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