THE SAD SADA STORY - HOW PRESIDENT
JOHN MAHAMA BETRAYED HIS OWN PEOPLE (NORTHERNERS)
IDDI MUHAYU-DEEN’S FOLDER
The
Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is undoubtedly, the ONE AND
ONLY intervention instituted by the John Mahama NDC government to
transform the northern part of the country. This intervention was therefore
meant to better the living conditions of northerners and ultimately, accelerate
the development of northern Ghana with the view to narrowing the development
gap between the north and the south.
SADA
was first proposed by the then Vice Presidential candidate of NDC, who is now
the President (H.E John Mahama) in the run-up to election 2008 as an
alternative to Nana Addo’s proposed Northern Development Fund (NDF). This was
after he [John Mahama] had pooh-poohed the NPP’s proposal [NDF] on the grounds
that same was a deception and a misplaced priority. Candidate John Mahama
proceeded to opine that, the then NPP government ought to rather focus its
attention on settling the colossal VRA debt and forget the talk about
establishing a Northern Development Fund with our limited resources.
His
party however made a quick U-turn upon realizing that the proposal [NDF] was
becoming very popular among the northern electorates. The NDC then hurriedly
mimicked it with a proposal to establish what they call, Savanna Accelerated
Development Authority (SADA) and promised a seed capital of $200 million and
subsequent injection of $100 million into the SADA account every year. This
promise, which is undoubtedly, the brainchild of President John Mahama is still
yet to be realised after being in government for 8 years.
There
hasn’t been any significant commitment to implementing SADA. Unfortunately, the
little money that has been pumped into this project cannot be accounted for.
Also, the so called already-executed SADA projects cannot be seen either. Here,
mention can be made of the guinea fowl and well as the afforestation project
among several other ‘phantom enterprises’ we are being told of SADA.
Meanwhile,
northerners, who are supposed to be the target beneficiaries of this SADA
initiative continue to live in abject poverty whilst SADA, which still remains
the one and only policy initiative of the Mahama led government to bridge the
yawning gap between the north and the south is fast becoming an apology of
itself. Today, SADA has metamorphosed into an epitome of UNBRIDLED CORRUPTION ever
seen in the history of this country.
It
has become a conduit for the deliberate and clandestine creation, looting and
sharing of taxpayers’ money among government officials. What is more annoying
and disconcerting is the impunity with which these government officials steal
our money. They do it with a lot of swag because they have no shame and hold
absolutely no modicum of respect for the poor northerner. When we complain,
they tend to steal even more. How pathetic!
It
is not surprising that SADA is today seen as arguably, the most corrupt
institution in the country. Interestingly, SADA does not fall under any
Ministry but falls DIRECTLY under THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, who himself is a
northerner. Not only is the President a northerner, but also, he is someone who
rigorously used “the northern card” as a trump card to campaign to northerners
for votes in 2008 and 2012. Of course, he has still not repented from that dangerous
and inflammatory tribal politics. With this [the sad SADA story) in mind, it
becomes very clear that President Mahama is highly insensitive to the plight of
his own.
Certainly,
this explains why the President doesn’t make mention of SADA anytime he
campaigns in the north. He doesn’t also talk about infrastructure development as
he often does when campaigning in the southern part of the country. All we hear
is his tribal bigotry in the north. No more politics of ISSUES because none
exists as far as his mediocre performance in the north is concerned.
Again,
for the past two years, the name, SADA never appeared in our national budgets;
let alone, to make budgetary allocation to the Authority. Meanwhile, SADA still
remains the ONLY POLICY of this Mahama government to transform the lives of
northerners. Obviously, President Mahama has taken his own people for granted
because of their seeming aloofness in DEMANDING for accountability.
This
worrying trend of lethargy and nonchalance is what you and I, as concerned
northerners must REVERSE by rising-up to fight against the odds. Our people are
really suffering and if President Mahama still doesn’t care about their precarious
plight, we must give them the needed VOICE. We must fight for them because they
may not have the means or platform to tell their story in order to galvanize
public support. The government of John Mahama has given northerners a RAW DEAL and
I don’t expect us to remain loudly quiet over these economic and social
injustices.
Yes,
the trend must be reversed with immediate effect for the love of God and
country. And by that, I expect that we, Northerners must all rise up to the
occasion and demand that President John Mahama accounts for the over Gh¢300
million his government has pumped into SADA, which constitute only 30% of what
was promised anyway. The sad reality is that this money has been embezzled by
the president and his cronies because we cannot see any SADA projects. This is
evidenced in the scandalous revelations on SADA during parliament Public
Accounts Committee hearings which have always been mindboggling.
In
other words, there exists several unchallenged Audit Reports conducted by the
Auditor-General, which reveal INCRIMINATING FINDINGS about the rot in SADA;
yet, no one is held accountable. This is in spite of the fact that some
identifiable government officials including Minsters of State have consistently
been indicted in these Reports. For instance, the 2013 Audit Report indicts the
management of SADA and the Sports Minister at the time (Dr. Mustapha Ahmed) for
blowing over GH¢186,371 on a USELESS TRIP to Turkey.
Another
story is told of SADA involving some GH¢42 million which was taken forcefully
from SADA by the Labour Ministry under the supervision of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu,
another brother from the North and MP for Tamale South. As we speak, all
attempts made by SADA to get back this GH¢42 million from the government has
proven UNSUCCESSFUL. I can go on and on and on but still, the sad SADA story
CANNOT be told in full. In the final analysis, what is abundantly clear is that
this whole SADA business will surely go in history as President Mahama’s LEGACY
OF SHAME to his own people.
Fortunately
for northerners and Ghanaians alike, in less than two weeks, we shall have a
rare opportunity to pass a verdict on the performance of the John Mahama
government. You and I shall have a glorious opportunity to either maintain the
status quo involving corruption, hopelessness, looting and mismanagement OR
chart a new path of progress and prosperity by voting for CHANGE on December 7.
If we get it wrong, it would take another four years to right the wrong. So, with
all sincerity and in good conscience, I am for CHANGE because I think my
country deserves better. I hope you are voting for CHANGE too.
Assalamu
alaikum
This
piece was compiled by a concerned Ghanaian in the service of OCCUPYING HEARTS
and MINDS for the love of God and country.
IDDI
MUHAYU-DEEN
Concerned
Northerner/Youth Activist
Crusader for
CHANGE
(0245335197)
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