Features
If I were a President
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
When Moses was a shepherd, all he needed was the direction to which he pointed his staff and his sheep obeyed the command. But when God asked him to lead His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt, Moses began to have issues with his own kind. This seems to suggest that it is easier to lead sheep than fellow humans. But leading your kind is both an art and a science.
I imagine being introduced as His Excellency Dr. Akofa Kwame Segbefia, President of the Republic of Ghana. Then I ask myself what is excellent about my being president? No answer. But would I want to be president of this country? This is a question I have had to deal with from friends, my students and many others.
Because I totally agree with Prof P.L.O. Lumumba when he said the African electorate’s affinity for electing people with no ideas is amazing, I have never seen myself being up for the presidency. All I can do is wish.
Writing to criticise or critique a leader or public office holders is a daunting task, given the volatile African political climate. As a writer, I am minded to understand what I am likely to put my Editor through with each sentence I write, especially since this is a State owned newspaper. So far, my Editor has not reported being taken on for my writings. Though encouraged by this, I try not to press my luck to any insane heights.
But on Social Media, I write what is on my mind without any care in the world as no one will be held responsible for what I write. However, as a professional, I try not to cause slander or defamation. In all of these it is healthy to speak truth to power, no matter how unpalatable it might be.
Now, first thing I will do as President is to empower all statutory institutions to do as their mandates allow without let or hindrance. CHRAJ, NCCE, EC, the Judiciary, OSP, the security services and the media, especially the state owned ones. All these institutions must be as “fiercely independent” as the Kenyan judiciary is noted for.
When these institutions are really independent, Mr. President can relax and run affairs. When corrupt officials are exposed, all the president has to do is the easiest job of acting on recommendations of the independent bodies and cannot be blamed for nepotism, favouritism or cronyism. This way, round pegs will always find their way into round holes.
As President, I will call for a review of provisions in the constitution that give me too much powers. This is to ease unnecessary headaches on the president once these independent bodies can handle many of those provisions. The Council of State must be constituted only by our traditional rulers who, by custom, are custodians of our traditions. They ruled us before the European foray into our lives. Each Regional House of Chiefs must elect one of their members to serve on the Council.
The Civil Service must be made more professional such that the Head of the Civil Service reports only to Parliament. The Civil Service Council must have the free hand to recruit the right caibre of staff to various positions. Each head of department must sign a performance contract with the Council. Sanctions must be applied on anyone found to have performed below expectation.
No one identified with a political party will be appointed to head any State-owned enterprises, unless the qualifications required for the job cannot be found among the apolitical group. A president can make things simple and uncomplicated for himself and the nation by allowing the system to work.
On Sunday, October 30, 2022, I watched and listened to President Akufo-Addo deliver his latest “Fellow Ghanaians” but I did not hear him save for one sentence. This was his admission that the country was in crisis. I was sorely disappointed overall.
Just a week or so earlier, over 80 Members of Parliament from his own party called on him to sack the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta. Though news filtered in that he had met with the group and told them Ken would go after the IMF negotiations and the 2023 Budget, he should have addressed the issue to the nation. He did not. To him, it was a non issue.
Nowhere in our national life has public opprobrium to a government been so heightened, yet Mr President ignores the people. Assuming, touchwood, Ofori Atta is incapacitated today, will the IMF negotiations come to a halt? Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked in the middle of Finance Ministers meeting and replaced. What is it about Ofori Atta that Ghana can burn if he has to go?
That Nana Addo tells his Cabinet that Ofori Atta be left alone because his Databank financed his campaign is very revealing. So, Ken Ofori Atta was put at that Ministry to recoup the money his Bank prosecuted his electioneering with, not so? Astute politicians are mindful of what they say, but not my President. He simply cares less.
Meanwhile, Ofori Atta himself has been quoted as saying he is the best person to handle our economy. I want to believe he has been misquoted because the question he must answer is: where was he when the cedi began its free-fall? Which Ministry was he in charge of all this while? To run the economy down and turn around to say you are the best to fix it is the ultimate insult to the sensibilities of the people. This insult must stop.
One of the issues that will not leave the front burner is the size of our government. Too many ministers, too many deputies and CEOs and too many hangers-on, but the president chose not to address them. Instead, Mr President decided to only repeat the 30 per cent reduction he ordered long ago in the remuneration of his appointees as if it is a new directive. I expected Mr. President to tell us how much was saved to the State since this directive.
Another issue he refused to address is the fifty-plus vehicular convoy he moves in at a time that fuel prices have breached the roof. Mr President does not care. Again, he rather decided to go on a tangent unrelated to what the mood of the country is at this moment. Money does not like noise!! What has this got to do with the despondency in the land? What has this got to do with the hunger we are facing?
Personally, I feel sad when the President’s party communicators publicly defend him yet are quick to admit the nation’s dire situation to friends in private. Are they afraid of a reprisal or backlash from the hawks in their camp? Is the Party interest above the national interest?
And the reference to our neighbouring countries, who, clearly, are managing the global crunch better, is nauseating. Do we all not remember our president, when he was on the campaign trail, saying if he were the then president, he would apologise to the people for the exchange rate of the cedi? I thought his October 30 address was the forum for him to render that apology with the fall of the cedi breaking the sound barrier. But he would not
President Addo would rather blame the economic situation on speculators . It seems our leaders do not yet know that speculation is the pivot on which commerce thrives. Only those who are in denial will blame speculators for the performance of our currency.
Today, even drivers’ mates, ordinary market folks and children are talking about the issues that affect them. No more do they talk about personalities. This is a pointer to our politicians that there is a greater awareness among the people.
I am sorely embarrassed by my people booing the Vice President at the Hogbe Za at Anloga, but our leaders must admit that they have brought this upon themselves.
Writer’s email address:
akofa45@yahoo.com
By Dr Akofa K. Segbefia
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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