A Tale Of Three Presidents: LBJ, GEJ, JDM

Following the assassination of JFK on November 22, 1963, LBJ was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States. LBJ completed the remainder of JFK's term and subsequently went on to win the Presidential election of 1964 in his own right.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was first sworn in as President of Nigeria on May 6th, 2010. Jonathan had previously served as Vice President(29 May 2007 – 5 May 2010) of Nigeria under President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. Following the death in office of President Yar'Adua on May 5th, 2010, Goodluck Jonathan became President. GEJ subsequently went on to win the Presidency in his own right on April 18, 2011.

President John Dramani Mahama has been President of Ghana since July 24th, 2012. JDM had previously served as Vice President (7 January 2009 – 24 July 2012) under President John Evans Atta Mills. In line with the constitution, JDM assumed the Presidency following the death of President Mills on July 24, 2012. JDM subsequently went on to win the Presidency in his own right in December 2012.

LBJ is viewed favourably by a number of historians for his domestic policies. Notable among LBJ's policies were civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, environmental protection, aid to education, the arts, urban and rural development, and his "War on Poverty". Faced with an increasingly disillusioned American public as a result of the Vietnam War, LBJ wisely abandoned a second term bid after a poor showing in the 1968 New Hampshire primary.

GEJ's handling of the Nigerian economy had been no worse than his predecessors. In fact by some accounts, he did better than most. However his chances of success at re-election were seriously blighted by the atrocious activities of the group known as Boko Haram. Boko Haram is a terrorist group in Nigeria that seeks the imposition of Sharia Law in Nigeria. Faced with a growing public despair about the insecurity situation wrought by Boko Haram, GEJ should have read the signs on the wall as LBJ had done. But GEJ stuck doggedly to his second term aspirations. The rest, as they say, is history.

No President in Ghana's history has had as much going for him as JDM did when he first took office in July 2012 (and since):

• A lower middle income country
• An oil exporting country as of 2010
• Fastest growing economy in the World in 2011
• GDP growth estimated at 15% in 2011
• GHC62bn in tax collection between 2009 and 2014 (compared to GHC15bn over the period 2001-2008)

• US$25bn in gold exports over the period 2009-2014 (compared to US$9bn over the period 2001-2008)

• US$14.5bn in cocoa exports over the period 2009-2014 (compared to US$7.4bn over the period 2001-2008)

Indeed, so bountiful were the above goodies that the campaign slogan of JDM's presidential campaign was “e dey bee kɛkɛ” which roughly translates into “it has never been so good”.

Shockingly, within three months of his election in December 2012, JDM told a shocked nation that “the meat was down to the bone”. And most Ghanaians have seen no meat since, what with:

• Unprecedented levels of corruption.
• Rising Unemployment
• Power rationing for an unprecedented three years and counting.

• Near-collapse of the NHIS (National Health Insurance Scheme)

• Payment arrears in excess of 12 months of the District Assembly Common Fund

The worst part is that in the wake of the wanton dissipation of a good measure of the financial resources, Ghana is back to the IMF begging for help (JDM described it as seeking “policy credibility”). On April 3, 2015, the IMF Executive Board approved a three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme for Ghana. Access amounts to US$ 918 million, or 180 percent of Ghana's IMF quota.

Will JDM evaluate his performance, then wisely assess the mood of Ghanaians and just as wisely follow in the steps of LBJand not seek re-election in December 2016?

Or will JDM stick doggedly to his re-election bid as GEJ did?

Will he or will he not? That is the billion cedi question for JDM.

Gilbert Adu Gyimah
[email protected]
Edmonton, AB, Canada