Resign If you can’t do the work- Retired Officers to President Akufo-Addo

Two retired military officers have strongly criticised President Akufo-Addo’s style of governance.

The retired officers are founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)Dr.Nyaho Tamakloe and former Chief of Defence Staff and National Security Advisor, Brigadier General Nunu Mensah

According to them, the President should resign if he cannot govern the country.

They made these remarks when speaking under the auspices of coalition of Ghana Today at a press conference in Accra yesterday.

The retired officers said the leadership style of the President , coupled with the direction the country is heading, could be problematic for Ghana’s democracy.

Dr.Nyaho Tamakloe said, “the Akufo-Addo I know and had numerous dialogues and demonstrations with, is not the Akufo-Addo who is now President.”.

He said as a young medical doctor in the Ghana Armed Forces some years ago, he witnessed despicable disobedience within the ranks and tribal consideration by the leadership of the day in decision-making.

Dr.Tamakloe said, these things are manifesting today, adding that he catalogued many experiences in his book ‘Never Say Die’.

“Now look at how this country that we fought and toiled for to have this democracy restored is now being destroyed through personal interest. To tell you plainly, if the corruption among the political class is not tackled, then we will be in trouble,” he said.

Dr.Tamakloe said as a founding member of the NPP he is worried about how leading figures in the ruling party’s presidential primaries are now publicly confessing these acts of corruption with accusations of siphoning public money and coffers to resettle their families abroad, acquiring properties while the people of Ghana largely suffer and are deprived of basic necessities.

He added that the recent abuse of demonstrators by the police on goes to attests to the fact that this government is doing all it can to clamp down on public sentiments because of the bad management of the economy by its appointees.

“If you can’t do the work, just resign and go away. Anybody who takes over from this country after this government and fails to hold them accountable in terms of properties and physical cash, that person will be my number one enemy, ” Dr.Tamakloe warned.

” How do ministers store stashes of cash in foreign and local currencies in their homes, acquire properties in orime areas of Accra and other parts of the country, drive the most luxurious cars and live extravagantly and expect our youth to be satisfied?,” he queried.

According to Dr.Nyaho Tamakloe, “Governor Ernest Addison should be told in the face that his lack of courtesy towards the demonstrators is a clear exhibition of disrespect in the highest order.”

“Elsewhere in the developed world, public officers like him, whether elected or appointed turn to adopt a more cautionable posture of resignation,” he said.

He urged all those who used to speak truth to power to return from their self-imposed exile.

On his part, Brigadier General Nunu Mensah said, ” I don’t encourage the military to take over power, but when you’re given power, manage the country well that the military will not feel comfortable interfering with your government.”

They also criticised the Electoral Commission and other state agencies who fail to build consensus with their stakeholders in some cases.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme