The deadly pandemic is still with us and continues to wreck havoc the world over; emotionally, economically, psychologically etc. We have seen some brilliant leadership and we have seen some very confused/worse ones.
The world and Africa especially has had its fair share of epidemics but to become a pandemic has always been up to whether Leadership is proactive or reactionary.
Based on the mode of transmission, the corona virus was always going to be a pandemic but African countries were much better placed to manage and control it as this was supposedly a “western/Chinese” epidemic. However, we were all late in our response to the virus and so by the time African leaders decided to take action, the virus had already found its way into our continent.
South Africa, learning from the HIV/AIDS experience, has handled and/or managed the virus better. Ghana, my beloved country, was supposed to have handled it a lot better based on the leadership role we played during the Ebola crisis.
At the peak of Ebola, Ghana played a pivotal role in the efforts to fight it; efforts that won us plaudits the world over. That was regardless of the irresponsible and recklessness of the then opposition NPP leader NADAA ( who is the current Ghana President ) in setting the stage to score cheap political points if the disease had unfortunately found its way into the country.
Ghanaians however, escaped unscathed due to the proactive leadership and the pivotal role played by John Mahama, (President of the Republic of Ghana at that time ) thereby ensuring that we were prepared in advance and far ahead of Ebola. We survived and so, we were all hopeful that with the lessons learnt, we would survive this corona virus.
That was however not to be the case as Leadership has changed and the opposition during the Ebola crisis is now the party in government. Their handling of the corona virus pandemic has been nothing short of shambolic and so the virus has been miles ahead of our response efforts. It was therefore expected that the current opposition NDC that was the government during the Ebola crisis would follow the lead of the NPP leader and politicize the Coronavirus; how wrong were we to think like this.
Hence, this article seeks to examine sharp leadership differences of these two political leaders in Ghana.
The NDC led by its Flagbearer, HE John Mahama has rallied all its members and resources to augment governments fight against the virus. Contrary to the unnecessary criticisms by the opposition leader during the Ebola crisis, John Mahama at any given opportunity during Covid 19 has demonstrated;
Clear Vision and Wisdom
Deeper understanding of National issues
Credibility
Collaborative skills
Genuine concern
Humility and above all
Political Maturity and statesmanship.
He has proferred several suggestions/recommendations or solutions aimed at mitigating the effects of the pandemic on the citizenry. That not withstanding, he has made personal donations (his widow’s mite) to frontline health workers and facilities to aid their preparedness to fight the virus whiles going a step further to provide relief items for the poor and vulnerable in the society.
What amazes me is his personal commitment to educating and sensitizing the citizenry about preventive measures of the covid 19 and demonstrating constant wearing of nose mask, use of hand sanitizers and frequent washing of hands in public. The opposite is what we see from those who set the rules and practice otherwise.
The actions and statements of the NDC’s leader John Mahama has made the fight against the Covid 19 a National one instead of the Politics as usual we have come to expect of opposition parties; a standard that was set and mastered by the then opposition NPP under the leadership of the current President.
John Mahama has however shown exemplary matured leadership that goes beyond our political differences, we are one people who are interdependent on one another. This is the kind of leadership we must demand of opposition parties and this is the kind of leadership worth our votes. I will use the opportunity to salute H. E John Mahama for raising the leadership bar as an opposition leader in a Crisis time like this .
May God bless HE John Dramani Mahama for his exemplary and matured leadership and may we come out of this STRONGER and UNITED as nation.
Ramadan Mubarak…
It’s yours truly,
Kwabreba Sawa,
Ahwiaa.