President Nana Akufo-Addo
Success comes to those who dedicate everything to their passion in life. To be successful, it is also very important to be humble and never let fame or money travel to your head.
A.R Rahman
Some historians trace the 100-day timeline to the time Napoleon Bonaparte took to return from exile in Elba to France (1814) to be reinstated as France’s ruler and then waged a war against England and Prussia, till his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
A century later, Franklin Delano Roosevelt U.S. 32nd President in 1933 in one of the most famous inaugural speeches, remarked to a nation weary of the Great Depression: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. Barely 24hours in office Roosevelt declared a four – day bank holiday and drafted the Emergency Banking Act which succeeded in calming a financial panic that was twirling out of control. He established the ‘fireside chat ‘tradition, called congress into a three – month-long special session and passed 15 pieces of major legislations, later becoming known as the ‘New Deal’. So successful was Roosevelt’s administration that, despite the Constitutional requirement of two terms, he won a record four presidential election from (1933) till his death in 1945.
The 100 – day deadline has been used by all US Presidents who came after Roosevelt, and Ghana has followed the tradition since she returned to democracy in 1992.
Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo Addo has described his 100—day tenure so far as successful and has asked his critics to take a seat and watch him fulfill the promises he made to Ghanaians over the next four years. He was at Kwahu on Saturday and he reiterated the commitment of his administration to introduce the free SHS this coming September
He also praised his government for cutting, abolishing and reducing a total of 15 taxes including import levies on spare parts and ‘Kayayei’ fees. He had fulfilled the campaign promises of restoring the trainee teachers’ and nurses’ allowances, with peacekeeping allowances for military personnel increased from $31 to $35 per day.
Nana Addo defended the large size of his government saying: ‘The problems facing the country, including the decline in the agriculture sector, corruption, the low growth of the economy and revenue leaks, required bold measures to address them hence the appointments many have described as excessive”.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice -President at ‘100 Days’ Town Hall meeting at the Law Court Complex in Accra (17/04/17) said in spite of inheriting a difficult economic situation,” . …we can point to some significant achievements.” He was quick to remind Ghanaians that: “We did not make promises for 100 days”. High on the agenda of 103 achievements were: free SHS; one-village-one-dam ; free maternal care; reduction of electricity and water bills; the creation of the North – Western region; payment of $1m to all 275 constituencies and the abolishing of various taxes and levies.
Dr Bawumia noted that the government had increased the country’s foreign reserves from less than $6billion to $8 billion; and that the free – falling cedi had been ‘arrested’
Speaking to ‘Joy News’, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu lamented: “The government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is on the path to utter failure and will soon flip – flop on many of its campaign promises … contractors were told that they would be paid within 100 days, now it is a different tongue today, practically impossible.”
On the security of the nation, Haruna Iddrisu noted: “You have a country with growing insecurity which is a betrayal of the country’s democracy and Nana Addo’s compromising partisan attitude and failure to bring to order the disturbances and violent acts of vigilante groups like the Invincible Forces and Delta Forces is a threat to constitutional rule, if not properly managed”
The Deputy Minority Leader strongly chastised the NPP government, “ In the area of security, therefore , the Akufo Addo – Bawumia led administration have been an abysmal failure …and they need to do more to set the hearts and mind of Ghanaians at peace. They should desist from choosing political expediency over reason and stop turning a blind eye as their thugs unleash more violence on Ghanaians…. Ghana under Akufo – Addo is witnessing state – sponsored thuggery and terrorism and we the citizens have watched on helplessly as our compatriots have been subjected to brutal assault, harassment and intimidations “.
Dr Oduro-Osae, the Dean of the Graduate Studies of the Institute of Local Government speaking of the 100 days in office of Akufo Addo’s government noted that “…the NPP government has set the right foundation for success” he also praised the swift manner in which government went about its appointments. On the debit side, he lamented the incidents of attacks by some vigilante groups, including the Delta Force.
But how has been the NDC’s 100 days in Opposition? Accusations and counter – accusations, internecine fights, violence – with little to no chance given to the 13 – member committee set up to investigate the cause of the party’s defeat and come out with possible remedies.
A group calling itself the NDC Action Movement accuses the former President, John Mahama of weak leadership skills with the appointment of incompetent and power-drunk individuals who failed to see the foreboding events. Kofi Portuphy, the NDC Chairman who supervised the NDC 2016 catastrophic crash has not ceased wearing the red band on his head. Abusuapanin who has lost a dear child. Wobesu ara awu. Mahama has accepted all the blame for the NDC failure. Ghanaians may not forget the NDC failed promises of 2012 : one-time NHIS premium ; reducing fuel prices drastically; putting money in people’s pockets; clearing all filth in the cities within the first 100 days; building 200,000 houses through STX; 40% representation of women in government ; elimination of all schools under trees.
Ralph Waldo Emerson composed the mountain and the squirrel poem: “ The mountain and the squirrel had a quarrel, And the former called the latter ‘Little Prig’ . Bun replied : You ‘ re doubtless very big ….. Talents differ; all is well and wisely put, if I cannot carry forests on my back neither can you crack a nut”.
NDC may keep a straight face – as a defensive mechanism; they may sulk in private. Their eyes may be as red as Kofi Portuphy’s red band. No one should tease them. Did I hear anyone say ‘Onaapo’? Tweaa. The phrase has always been ‘so far, so good’; meaning an activity is going on successfully, especially when you think something could go wrong. We are yet to hear ‘so far, so bad’ and Nana Addo is on the trail to success, given the successful meeting with the three Johns on Tuesday.
Africanus Owusu Ansah
africanusoa@gmail.com