My Soliloquy Letter To The President—John Dramani Mahama

Dear Mr. President,
I know many people have written to you and I am contemplating whether they all have received a reply. That is not my worry as far as your high office is still operational. I deemed it with much pleasure to add my letter. Our elders say, “a god’s presences is sought thrice or more” and that alone motivated me to write.

Sir, I hope Mama Lordina is doing quite fantabulous? Extend my congratulations to her on her appointment as the President of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA). And if I may ask, how is she taking her new position?

Please permit me to call you dad for the many reasons I have compiled about the nation you are in charge of. I have also chosen to call you father because; you are the father of the nation. It hurts me whenever I hear people mentioning you even when there is a change in weather. The last time a boy on bicycle accidentally lost control, the many people around shouted” Mahama!!” I mostly wonder if Mahama as many claim is the cause of all the problems on the land. I will also address you as Sir, Your Excellency and Mr. President. I know all these titles make meaning when given to you as it is supposed to be. Where it does not, we will attribute it to your performance.

Dad, I have carefully studied and seen the many promises you make to Ghanaians and I know and understand you are a caring father. Like every child will expect from a loving dad, a fulfilled promise. But something is completely amiss. Many things from Education down to Agriculture are gradually falling apart and like Chinua Achebe wrote in his book ‘Things fall apart’, “……the center cannot hold when things fall apart”. The system is gradually not accommodating. Your promises have become like the usual slogans we watch on the TV and hear on the radio. ’OLX- everything sells’, ‘this way chocolate- nea wo hia ne nsuohye3’, and many others. But I bet to say, your promises are not slogans. And I know that these slogans fit exactly why they remain the same for their companies. Your former boss, Prof. Evans Atta-Mills will say, “It’s time to hit the ground running”. Walk the talk.

Mr. President, have you recently counted the number of armed robbery and drug peddling cases the country has recorded? The age of those involved and the profession some hold? Young boys and girls who are supposed to profitably be using their talents have arisen and taken the baton of robbery. My question is…… Who created the armed robbers? Why have they chosen to use the guns instead of using the pens? I have been pondering over these questions and how to put it across the world for a number of years now and I think perhaps the time has come for answers from he who is concerned. Obviously, we all are concerned. I have a friend who supports you no matter how people cry over what they expect to function properly and failed to; sitting home for the past three years after graduating from the University of Education- Winneba, with Second class Upper in Social Science Education. I mean he has a certificate as a Teacher and not a banker and obviously, my

friend has to teach but the last time I checked, he was a labourer for a mason who pays him 5GHC each day. No SSNIT, no feeding. I know and have maintained that, if there is no intervention, he may join the fray. Some graduates have committed suicide as a result of frustrations and social criticisms. There are many that I cannot add to this letter. Let all stakeholders- the Teachers in the classrooms, Pastors in the Churches, Chiefs, District and Municipal Assembly members as well as Assembly members in our Communities answer these questions for Ghanaians. Is it as a result of unemployment, School dropout, juvenile delinquencies, or lack of parental guidance? Sorry Sir, sorry ……sorry …. It seems am solving some of the questions. Sorry Sir…….. There are no funds as a beginner to start something. Parents are expecting their children to look after them after investing hugely in their education across the tertiary schools. Since expectations are

high from family members and colleagues, one has to also for something doing. Your guess is right. You know, ……….Cyber fraud has conspicuously taken over the brain of the youth and they have seen the education in schools as no yardstick to the end of poverty or riches. “After all, there are no jobs” they will add.

Sir, where are the jobs you promised us? The schools you wanted to build that will accommodate many teachers, students and casual workers? No schools, no factories? Now due to financial crisis in the country, many companies are laying off workers which when you enter our classrooms, teachers have also been laid off making the little child who has the destiny and fate as a President ending up as a robber. Who created them? Perhaps our system did…..

Your Excellency, I respect your high office and permit me to use this paragraph to draw your attention to the corrupt individuals in the country which everybody wants to be a part of. There has not been any day pass that issue of corruption is not in our news. Sir, please with all due respect, are you aware? Or sarcastically it is the “loot and share” syndrome? Please are you aware your office blew exceedingly more than the budget allocated for it this year? Have you taken into account that money can demolish and rebuild Dr. Nkrumah’s many collapsing schools? Pay the Doctors who have struck as a result of conditions of services? The junior doctors who have to besiege the Controller and Accountant General’s Department before somebody do the partially right thing? Why then can’t you spend outside the budget and pay our doctors. People are dying ooooo.

