Dr. Ato Forson
There is a phenomenon emerging, call it vogue if you like, among renowned citizens of the land who think they control the magic wand to our problems.
Some of these groups of people have at one stage served in public office and Ghanaians saw what they did. There is hardly any government policy that meets their expectations. From the government’s decision to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), lithium agreement, the 2024 budget and the now suspended export restriction bill, these voices have not spared the government for what they perceived to be an attempt to further impoverish Ghanaians.
The hypocrisy here is this. Very often Ghanaians have bemoaned the huge foreign exchange spent on the importation of some items that we are better off without them.
Look at the amount spent on some meat products, tooth pick, peanuts and even rice, tomatoes and onions to find out there is any justification in the unbridled liberalisation that allows the importation of anything under the sun.
We know the benefits of the free economy but that does not mean that the state cannot intervene when there are challenges. The Minority in Parliament even trivialised the debate by suggesting that it is an attempt by the government to milk importers for their personal gain.
We are very sure Ghanaians again listened to the Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson, when he argued against tax exemptions in the 2024 budget whereas just less than eight years ago as a deputy Finance Minister he superintended over a similar policy.
The inconsistently consistent hypocrisy is driving all of us crazy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with our Fourth Republican Constitution to suggest that we throw it into a waste can and write a new one. It is based on this same premise that Dr. Sam Ankrah thinks that the duopoly of NPP and NDC ought to be broken for a government of national unity.
Alan Kyerematen of the Butterfly Movement holds similar view in a way trying to resurrect the late General Kutu Acheampong’s Union Government idea.
The issue is simple; and that is some of our compatriots who would identify themselves as renowned citizens are confused.
They have lost the plot to be relevant in today’s body politic and hold the view that the only way they would be seen to be important is to bash the government.
Their attitudes could be likened to sour grapes but not borne out of genuine concern for the people. While in public service, they never raised their voices against the perks, but for the sake of populism, everything the government does must be situated along the path of gloom and doom.
They have made themselves part of the problems but not the solutions, although they give the impression to Ghanaians that they know it all from Archaeology to Zoology. In other words, they are Jacks of all trades, masters of none. If that were not the case, why is it that people and the so-called renowned citizens do not talk about areas where their expertise would be brought to bear on the national conversation?