Features
Mahama’s views on economy: Critique
John Dramani Mahama
As a result of the economic challenges Ghana is facing today, the former president, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on 27th October, 2022, had cause to make some observations on the country’s economy and suggest ways of improving upon the economic situation.
He focussed on the higher indebtedness of the country and pointed out that it was a serious situation that ought to be addressed. According to him, Ghana had to cut down on imports and export more to other countries.
OPINIONS
This observation is not new because many Ghanaians have expressed similar views over the past few months. Thus, mentioning it at this time brings nothing new to the situation.
There must be some good reason why Mr John Mahama would want to make observations on the economy of the country. Ghana, like other countries in the world, finds itself in a difficult economic situation that needs to be addressed without delay.
MAHAMA’S INTENTIONS
The former President, first of all, has every right to comment on the economic situation in Ghana. First of all, he wanted his presence to be felt as far as economic issues were concerned so that Ghanaians would know that he was not out of touch with economic conditions in Ghana.
The second reason was that he wanted followers of his party to know that he was still a force to reckon with as far as leadership of the NDC was concerned.
Again, he wanted to gradually establish himself as a top contender who could lead the NDC in 2024 for the elections. This appears to have succeeded because he appears to have more resources than any other potential candidate to lead the NDC for the battle in 2024.
He created the impression the government of the NPP is always thinking about what they call “Breaking the eight” instead of thinking about how to solve the country’s problems.
POSSIBLE FLAG-BEARER
In light of this, the NDC is equally concerned about how they could also win the elections in 2024. This is clear from the pronouncements of the Minority MPs and the conduct of other members of the party outside parliament. As far as many observers in the country are concerned, Mr. John Mahama is very concerned and more determined than any other person within the NDC as a possible flag-bearer of that party.
This is because the NDC which is in opposition, is yet to open nominations for people who are interested to contest the position. Other contenders such as Mr. Kwabena Duffuor as well as others have not come up yet to exhibit their intentions. It would be good if new faces can emerge to lead the NDC as possible flag-bearers during 2024.
There are many people who doubt the capability of Mr. Mahama as a good presidential candidate for his party. As has been pointed out, he has more resources than any person and can carry out better campaign than any possible candidate.
ORDINARY OBSERVATIONS
John Mahama’s observations sound ordinary. His comments have all been echoed by people in the country and they reflect the views and comments of a few of their intellectuals in some of the universities. They again reflect the views of some of his minority parliamentarians so they bring nothing new on board.
One surprising comment which he made in connection with the cutting down of expenditures of the country was the call on government to suspend the African Games being hosted by Ghana in 2023. According to him, this would bring in more expenditure to worsen the case in relation to cost cutting. It must be pointed out, however, that the former President does not seem to understand the organisation of the African Games as a form of investment.
INVESTMENT
It is an investment that would bring many people into the country to watch the games. What this means is that, our hotels would be booked, and many of those who visit the country would also patronise food prepared by many food vendors.
They would bring in foreign currencies, notably dollars, which are now in shorter supply, thereby helping to strengthen the Cedi in the country.
Against this background, it is strange that many of the issues raised by Mr John Mahama cannot be accepted as valid. He has made his point whether right or wrong and all Ghanaians, must take note of it and make objective analysis of his comments.
WORKABLE SOLUTIONS
There is no doubt that the economic problems the country is facing are very serious and that many people are struggling to make ends meet. If this is the case, then we must think of coming up with fair minded workable solutions that will turn things around.
All Ghanaians must remain calm because it is a matter of time to resolve all these issues and as President Akufo-Addo, keeps saying, “This Too Shall Pass”.
Email address/whatsApp number of author:
Pradmat201@gmail.com (0553318911)
By Dr. Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
One of the issues we have been grappling with as a nation is corruption, and it has had such a devastating effect on our national development. I have been convinced that until morality becomes the foundation upon which our governance system is built, we can never go forward as a nation.
Our traditional practices, which have shaped our cultural beliefs, have always espoused values that have kept us along the straight and the narrow and have preserved our societies since ancient times.
These are values that frown on negative habits like stealing, cheating, greediness, selfishness, etc. Our grandparents have told us stories of societies where stealing was regarded as so shameful that offenders, when caught, have on a number of instances committed suicide.
In fact, my mother told me of a story where a man who was living in the same village as her mother (my grandmother), after having been caught stealing a neighbour’s cockerel, out of shame committed suicide on a mango tree. Those were the days that shameful acts were an abomination.
Tegare worship, a traditional spiritual worship during which the spirit possesses the Tegare Priest and begins to reveal secrets, was one of the means by which the society upheld African values in the days of my grandmother and the early childhood days of my mother.
Those were the days when the fear of being killed by Tegare prevented people from engaging in anti-social vices. These days, people sleeping with other people’s wives are not uncommon.
These wrongful behaviour was not countenanced at all by Tegare. One was likely going to lose his life on days that Tegare operates, and so unhealthy habits like coveting your neighbour’s wife was a taboo.
Stealing of other people’s farm produce, for instance, could mean certain death or incapacitation of the whole or part of the body in the full glare of everybody. People realised that there were consequences for wrongdoing, and this went a long way to motivate the society to adhere to right values.
Imagine a President being sworn into office and whoever administers the oath says, “Please say this after me: I, Mr. …., do solemnly swear by God, the spirits of my ancestors and the spirits ruling in Ghana, that should I engage in corrupt acts, may I and my family become crippled, may madness become entrenched in my family, may incurable sicknesses and diseases be my portion and that of my family, both immediate and extended.”
Can you imagine a situation where a few weeks afterwards the President goes to engage in corrupt acts and we hear of his sudden demise or incapacitation and confessing that he engaged in corrupt acts before passing or before the incapacitation—and the effect it will have on his successor? I believe we have to critically examine this option to curb corruption.
My grandmother gave me an eyewitness account of one such encounter where a woman died instantly after the Tegare Priest had revealed a wrong attitude she had displayed during the performance on one of the days scheduled for Tegare spirit manifestation.
According to her story, the Priest, after he had been possessed by the spirit, declared that for what the woman had done, he would not forgive her and that he would kill. Instantly, according to my grandmother, the lady fell down suddenly and she died—just like what happened to Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts Chapter 5.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO
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