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The successive NDC governments have dishonoured numerous Manifesto promises, but the one that has ineffaceably stencilled on discerning Ghanaians mental sheets, is the one-time NHIS premium. That Manifesto promise, so to speak, was destitute of honesty and integrity.
Given their lackadaisical approach to governance, it would be wholly unreasonable for anybody to suggest that to err is human and therefore the NDC must be pardoned and given another chance in 2020.
Truly, never before had we witnessed so much scheming guiles, sleazes and corruption, arrogance of power and dereliction of duty by an elected government.
I recollect somewhere last year, I had an interesting political debate with my nephew. My nephew, who happens to be a diehard supporter of NDC, ventured and insisted somewhat speciously that even though the erstwhile NDC government failed woefully to rescue the distressed economy, the NDC government delivered some infrastructural projects and therefore deserves another chance in government.
However, upon my nephew’s seemingly improvident and somewhat sophistic argument, I put it to him: “nephew, what were you then expecting NDC government to do for you when you voted the party into power?”
My nephew retorted passionately and frankly that he gave his mandate to the NDC in anticipation that his life would be transformed through pragmatic policies and programmes.
However, in a state of utter bewilderment, I quizzed my nephew : “well, my dear nephew, did your life ever transform positively by the NDC government’s much touted, albeit meaningless slogans -‘People matter you matter,’ye be de keke’, ‘better Ghana agenda’ and ‘we are transforming lives?”
My nephew paused for a few seconds, coughed spontaneously and responded somewhat dejectedly by saying that his life and that of his associates never transformed as expected despite the so-called infrastructural projects.
“Are you really serious, dear nephew?” I quizzed in amazement. I posed: “so where is your motivation for improvidently itching to give NDC another chance in government?”
My nephew then sighed deeply, cleared his throat in a rapid succession, and then replied disappointingly that, although his life never transformed meaningfully under the outgone NDC administration, he has been voting for NDC all the time and does not want to depart from such loyalty.
Upon hearing my nephew’s unfortunate and somewhat temerarious remark, I gave an incredulous stare towards his direction, sigh heavily in a state of utter incredulity, and then quizzed him: “did I hear you right?”
My nephew: “what do you mean?” I replied: “I mean did you mention loyalty?” My nephew: “yes I did.”
I proceeded: ”well, my dear nephew, hear me, since that loyalty could not transform your life positively during the NDC’s eight years of empty promises, why then hold on to such a vacuous belief?”
My nephew: “well, I have been advised by my ‘Man of God’ to be faithful at all times regardless.”
In a state of irrevocable disbelief, I responded: “no, my dear nephew, debunk such transcendental teachings by the so-called ‘Men of God.”
I enquired: “my dear nephew, be true to yourself, has your Pastor ever offered you a meagre portion of the gargantuan church offerings?” “No.” She responded.
I continued: “let me tell you then nephew, even the kind-hearted Blessed Theresa of Calcutta would not have kept such unbridled loyalty.”
My nephew: “but aren’t all politicians the same? So why should I change from one to another?”
“No. You are wrong nephew, politicians have different levels of competence, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, so they are never the same”, I retorted.
I proceeded: “my dear nephew, it would be unfair and incommodious for you to compare for instance, the achievements of Dr Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah to the achievements of President Rawlings.”
“Dear nephew, for if nothing at all, Dr Nkrumah built hundreds of factories and only for President Rawlings to off load all to individuals for pittance through his preposterous Economic Recovery Programme.”
“Similarly, dear nephew, it would be boundlessly unconscionable and somewhat infelicitous to compare President Kufuor’s achievements in terms of social interventions to that of President Mahama and his NDC government’s accomplishments during their eight years in office.”
“Indeed, my dear nephew, if for nothing at all, President Kufuor and his NPP government introduced the free Maternal Care, the School Feeding Programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Mass Transport System, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the National Youth Employment Programme, now known as GYEDA ,amongst others.”
“In the same vein, my dear nephew, it would be extremely unfair to compare Mills/Mahama’s 96 months of average performance to Akufo-Addo’s 27 months of unprecedented social interventions.”
“Take my word for it, nephew, it is absolutely true that the outgone Mahama’s government licentiously spent excessively and above its means, and, in the process wilfully increased our total debt from GH9.5 billion in 2009 to GH122.4 billion as of December 2016 with a little to show for.”
“Believe it or not, my nephew, this means that there was virtually no money left in the national purse for the incoming NPP government to turn things around quickly.”
“Let me tell you, nephew, in spite of the seemingly insuperable difficulties, since assuming office, the Akufo-Addo’s government has taken commendable strides to improve the social mobility through implementation of poverty reduction policies such as Free SHS, one district one factory, one million dollars per constituency, tax reductions (including import taxes), a dam per village in the northern part of Ghana, among others.”
“And despite the huge economic mess created by the outgone NDC government amid stunted economic growth, Akufo-Addo’s government has efficiently raised the economic growth from a disappointing 3.4 per cent as of December 2016 to over 8.5 per cent within a short space of time.”
“My dear nephew, if you care to know, since taking office, the NPP government has dramatically reversed the inflation rate to around 9per cent from a little over 15 per cent as of December 2016.”
My dear nephew, it is absolutely true that the Akufo-Addo’s government is tackling the erstwhile Mahama’s government economic mess head-on.
Clearly, nephew, President Akufo-Addo and his government are graciously delivering on their Manifesto promises to the delight of the vast majority of Ghanaians.
“Well, my dear nephew, would you be kind enough and name just a single social intervention that has been implemented by your so-called social democratic party?” I asked.
Nephew: “well, “I can’t think far”. “No. I don’t remember the successive NDC governments ever implementing any social intervention.”
“You see, dear nephew, your so-called loyalty is baseless, so, I will beseech you to engage in serious introspection and change your ways, I propounded earnestly.”
Nephew: “You are really making sense more than my Pastor who has been urging me to remain loyal at all times.”
Nephew: “I will definitely ruminate over your poignant message and then make a sensible move during the next election. “Many thanks for your incisive counselling.”
“It is my pleasure dear nephew. “Indeed, it is my wish that you depart from your unbridled loyalty”, I counselled.
Nephew: “well, it is my fervent hope that I toss such loyalty, for it cannot transform my life anyway.”
As a matter of fact, I walked out of the debate with my head held high, as I somehow managed to persuade my inflexible nephew who has hitherto been clinging on to the hopeless loyalty.
k.badu2011@gmail.com
