John Mahama
The question is always asked whether John Mahama has left something very valuable at the Jubilee House when he exited the presidency on January 7, 2017?
It is difficult for many Ghanaians to understand the spirit and desperate move by John Mahama, the NDC’S flagbearer for the 2024, to return to power after he disappointed the people when he was given the opportunity from 2012 to 2017.
In this desperate enterprise, without any clear cut vision, except a very vague concept called 24-hour economy, former President John Mahama claims to be on a mission to rescue Ghanaians.
The man who could not rescue the wrecked ship of state during his stewardship, forcing Ghanaians to sleep in dumsor for over four years, now says he is tried, tested and trustworthy.
This same man, by whose actions many Ghanaians became naked because he has no clothes to offer, after seven years, claims he has the finest opportunities for all Ghanaians.
We ask Ghanaians just a simple question and we demand an honest answer from our compatriots.
We know our compatriots are discerning and they would never again allow themselves to be deceived by John Mahama and his NDC. And our simple question is between John Mahama and the NPP, and for that matter Vice President Dr. Mahamudu, who can be trusted to deliver to the expectations of the people?
Is it the man, John Mahama who could not fix the power challenges and for which reason the people slept in dumsor or the government that is on top of its mandate to fix the emerging power problems through the policy of “dum sie sie”?
Again, would Ghanaians vote for John Mahama, who promised to build 200 secondary schools with World Bank support, but ended up constructing less than 30 in four years?
Also, the NDC in 2008 touted the one time premium for National Health Insurance Scheme during that year’s electioneering, but when they won power they reneged on their promise and introduced a very confused policy called capitation just for the people in the Ashanti Region like the 24-hour economy John Mahama has promised now.
We are sure Ghanaians do not support John Mahama and the NDC’s unfinished business that include the cancellation of teachers and nursing trainees’ allowances, arrogantly tell the youth that he is not a magician to create jobs and the handing over one of the people’s heritage in bauxite resources to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama.
The NDC flagbearer tells us not to vote for someone who has not been President before because such a person has no experience.
We know John Mahama has been a President before but what experience is he bringing back to the high office again?
The reality of John Mahama’s presidency from 2012 to January 2017 was a nightmare and a tragedy, which Ghanaians discarded in December 2016, when he lost miserably and was missing for three days.
When he returned to the public stage his eyes were very red, indicating someone in a mourning mood. We beg Ghanaians to vote wisely on December 7, 2024, in order not to return the country to those harrowing experiences. We are very reluctant to remind Ghanaians of the very insulting remark by John Mahama that Ghanaians have short memories.
For the sake of the records we would continue to do so because indeed we exhibit the challenges associated with short memories. Today, all manner of people are making noise about menstrual hygiene with attacks on President Akufo-Addo for causing young girls challenges during their menstrual cycles.
The claim of these people, including otherwise knowledgeable persons like the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is that the tax placed on menstrual pads has made this essential item for girls very expensive.
We always return to the subject of short memories because those who claim to be championing the plight of the girls know that the process of menstrual pads’ taxation began in 2013 when the NDC government first imposed the tax on menstrual pads.
At that time Speaker Bagbin was a Member of Parliament and what did he say then and he is now shedding crocodile tears, thus demonstrating populism or playing to the gallery. This sanitary pad tax or tax on the “period of a woman” may be problematic but we detest the hypocrisy of a section of the political class. Speaker Bagbin was speaking the “minds” of girls and some men who are allies of women when he said it is a cardinal sin to impose taxes on sanitary pads and urged President Akufo-Addo to withdraw the taxes.
About a year ago, Speaker Bagbin expressed strong abhorrence at the imposition of taxes on sanitary pads in the country. He described the passage of laws by Parliament to impose the tax on sanitary pads as ” unconscionable and a cardinal sin.”
Well said Speaker Bagbin, but Mr. Speaker “aaaaaaahhhh” when the Bill was introduced in 2013, what did you say? And to hold the feet of power to account to the people, we have decided to go for the Hansard to establish what MPs said in 2013 when the vexed tax on sanitary pads was introduced by John Mahama.
The government has, however, abolished taxes on locally manufactured sanitary pads. But it is our wish that the government extends the gesture to imported sanitary pads to make this essential item affordable to all girls and women.
We think the NDC and John Mahama have nothing concrete to offer the people as its rescue mission mantra and 24-hour economy are anchored on straw and a very weak foundation. At best, it is meant to deceive the people.
John Mahama’s unfinished agenda is simply a pathway to misery, dumsor, gloom and doom.