Incidentally, I chanced on these materials which the media picked up and deliberated on for days but no one is to be held accountable for overspending and mismanagement so the news died.

Mr. President, your office overspent its budget allocated to the sum of a whopping GHC 75, 917,714 instead of GHC 30,929,343. The difference is clear and obvious. I begin to wonder what happens in your office. Perhaps one of the most luxurious Dubai Islands is built in the office. Come to think of it, your vice under spent his to the sum of GHC 2,176,899 out of GHC 3,583,800. That’s great and commendable.

Virtually, the then chief of staff would have not survived the next day if he did not overspend his quota. Hahahaha!! Sir…….. Did he ever tell you, he ‘blew’ hugely GHC 48,811,722 out of the huge GHC 7,487,048? Obviously that is the least he could have spent. These money and many others ‘blown’ when combined can demolish all High Schools and Universities and rebuild them. The money can pay our Doctors and their next three generations, the Nurses and Teachers who have been working for the past three years and not paid.

Let me ask this before I forget……. I don’t know but I need to know…. Are your office and other offices that have thrown Ghana into such deficit much more important than the Doctors, Nurses and Teachers in this country who cry before they are paid? Please do not be upset. I only need to know. Think about it sir. Think well and see if I am not being reasonable.

Am sorry but I have to add my voice to the brouhahas on the waves, in the drinking bars, buses and churches on political affiliations. The NDC has been branding anyone who has issues with your government and sees them as opposition. I wonder why they should be reasoning as such. They vent their God-given spleen on anyone who dares talk not in the party’s favour. Or it’s just political tactics and propaganda? I need to be clarified on this in your reply.

Back to corruption, I surely know no Ghanaian will end a complete statement without mentioning ‘corruption’. We have witnessed in this country how corruption has engulfed our offices and even pastors are no exception. It is in the Churches, Hospitals, Schools and the list goes on. Why must people holding government position overspend what is expected, siphon the states money still hold positions? It looks as if everybody is doing his/her own thing? The bigger snakes are swallowing the little ones ‘abi’? Let me also draw your attention to the CHRAJ boss, the NSS boss, the GYEEDA, SUBAH, ISOFOTON and SADA scandals. What happened thereafter? If we don’t probe into our God given conscience and police ourselves and try to do the right thing, fold our arms and look on unconcern, the same thing will come crushing on us.

Let’s digress that and answer some probing questions……. If it were a teacher who absented him/herself from school for sometimes, do you think he/she will be paid the subsequent month? Will any ordinary citizen be spared the prison if he/she ventures into 2GHC belonging to the state? Do you have into an account the fuels your heavy cars consume? The hotels you lay and the costs? The flats you build, the luxuries and many more others can build two Universities in this country? I have always known that the teachers put all of us where we are. The doctors and nurses make sure we are all well to live and work. The farmer is verily doing well to sustain our lives. What have these bodies done wrong to merit hunger and frustration from your governance?

Besides all these and many other factors retarding the growth of this country, you are still promising on occasions on what you intend doing. I have seen you inaugurated two major roads last week and many are in construction. That’s a plus for you. You really did well. But the 200 High schools you campaigned to build. None has been inaugurated ooooo.

Mr. President please Finish the road constructions. Fix the economy call the dollar to the privileges committee to answer questions on why it has only set eye on the cedi and not other currencies. Call your “babies with sharp teeth” to book. Please make another last promise and Ghanaians will be happy with this administration and come 2016, massively you will win the election through no foul means. Promise that, you promise for the last time not to promise any promise again.

I will like to end here in my solitude with a reminder of the national pledge to you……………. I promise on my honour, to be faithful and loyal to Ghana my motherland. I promise to hold in high and esteem………….to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana and we all will chant …………….so help me God…….Amen.

Wisdom Bonuedi
The writer is an Art Teacher who writes issues on Education, Politics, Social life and Humanity.

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