“Forewarned, forearmed: burnt children dread the fire”.
Robert Green: A Notable,
Discovery of Coosnage
Forewarned is forearmed or to be forewarned is to be forearmed or for a tinge of Latin “praemoritus, praemunitus” has its origin in the 16th century. In the play ‘Julius Caesar’, when the soothsayer or prognosticator told Julius Caesar: “Beware the ideas of March “, Ceasar dismissed him as a “dreamer” Caesar shared his thoughts with Marcus Antonius: “Let me have men about me that are fat: sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o’night: Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look: he thinks too much: such men are dangerous”. Artemidorus, reading: “Caesar, beware of Brutus, take heed of Cassius, come not near Casca, have an eye to Cinna: trust not Trebonius, Mark well Mettellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast wronged Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, and it is bent against Caesar. If thou beest not immortal, look about you; security gives way to conspiracy… And when Brutus stabs Caesar, he is surprised, and shouts “Et tu, Brute?” (You too, Brutus?). That was a rehash of the murder of Emperor Caesar in 44 BC.
The scene in Parliament on that fateful Tuesdaywas funereal and sickening.
The acts and speeches were, at best unparliamentary; at worst, fatuous (not only foolish and stupid, but complacent and self-motivated. The whole parliament should apologize to the nation.
On 26th November, after the Minister of Finance had read the Agyenkwa Budget, the Speaker and the 137 Members of the Minority NDC voted to reject it (after the Majority had walked out of the Chamber). After the act, the Speaker left for, we hear, Dubai for a “medical check-up”, and it was the turn of the First Deputy Speaker. Joe Osei-Wusu, the MP for Bekwa to act.
The Agyenkwa Budget came up again, and this time round, the NDC Minority walked out, leaving the NPP Majority to pass the Budget, with the presence of Adwoa Safo. Joe Osei-Wusu rightly counted himself among the MPs. Unbelievable, an MP pulled the Speaker’s chair and sang “Revo revolution”. What kind of revolution? Is it like the stupid J.J. Rawlings’s revolution of 1979? No, we were pricked and we immediately took a painful decision not to write on POLITICS again…” Until, our mentor, Frank Apeagyei, Veteran journalist and proprietor of Beverly Hotel, Asylum Down, Accra invited us for a “pep-talk”. We would say, all went well!
But what would happen if the Budget was not approved? Kwaku Kwarteng MP for Obuasi West and Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament supplies the answer: “If we don’t approve the budget and by 1st of January 2022, there is no approved Appropriation, public sector workers (including military, police and other security service staff) cannot be paid. Ghana cannot honour its international obligations and we will throw this country into chaos…” He reminded the nation of using GH¢33.00 out of every GH¢100.00 collected as revenue to pay off interest on loans collected by Mahama in 2016!
The following day, we went to see Kent Gyapong, the proprietor of Great Homes Company. In a chat, it emerged that he felt a bit disillusioned about the goings-on in the country now. He would have increased the E-levy if he were the Finance Minister – but there would have been wide consultations and discussions before the introduction in the Parliament. “NPP has not been fair to those who helped it to come to power; remember 2008 and 2012. Look at what the NDC did to…”
It was time to return to Kumasi. The Bolt driver we took from Tema to the V.I.P. bus station at the Circle did not feel enthused about the cessation of the tolls at the Toll booth. “Why should we deny the physically impaired the right to survival? Why should we sack all those who earned a living here, by selling ice water, doughnuts, chips, fruits… We wanted the government to reduce the price of fuel and not stop the toll-collection. All my earnings for a day goes into the buying of petrol… “Look at the pot-holes on the motor-way. Question: “Where do you come from? Have you looked at the roads in your area… Answer: “I come from… for three years, I have not been home. I eke out a living here in Accra. I hear there are developments in my home area…” Question: So don’t you feel obliged to contribute to the development of the country… that is what the E-levy seeks to do… Answer: “Government should find money from elsewhere and not tax the little money I earn to cater for my kids”. Question: “You don’t pay school fees, do you?” Answer: “No, but that’s not enough…” Question: “will you vote for NPP?” Answer: “No… but I’ll not vote for NDC either…”.
We had arrived at the V.I.P. Station, and our charge was GH¢46.00. We pulled out a GH¢50.00 note. We told the driver to keep the GH¢4 change and were dashing to buy our ticket. Just at that time Mr. Yaw Amponsah Marfo, also known as “Ewiase” the unstinting, hard-working Managing Director of the V.I.P. Company saw us and beckoned us to come to the top while he charged one of his boys to get us a ticket. The satisfaction for the GH¢60.00 ticket was as great as the GH¢5,000.00 he had dashed us a few years before.
Sitting at the lone seat, numbered 12, we mused about the whole journey. It had been enriching, and we dismissed Mahama’s dictum that Ghanaians were forgetful. No, not all. But NPP as a party could be! What has the party done for its communicators? Where is Nana Bonsu? We recall how this gentleman would trek from office to office to solicit a few cedis to keep him going as NPP communicator on FM stations. How do NPP members, especially the executive of the party see him? A tick, a nuisance?
Who in NPP say they do not know us? Is it the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, our “Mpomponsuo” mate? Yes, we were editors of the 1980s newspaper named after the sword of the Asantehene. It has an embossment symbolizing “responsibility” and touting patience, prudence and circumspection. Mr. Kwame Awuah will not be just an erudite lawyer. As a nationalistic octogenarian he is committed to peace within the country. He is touched by the plight of the victims of the Keta flooding, just as he is worried about what happens to the victims of flooding anywhere else, including Ashanti. But he thinks part of the GH¢10m fund for “feasibility studies” of the coastal belt could have been given to “support” the victims of the Keta flooding.
As the top hierarchy of the NPP hop from country to country in the world, or cruise in their V8 they should not forget those of us down: who made it possible for them to climb to the top.
If you find us shifting from the high falutin phrases to the humdrum, don’t be surprised. As for those who are “enjoying” now, we have told them before: “We will not phone you again” because we have our self-dignity to protect!
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From AfricanusOwusu-Ansah