Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, your Misinformation and Propaganda cannot save Akufo-Addo from total humiliation

Whatever your political affiliations, it would seem difficult to deny that politics in Ghana has become less civil in recent times.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu argued that ‘civility costs nothing and buys everything’ and according to Montagu’s principle, rudeness should only harm a politician’s rating.

Personal attacks by our politicians are an insult to voters. The politicians, especially those being paid, fed and housed from our taxes should know that crass political speeches are self inflicted wounds on the republic that promises freedom, justice and other such noble virtues of public order.

Personal jibes end up making heroes of the target and John Mahama and his NDC are gaining more admirers because of Npp insults, blame game and false allegations. Burning issues such as jobs, health, poverty, security, education are effective in connecting voters with real issues than jibes and propaganda.

Scrutinizing the former President’s Facebook (live) conversation with the public isn’t wrong. Yes, government reacting to some of the issues he raised is appropriate. But we expect government via its information ministry or other communication outfits to provide credible responses and solutions to the issues raised. Your insinuations, attacks and blame game may sound impressive to your supporters but will end up not telling the public what they deserve or yearning to hear.

The Akufo-Addo government is obsessed about somehow trying to fix blame on its predecessor, in the process, it is unable to find solutions that will ensure revival of the economy. The government believes in headline management and not concrete solutions, that is the problem. This is what Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has been contracted to do to the detriment of the suffering masses.

My advice to Kojo and his government is that “before one can fix the economy, one needs a correct diagnosis of its ailments and their causes”. Your government has been in office for three years, and that is long enough for a government that promised heaven on earth to do some credible things. Merely passing the buck to your predecessor is no solution to the problems you’ve created the last three years. You may win the media battle because of your censorship and manipulation agenda, you may win some debating points because of your propaganda machinery but that is not governance or finding a solution to the problems you’ve created.

Responding to Kojo has always been a difficult one because of the respect we all have for the young man. But sadly, his attitude and outbursts these days go against the vision of building a meritocratic, egalitarian Ghana where issues and principles are discussed more than cheap propaganda and lies peddling.

I listened to Kojo’s encounter with the press responding to issues former President raised and ask myself, is that the Kojo I know? I asked that question because the information minister’s responses were empty, vague, and cheap. All he did was attacking the former President, low level name calling and churning out cheap propaganda. Kojo must be told that his language to boost his government and party does not fit well with the dignity of the office he is occupying.

Did I hear the information minister say the former president commissioned head-pans? And who gave him that information? He was in the media so should have known better. Why didn’t he mention the outboard motors and other equipments the administration presented to the Fisher folks. President Mahama did not organize a special ceremony for that presentation. He presented the items when he toured the regions. Why didn’t he mention the cold stores the former president inaugurated in Shama, Prampram, Nyanyano and Half Assini to revamp the fisheries sector. He distributed the pans and the outboard motors to Fisher folks in our fishing communities to support their activities. He did not organize special events for their inauguration or presentation of the items. He did not bus party supporters from the regions to these events. He did not advertise the event on his Facebook page. Knowing the agenda and modus operandi of this government, it is not surprising that such a despicable lie is emanating from Kojo.

Kojo, Ghanaians know that the President and his propagandists, are busy trying to spin success from all your epic failures.

President Akufo-Addo was elected in 2016, in part, by giving his supporters an impression that he stands for good governance and economic development. This was, in fact, the image the president and your group carefully cultivated through media, while candidate Akufo-Addo himself claimed to be an incorruptible person. These claims can now be believed only by the ideologically addled. Governance has become extremely difficult for you because of what you told Ghanaians, the promises, and the lies you told Ghanaians about Mahama and his government.

And Kojo’s response to Former President Mahama’s excellent delivery about the problems in the banking sector is his government’s package for the unfortunate victims, the bank owners and the over 5000 bankers who lost their job as a result of that needless exercise? Kojo is happy we losing all the local Banks? He is happy thousands of Ghanaians are sitting home jobless as a result of that so called cleanup? Has he seen the letter the Attorney General wrote to the finance ministry about the decision to collapse Unibank? He is happy with the hell depositors, dismissed bankers and owners of the banks are going through?

Kojo, no one can reasonably claim to believe in the Akufo-Addo brand as it was sold in 2015/16. People have plumbed the shallows of his boast, and they have been refuted. And whatever else the President may be, he has proved that he is not capable of leading an aspirational, inclusive and a united Ghana. Ghanaian voters are looking for authenticity, credibility and viability in their leaders and that is what John Mahama represents.

When did going for IMF support become an economic crime? And why did your government extend the period of our dealing with the IMF? Kojo has economics background so should know better. Almost all our governments including the military administrations received support from the IMF so why making it look as if going for an IMF is evil. And did the IMF support instill discipline in the economy? These are the issues I expect Kojo to discuss with the Ghanaian public.

Kojo, President Akufo-Addo’s unpopularity is reflected in the undercurrent of dissatisfaction of Ghanaians who are not convinced on what your government has done to address unemployment, corruption, nepotism, agriculture sector distress, low capital expenditure, reckless borrowing and spending and your government’s failure to fulfill the many promises you made.

Always remember that, the former president, in 2015, predicted a 7-8% growth in the economy by 2017 because of the huge investment his government made in the oil and gas sector. His prediction was corroborated by the IMF. Ask yourself how much your government has borrowed the last three years then you look around to see if you could find a single project implemented from the amount borrowed.

My last point is about the Ambulance distribution. Is he challenging the fact that the NDC distributed over 160 ambulances? Is he ready to defend his statement that the Onuador Vans didn’t have medical equipments in them? Isn’t that interesting and worrying? The information minister of a great nation like Ghana misinforming the public for political convenience.

Source: Ohenenana Obonti Krow