University of Ghana Law lecturer, Prof. Ransford Gyampo has told President Akufo-Addo that his intransigent choice of loyalty over competence/national interest, and failure to listen to the conscience of the nation diversely expressed in the areas of downsizing his government dissipates his goodwill and the little fortunes of the party that birthed him.
The outspoken lecturer has urged the President to apologise to all Ghanaians for the rather unpresidential comments he made in response to the threats to vote against the NPP should some roads not be fixed.
He added “Respectfully, in my opinion, Sir, you now appear to be more of a liability for your party than an asset. Your intransigent choice of loyalty over competence/national interest, and your failure to listen to the conscience of the nation diversely expressed in the areas of downsizing your government, and ministerial reshuffle to bring on board other fresh competent brains to assist in navigating Ghanaians out of our economic malaise, dissipates your goodwill and the little fortunes of the party that birthed you”.
See his full post:
An Open Letter to President Akufo Addo
Your Excellency,
It appears your role in a successful electoral fortune of your party is being questioned by many, including some people in your own government and party. Rather than being a catalyst for a successful electoral fortune of the party that enthroned you, it appears you are making it difficult for the party in its quest to break the eight. But you would agree with me that, this is not what Kufuor did to the party. Sir, as you may be aware, Kufuor conducted himself in a manner that made him and his achievements the reference points for your good self and the NPP campaign from 2008 to 2016.
Respectfully, in my opinion, Sir, you now appear to be more of a liability for your party than an asset. Your intransigent choice of loyalty over competence/national interest, and your failure to listen to the conscience of the nation diversely expressed in the areas of downsizing your government, and ministerial reshuffle to bring on board other fresh competent brains to assist in navigating Ghanaians out of our economic malaise, dissipates your goodwill and the little fortunes of the party that birthed you.
At the moment, Sir, there is a cocktail of challenges brewing even in these times of hardships, namely, galloping and mentally retarded inflation, wanton depreciation of our currency, high transport fares, Labor Union Strike Action, GUTA Action, Banks’ Daily Liquidity Challenges etc. These are matters that raise serious national security concerns. Instead of coming into our homes to address us on what we must do as a people in rallying behind your government to sail us through the hardships, you are indulged in an unnecessary opulent tour of the regions with too many V8 Land-cruisers, including the one carrying your chair, to tout achievements that for now, and due to the hardships, looks to many like miracles performed on crusade grounds by fake pastors. This cancels out the sensitivity and care you showed during the peak of Covid 19 and I am wondering whether you are the same president whose sober appeals to Ghanaians nearly carried the force of law, when we were battling the global pandemic.
Your Excellency, that you were booed in your strongholds in Kumasi and Akyem Akroso, points to a gradual legitimacy deficit you may likely face, should there be more leadership failures on your part. In that case, the Elders of the party, if they exist, may have to rescue the party from you and your government, if they truly care about the future electoral fortunes of the party.
As President, you can only call the bluff of voters if you are dismantling negative institutionalised norms that run contrary to development. We were happy when you boldly indicated your willingness to put your presidency on the line in your earlier efforts to fight galamsey. So, if you are fighting galamsey, ridding the city off hawkers, or breaking down buildings on waterways, or taking out ghost names from the public sector payroll, for example, you can confidently tell off voters who may threaten to vote against you.
But Sir, you fell for the trap of arrogance often set by the near unbridled exercise of power, when you called the bluff of voters who were disappointed that their bad roads had not been fixed. This was unpresidential, undiplomatic and uncharacteristic of a leader expected to lead in crisis. The fact that you are on your way, out does not mean you should show blatant ingratitude to the people you went to beg to give you four more years. It doesn’t also mean you shouldn’t care if people decide to vote against the very party that enthroned you on the presidency. This is not what Kufuor did to the NPP.
Please apologize to all Ghanaians for your rather unpresidential comments you made in response to the threats to vote against your party should some roads not be fixed. Also, end the regional tours NOW and come and address the nation on what you are doing to address the current economic hardships as well as what all Ghanaians must do. Furthermore, please rethink the managers of our economy beyond your intransigent choice of loyalty over competence/national interest. Finally, kindly tone down your practice of winner-knows-all politics and bring on board others from your own party and experts outside your party to help navigate us through the hardships. For clearly, your government doesn’t know it all.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Yaw Gyampo
A31, Prabiw
PAV Ansah Street
Saltpond
&
Suro Nipa House
Kubease
Larteh-Akuapim
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
