President Akufo-Addo
“The lion does not turn around when small dogs bark”— African Proverb.
It all started as a rumour in the media. I told myself that it was nothing but pure rumour. All the same, I prayed fervently that the rumour should not come to pass. I shuddered to imagine the reaction of the propagandists and how they would play on the keyboard of people’s emotions to cause disaffection for the young government.
My prayer was not answered as my worst fear came to pass. The story that the Elephant government was an obese one turned out to be fact, and not fiction. The report that 110 ministers were riding on the fat Elephant was true, after all!
True to my fears, the propagandists have resorted to playing on the keyboard of people’s emotions in order to cause mass disaffection for the ruling party. After the drubbing they received at the 2016 poll and the resultant shame, it is obvious that they are now clutching at straws hoping to resuscitate the dead trust the electorate have for them and their party. We wait to see if the straws would save them!
Trust me when I say I do understand the genuine lamentations of civil society groups and individuals who have no political points to gain. Their complaints are well-founded so one cannot blame them for ranting. Indeed, no one can dispute the fact that the seeming chubby Elephant government under President Nana Akufo-Addo is the biggest under the Fourth (4th) Republic.
But the truth also is that President Nana Akufo-Addo inherited a very bad economy; so he needs to use a radical approach in order to sanitize the situation. It would be foolhardy to expect him to use the same old strategy to achieve a different result. If the 110 ministers would help him actualize the FREE SHS, ONE VILLAGE-ONE DAM, ONE DISTRICT-ONE FACTORY, PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS and other policies, then why don’t we give him the benefit of the doubt? After all, he has four years to deliver on his promise, doesn’t he?
As I pondered over the raging debate on the apparent obese Elephant government, I couldn’t help but wonder if the lamentations of the likes of Prof. Ransford Gyampo are really genuine and devoid of malice. I doubt if Prof. Gyampo and his ilk would reject a ministerial appointment from the President on the grounds that his government is bloated. Could it be that some of them are shouting their voices hoarse because their names were missing from the ministerial roll? It is just a question oo!
Yes, the Elephant might look obese in comparison to other governments under the 4th Republic. But I still prefer an obese government that delivers to a lean government that disappoints. I prefer an obese government that would not inflate contracts to a lean government that engages in “create, loot and share” schemes. I prefer an obese government that abides strictly by the procurement act to a lean government that uses sole-sourcing to deplete state resources and line the pockets of its appointees.
I laugh when I see unrepentant greedy bastards rejoice over genuine ranting against the apparent bloated Elephant. I laugh because they are exhibiting traits of jokers. They delude themselves into believing that engaging in cacophony of noises would restore their lost goodwill.
I’m not an expert in political science but I can say without any fear of contradiction that nobody would vote for or against a government solely because of its number of ministers. What would influence the electorate include the fight against corruption, the management of the economy and its impact on the people’s standard of living.
Am I happy with the obese Elephant government? No, I’m not; but I’m not worried. I’m not worried because I know the end justifies the means. As the President himself said in an interview with GTV, the size of the Elephant wouldn’t matter if it is able to deliver on its promise.
As I watched the President during the said interview, I heaved a sigh and thanked the Bearded Old Man above for giving us a president who respects his compatriots. He clearly expressed his point of view with neither obvious nor implied insults. Indeed, I’m happy to have a president who has not been infected with the dead-goat syndrome.
Yes, the Elephant looks bloated; but the fierce criticisms have come too early. I liken the hasty condemnation of the seeming obese Elephant to a man who experiences premature ejaculation while a beautiful damsel waits in vain to be satisfied. Obviously, such a bloke can never retain the love of the disappointed damsel.
As for the 110 ministers and other government appointees, my unsolicited counsel to them is to make sure not to die and allow lurking vultures feast on their carcass. For they need not be reminded how hungry the vultures are.
See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!