By Brig-General J. Odei
Since independence, Ghana has been relatively peaceful with the exception of some traumatic events such as the overthrow of the First President of Ghana and Dr. K. A. Busia but none of those incidents could be compared with the events of June 4th and 31st December Revolutions in terms of bloodshed. The significant brutalities of the revolutions were the executions of innocent civilians and military personnel, especially the gruesome murders of some Generals and former Heads of State, the abduction and murder of the three High Court Judges and a Military Officer and the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of Ghanaians. In addition, many high profile military officers, civilians and other professionals in executive positions were summarily dismissed or imprisoned for no apparent justifications.
The principle of integrity, probity and accountability touted by the revolutionists were the benchmark on which these atrocities were measured and meted out to innocent Ghanaians. These principles also became a national anthem sang by the apostles of the PNDC and the NDC. However, the integrity of the Revolutionaries did not last long when they schemed and smuggled Indemnity Clauses into the Constitutional Provisions and thereby made it impossible for any Ghanaian or Government to call them to account for their stewardship using the same benchmarks. By this singular act, the apostles of the Revolution failed to prove their integrity and credibility to Ghanaians and with unfolding events, it became apparent that they were even worse than the people they accused. For example, what happened to the monies kept in AFRC’S accounts is still a mystery and these were the early signs of thievery and corruption during the revolutionary era but smartly concealed by the Indemnity Clauses of the Constitution.
When the PNDC metamorphosed into a political party (NDC), integrity, probity and accountability were the fundamental principles on which the party was founded. Unfortunately, the political party turned into a hydra-headed phenomenon with national, regional and district tentacles that churned out promises, rhetorics, propaganda, lies and deceit. As it solidified its foundation, these unholy characteristics became concretised and decency in governance was thrown to the dogs. The party is cunning, deceitful, divisive, uncaring and a powerful political propaganda machine, and like the Revolution, have sought in diverse ways to change the political dynamics of this country since their inception but have failed miserably because the intentions are not noble.
President Mills is dead and gone but what he bequeathed to Ghanaians in terms of honesty in governance is a disaster. Whilst some relatives and friends are still wondering what sent Mills to his grave, Ghanaians have to content themselves with some benefits of his legacy such as; thievery of state funds, dishonesty, lies, deceit, incompetence and insensitivity by people who are Ghanaians but in practice behave like people from a different planet. Some Ghanaians still believe that if Mills had been alive today things might have been different but I beg to differ because even before his death, Mills had lied to Ghanaians on his health, the Woyome fraudulent claims and corruption which President Rawlings had confirmed existed during his era.
The swearing in of a youthful President Mahama gave the impression that the days of old men in our politics were gone and that Ghana had ushered in a new era of the youth who possess the knowledge and energy to take Ghana to the “promised land”. Unfortunately, what the youth brought in its wake was indiscipline, “babies with sharp teeth”, uncouth tongues et al. The Montie FM saga had gone on for months and all the insults were directed against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo but for the Supreme Court’s threat to remove names of people who registered with NHIS cards, the insults would have continued unabated. What they failed to observe was Iddi Amin’s comments on freedom of speech. He said “freedom of speech you have but freedom AFTER speech I cannot guarantee.’’ Youthful exuberance without EXPERIENCE has been a disaster and today mediocrity has replaced maturity and the economic mess we find ourselves in is self-imposed. Mr. Idowu Oyenikan says “Show me the heroes that the youth of your country look up to, and I will tell you the future of your country.”
After the first four years of NDC’s rule, President Mahama was elected fraudulently and the NPP petitioned the Supreme Court on the manner the Electoral Commission manipulated the election results in favour of President Mahama. For seven months Ghanaians were subjected to some excruciating revelations of crude and mischievous ways in the conduct of an election by the Electoral Commission but at the end of the trial the good people of this country were hoodwinked and denied the TRUTH.
I have highlighted these events to point out the level of dishonesty in the institutions of governance of our country and Government with the coloration of the Revolution. The value of truth is the moral foundation in nation building and Ghana can never develop when CORRUPTION, LIES and DECEIT have become the hallmark of governance. What is sad is that our Judiciary, Executive and the Legislature have all been sighted for corruption. Every state institution is corrupt and I cannot even vouch for the Ghana Armed Forces, once the pride of this nation and all these are happening under the watch of the NDC, an appendage of the Revolution.
After eighteen (18) years of denial, the leader of the dreadful Revolution, President Rawlings has now admitted he took two million dollars from General Abacha and seems hurt for being accused as corrupt by some Ghanaians. When the issue cropped up, the late Justice D. F. Annan, then Speaker of Parliament prevented a Parliamentary inquiry into the rumour and allowed the President to castigate his accusers. Rear Admiral Joy Amedume was executed for obtaining ¢50,000 (GH¢5.00 in current terms) bank loan with a collateral for abusing his office. Compare the two incidents and judge who needed to be shot? Or has President Rawlings forgotten the pain he inflicted on Ghanaians, their families and some of us for not receiving even a pesewa all in the name of his personal Revolution? In our history, no Government had shed so much blood of innocent Ghanaians like the eras of the AFRC and the PNDC, therefore it’s not surprising that its offspring (NDC) continues to shed the blood of innocent Ghanaians; this time round not by the barrel of the gun but through economic strangulation, major fire outbreaks, motor accidents, corruption etc. Indeed if President Rawlings remembers, he would put a stop to these diatribes or “verbal diarrhoea” and leave us in peace. What is significant is not whether the money he received was a gift or bribe but the most important thing was that, at the time the issue came up, he lied.
Similarly, President Mahama accepted a Ford vehicle three years ago and now claims he does not like Ford vehicles. Again the issue is not whether the President likes Ford cars or not, the issue is about the integrity of the Presidency. It is now very clear after so many years that what the Revolution and its apostles sought to achieve have been defeated by themselves and Ghanaians deserve an apology from him. I always thank God that Rawlings has lived this long to do the post mortem of his revolution because as Dr Myles Monroe of the Bahamas Faith Ministries said “The greatest art of leadership is what happens in your absence. If everything you have done dies with you, you are a failure. True leadership is measured by what happens after you have died (or left office). True leaders don’t invest in buildings. Jesus never built a building. They invest in people. Why? Because success without a successor is a failure. So your legacy should not be in buildings, programs, or projects, your legacy must be in people. Great leaders measure their greatness by their absence. Study Jesus, the greatest leader of all, he proved his greatness by leaving. After his death his organisation grew in bounds’’.
The 2016 general election is about four months away and Ghanaians must acknowledge the hopelessness of our situation and demand a change to save the future of our children and grandchildren. The NDC is aware that they have an uphill task ahead and will employ all the arsenals at their disposal – stolen monies, propaganda, deceit, state resources, the Electoral Commission, the Security Services for harassment and intimidation – all to force their way once again into power. Fortunately, “One bee cannot build a hive and one ant cannot build a colony.”? Matshona Dhliwayo, the ultimate power belongs to Ghanaians and we must resist all attempts to retain this unfortunate Government in power. The Revolutionaries have failed Ghanaians but the collective WILL of the people can save GHANA. “The world suffers a lot not because of the VIOLENCE of bad people but because of the SILENCE of good people” (Napoleon).