See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Boom No Evil

Strange things have been happening in Ghana under “Akɔnfem Socialism”.

Not least of these strange happenings are an unprecedented spate of corruption, fiscal indiscipline, and controversies of all types. Talk of GYEEDA, SUBAH, SADA, WATERVILLE, ISOFOTON, EMBRAER, BGMS, AAL, UNFUNDED STATOTURY PAYMENTS, FALLING CREDIT RATINGS, VICKILEAKS, WOYOME-GATE, BARTON-GATE, CONTROLLER OF THREE MINISTRIES, FORTIZ, E&P, etc. Then there is that equalization and/or cover-up scheme for judgement debts cleverly set up under legal guises.

Stranger still has been the rather loud silence from some otherwise predictable quarters.

True, we have heard of some strong criticisms of the “Akɔnfem Socialism” government. Mention can be made of Mr. Martin Amidu (former Attorney-General), Mr. Alban Bagbin (a member of the government-appointed trio of wise men and former Minority Leader), Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey (Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana), and Mr. Franklin Cudjoe (President of IMANI Center for Policy and Education, a think tank).

All of the above had at one time or the other also publicly criticized the government of Professor J.E.A Mills. Back then however, former President Rawlings led the chorus of criticisms. There was a lot of “barking” then from “who-born-dog”. This time around, not so much as a whimper.

Very strange. Or is it?
Most would agree on the point that President Mills was a very ineffective President. But at least, as a person, all would agree that President Mills was an honest and an extremely modest man. President Mills was the type of person who would have felt at home in his home-town of Ekumfi-Otuam as he would at the Castle. In this, he was a sharp contrast to some others.

Presidents Mahama and Rawlings, on the other hand and by all appearances, have a taste for luxury and the finer things in life. Are the two more kindred in spirit in this regard hence the mutually-assured silence?

Some have observed that after 19 years of Mr. Rawlings, all that Ghana had to show for it was her HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Country) status. Nineteen (19) years is a long enough time to change a country's economic status. President Kufuor moved Ghana from HIPC to middle income in less than 8 years! Corruption is said to be the bane of a nation's development. Some have argued that but for excessive corruption during the Rawlings' years (not much discussed because of the then prevailing dictatorship and culture of silence), Ghana could have done much better economically in those 19 years.

Some would argue that corruption under President Mahama is unprecedented.

On the matter of corruption under the watch of Mr. Rawlings and Mr. Mahama respectively, do I again sense a kindred spirit here? Would that be the reason for the rather unusual silence this time around from Mr. Rawlings?

Dr.Hilla Limann, President of the 3rd Republic of Ghana was a good and decent man who served his country the best way he knew how. He may not have had the leadership attributes of Presidents Nkrumah or Kufuor. But such as he had, he served his nation honourably.

After his government's overthrow in a 1981 coup d'etat by Flight Lieutenant Rawlings, Dr.Limann lived the rest of his life as a man scorned by some and pitied by most.

Ironically, not only was Mr. Rawlings not “punished” by Dr.Limann's Northern kinsmen for the shabby treatment of their kinsman but he (Rawlings) went on to garner a huge support base in the Northern homeland of Dr.Limann.

Perhaps, Mr. Rawlings realizes that he might finally incur the wrath of Northern Ghana if he goes about to lambast President Mahama's government as he did that of President Mills and President Limann. This might partly explain the silence of an otherwise highly critical personality.

In all of the above, I am reminded of the story of a particular dog. This dog would howl and bark loudly and ferociously at kids passing in front of the house gate. The neighbourhood was not particularly thrilled with these unnecessary disturbances. The neighbourhood however nursed the hope that in the event of any burglary, the dog's usefulness as a ferocious guard dog in the neighbourhood would more than justify any other concerns they might have about the dog. Well, burglars did visit the neighbourhood and our ferocious guard dog was seen wagging his tail happily without so much as a whimper and only concentrating on the meat the burglars had thrown to him.

Who can blame the dog? See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Boom No Evil.

Gilbert Adu Gyimah
[email protected]
Alberta, Canada