Feature Article of Sunday, 2 August 2015
Columnist: Adofo, Rockson
The title of my write-up, “Is Ghana Currently Being Ruled by Political Idiots?” may sound harsh and rude to the ears of some hypocrites, however it is the reality. Every intelligent issue raised that has the likely potential to help with the socio-economic emancipation of Ghana is quickly tagged with political colouration and subsequently shot down with the usual nonsensical partisan accusatory condemnations. This is so profound with most of the less politically astute, or absolutely unrefined, NDC members in government with their paid radio phone-in serial callers, agents and assigns.
When some Medical Doctors have not been paid their salaries or wages for over eleven months, but with members of government and their cronies corruptly availing themselves of the nation’s money on top of their fat pay as if tomorrow never comes, some apparently complete idiots within the NDC have the guts to insult them.
When the said 1,500 staff of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the government agency that is responsible for the management of disasters as well as other emergencies in Ghana complain about not receiving their salaries/wages for the past 27 months, some NDC people brand them saboteurs and friends of the NPP.
The Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Solomon Nkansah, has the shameless audacity to go on air to denigrate the striking Doctors, describing them as nation wreckers instigated by NPP to make the Mahama NDC-led administration unpopular. How dare this political novice spew such rubbish about our hard working doctors without whom the healthcare needs of the nation’s citizenry will be in total jeopardy?
Politics has become so cheap for any Tom, Dick and Harry in Ghana to get involved, else, who would be this Solomon Nkansah, a person full to the brim with ignorance, to express his views in such an authoritative, but irresponsible manner? Politics has indeed gone to the dogs.
Again, when one Charles Antwi, an alleged mentally unsound person makes attempts to assassinate the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, according to media reports, some NDC opportunists and schemers like Johnson Asiedu Nketiah comes out blatantly attempting to link NPP to Charles and his motives. Why are most of the NDC activists and or sympathisers fond of always hurrying to make such completely irresponsible statements, thus, unfounded allegations, against the NPP whenever anything that does not go in their favour happens?
In the case of the said Charles Antwi, the NDC are happy with the quick and heavy sentence handed down to him. They do not care an iota about the obvious miscarriage of justice that occurred during his sentencing. The said Charles Antwi did not have, or was not given, any legal representation. He was arrested on Sunday 26 July 2015, arraigned on Tuesday 28 July 2015 and sentenced to a ten year prison term on his first day of appearance in court.
Let it be known to all those that are happy that the guy was handed such a hefty prison term of sentence at the speed never witnessed in the annals of Ghana’s criminal trial or adjudication that, an obvious miscarriage of justice did take place that day.
1. The guy was not given any legal aid in the form of the State providing him a lawyer to fully represent him
2. The guy may although have clearly stated his intentions without any least ambiguity, he should not be taken on the face value to be 100% sound of mind. He must have been referred to a psychiatrist for confirmation of his mental state or evaluation following his assertion that he wanted to murder the President to take over his position. This fact clearly tells he is a bit insane if not completely insane. How could he simply succeed the President just after eliminating him? Are Presidents not elected by voters?
3. A properly extensive background check of the guy was not conducted to ascertain whether or not he is a criminal able to execute his threats or he has already a criminal record. How will Ghanaians ever know if he was acting alone or with a group following the judge’s hasty, but faulty, pronouncement of judgment?
Nobody supports the idea of physical elimination of the President despite his mismanagement of Ghana that has brought untold hardships upon Ghanaians. We believe in a well-meaning national election as the only means to kick him out of office.
Upon all the problems faced by the majority of Ghanaians occasioned by the cluelessness, incompetence, corruption and practice of selective justice by the President and his government, some callous NDC activists still believe that the President is doing marvellous well hence must by hook or by crook win election 2016 to continue being in office. To those massively corrupt individuals devoid of any truth in them, I say, I reserve my comments.
Rockson Adofo