians to believe that he was a 'clean saint', only later to be known that he was far worse than those whose lives he unjustly destroyed under a pretext of probity and accountability without reasonable rational cause. What happened after all these? Corruption, theft of State property injustice including economic injustice, reign of terror, blatant lies, appropriation of undeserved property and many more than I can enumerate in this script unashamedly showed their ugly head.
Nobody ever thought Jerry Rawlings would own more than one car, one house, one toilet in his home etc. Still on corruption, Rawlings must realise that his 19 years as Dictator and turn-coat so-called President were Ghana's worst years of fear and insecurity next only to the Preventive Detention Act era under Nkrumah. Whoever had the guts to criticise Rawlings on any of his wrong-doings at-all, from extra-judicial murders to economic injustice during his time of office? Before he can conscientiously beat his chest and boast about leading a corrupt-free Ghana, he must tell Ghanaians why he covered Col Osei-Wusu, P V Obeng and others whom the Emil Short Human Rights Commission had found to have committed some financial infringements.
It mustn't also be forgotten that the entire media in Ghana had been under State control until the beginning of the turn of the century hence any proliferation of private media not singing to the tune of the (P)NDC was almost next to treason. In Rawlings' Ghana, media houses opposed to his Party were shit-bombed whiles their personnel were manhandled at will. Who therefore dared expose corrupt ion in Ghana under Rawlings' rule? Was Dr Charles Wereko-Brobey's radio station not disbanded during NDC rule under Rawlings? Again on corruption, can Rawlings tell Ghanaians what happened to the fifty cedis notes he collected from Ghanaians most especially cocoa farmers who had only just been paid in this denomination into his infamous account No 48?
If Rawlings is sincerely giving John Mahama his approbation, then I believe some foul deal may have gone on between them in the few months after Mills' death. Mills is reported to have refused to accord Rawlings certain demands he made, occasioning the rift between them as 'father and son', therefore for this strange sudden U-turn in spite of the name-calling and long term distancing, Mahama may have secretly granted Mr Rawlings his wish which John mills denied him.
Mr Rawlings knows the calibre of people he bred in his (P)NDC, the culture and training they underwent all to his knowledge and appreciation. It would be very uncanny of him therefore to shout wolf and at the same time heave a sigh of relief at their performance whiles simultaneously alliterating disapproval of growing and strengthened corruption in the government. The worst a man can portray himself to be is to make false pretences. It would be better for Rawlings to let sleeping dogs lie, bearing in mind that he can reap only what he has sown and thus silence is golden.
Adreba Kwaku Abrefa Damoa, (London)
We’ll no longer tolerate your empty, unwarranted attacks – TUC blasts Prof Adei
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