Features
The consequences of our leaders’ unfavourable statements
I don’t envy the position of President or Head of State, especially on the African continent, precisely my own beautiful country, Ghana. The position of a head of state or president is a revered one, because it comes with a lot of respect and accolades. A person entrusted with that position, must hold himself or herself in high esteem because, as the saying goes, you are either the number one gentleman or gentle woman of the land. That person is responsible to the day-to-day administration of his or her country and, therefore, he or she is held accountable and liable for what happens under his or her tenure.
THE PRESIDENCY
The presidency is a sacred and noble institution which is an important embodiment of a tangible or visible form of idea, quality and feeling. Therefore, persons associated with this noble institution, must be upright, selfless, passionate, endurance, perseverance, foresight, high-handedness, forward-looking among other positive attributes.
However, even though the position of head of state or president is juicy and comes with a lot of goodies and sometimes with some comfort and some form of enjoyment, in spite of the heavy schedule, I will be the last person to accept that leadership role in this country even if I am the most qualified person to take – up that position. Why am I saying so? The insult, acrimony, name calling, incrimination, bashing, character assassination, vilification among other negativities associated with leadership role, just put me off completely. I am a sort of person who will always want to be a simple and committed journalist, who is interested in using the power of the pen and for that matter, the computer, to right the wrongs in our dear country and put leadership on their toes. I will always say things as I see them and possibly suggest tangible solutions to emerging problems.
PERFORMANCE AS PRESIDENT
It is a fact and the gospel truth that if you are a president or a leader of a country and you are performing well to the satisfaction of your country men and women, you will be hailed and cherished by the people because of the confidence they have reposed in you as their leader. On the other hand, if you are president or head of state who performs abysmally, you will definitely incur the wrath of your people and they will criticise and insult you at the least opportunity. Even you will not find things smooth sailing with supporters from your own party. That is the time you will ‘smell pepper’, because you may think your own supporters have deserted you completely.
THE BEDROOMS OF PRESIDENTS
I cannot be in the bedroom of any president because that is not a place for me and I am not qualified to be there, but I can conveniently and confidently say that, non-performing heads of state or presidents go through hell in their bedrooms. The unsurmountable problems hanging on their necks become a major headache for them in the bedrooms and sometimes generate heated arguments between them and their spouses. In some rare cases, their spouses would have wished that they resign because of the insults and bashings from the people. The problems of the country are so pronounced that they would be having sleepless nights, always thinking about where solutions will come from so that they can have their peace.
THE PRESIDENT OF GHANA TODAY
The picture I have painted is just the situation in our dear country today in which the high cost of living among the people, with inflation constantly rocketing and the local currency, the cedi, depreciating in value against the major international currency, the dollar, as well as fuel increases, forcing transport fares to go up, thus depriving majority of the people their comfort, have been the major headache of the ruling government. Since the buck stops at the president, he is being accused, insulted, maligned and incriminated for supervising the weak economy. Currently, we have started negotiating with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout of the serious crisis within our economy. Not even the explanation from the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to the extent that the economic turmoil was as a result of COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated by the Russian-Ukraine war, was enough to convince the people to tone down their regular bashings on social and other media outlets.Even from the stronghold of his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region, people are not sparing him the ordeal he is going through. He was reported to have been hooted at, during his recent tour of the Ashanti Region.
THE INCIDENT IN KWABRE EAST
In the Kwabre East Constituency in the Ashanti Region, the President was reported to have told the people that he was not perturbed by the threats from residents in the constituency over the state of poor roads. He said the threats by some of the constituents to vote for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 elections if the roads were not fixed, was much ado about nothing.
Apparently referring to a comments purported to have been made on one of the local FM radio stations in the constituency by an interviewer, that people had vowed not to vote for the NPP in 2024 if their roads were not fixed, the President said, “No problem, no problem, people make those kinds of threats to me, they don’t frighten me. Somebody votes for you, somebody supports you, it is because they want you to do things for them, so I understand that. There is no need for people to say if I do not do it, this or that. That is your own problem. Of course, I will fulfil my promises. But if it so happens that you decide to vote for the NDC, that is your problem, that is not mine. Nobody will hold your hand to thumbprint for any candidate, the most important thing that I understand is the responsibility and will deal with it”.
PRESIDENT’S UNFAVOURABLE COMMENTS
These comments by the President have incurred the displeasure of the people, especially the numerous supporters of the NPP, because they felt the president had looked down on them and betrayed the course of the party since he is in his last term in office. However, be that as it may, one can understand the reaction of the President because of numerous insults and bashings on him of late by most Ghanaians. He, therefore has to stretch his anger to the people in the Kwabre Constituency in the Ashanti Region.
It is most unfortunate that in reaction to the various insults on the President, the Okyehene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, should adopt an insulting posture that did not befit a chief of his calibre. Saying that those who are insulting President Akufo-Addo, are uncivilised villagers, witches and wizards who have no sense of appreciation, is also below the belt because what he has to know is that, people are insulting and criticising the president out of anger and severe hardship in the country and the person who has to take the blame is the President.
EMPTY CAMPAIGN PROMISES
You see, politicians and for that matter, those who want to take leadership roles in governance, do not learn their lessons and, therefore, keep repeating same mistakes of the past. As they crisscrossed the country in the wake of their campaigns to solicit votes from the people, some of them virtually went on their knees begging that they should be tried and tested because they had the capacity to turn this country into a state of “bread and honey”. They vowed to provide all the necessary basic infrastructural requirements when given the chance to govern, knowing very well that it was a difficult task to carry out because the resources to accomplish that were not available. They lied through their teeth to become president and when they were given the mandate to rule, they would perform miserably and then the problems start.
The people are now discerning and more experienced than most of our politicians and, therefore, cannot allow themselves to be fooled any longer. A time will come when nobody will even go to the polling station to vote people who will turn round to feed fat on them and make them look like stooges and undesirables.
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By Charles Neequage