I CELEBRATE THE HONEST INFORMATION MINISTER, HON MUSTAPHA ABDUL-HAMID

I CELEBRATE THE HONEST INFORMATION MINISTER, HON MUSTAPHA ABDUL-HAMID

Ghana, has since the advent of the fourth republican dispensation, had a number of Ministers incharge of Information. Whereas some of them lived up to expectation, others were quite disappointing, and I regret to say that the latter are in the majority. It is therefore not surprising that many a Ghanaian, largely perceive the Information Ministry as the official propaganda wing of incumbent governments until the appointment of Hon. Sheick Mustapha Abdul-Hamid as Minister of Information.

He, together with his hardworking deputies have been able to significantly transform the Information Ministry and have given it a new image. The Ministry, which hitherto, departed from its core mandate has now been able to pick up the pieces and is generally seen as arguably, the most vibrant Ministry one can think of. Now, when you talk about Ministry of Information, what comes to mind, is NOT government propaganda but Development Communication, with emphasis on honesty, transparency and truthfulness.

Again, the Information Ministry, under Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, doesn't just tell government story or explain government policies TO the people, but does that WITH the people. In other words, the Ministry provides an opportune platform for the experts and the general public to play active role in the making of government policies and more importantly, in the implementation of same. Clearly, Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is doing a yeoman's job for his Ministry; the government of President Nana Akufo-Addo and for the Ghanaian people. I doubt we could have had a better Information Minister. Such a blessing Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has proven to be for his country!

On this date of his birth, I am pleased to join the rest of Ghana, Africa and the World to celebrate this illustrious son of our land. Today, just like always, I celebrate his international award winning achievements and also wish him the very best in life. Sheick, you are a monumental blessing to this generation and I'm not surprised you are celebrating your birthday in the holiest month of the year, RAMADAN. Once again happy birthday Hon. Sheick Mustapha Abdul-Hamid. Stay blessed.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen 

#ForGodAndCountry

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I CELEBRATE THE HONEST INFORMATION MINISTER, HON MUSTAPHA ABDUL-HAMID

I CELEBRATE THE HONEST INFORMATION MINISTER, HON MUSTAPHA ABDUL-HAMID

Ghana, has since the advent of the fourth republican dispensation, had a number of Ministers incharge of Information. Whereas some of them lived up to expectation, others were quite disappointing, and I regret to say that the latter are in the majority. It is therefore not surprising that many a Ghanaian, largely perceive the Information Ministry as the official propaganda wing of incumbent governments until the appointment of Hon. Sheick Mustapha Abdul-Hamid as Minister of Information.

He, together with his hardworking deputies have been able to significantly transform the Information Ministry and have given it a new image. The Ministry, which hitherto, departed from its core mandate has now been able to pick up the pieces and is generally seen as arguably, the most vibrant Ministry one can think of. Now, when you talk about Ministry of Information, what comes to mind, is NOT government propaganda but Development Communication, with emphasis on honesty, transparency and truthfulness.

Again, the Information Ministry, under Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, doesn't just tell government story or explain government policies TO the people, but does that WITH the people. In other words, the Ministry provides an opportune platform for the experts and the general public to play active role in the making of government policies and more importantly, in the implementation of same. Clearly, Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is doing a yeoman's job for his Ministry; the government of President Nana Akufo-Addo and for the Ghanaian people. I doubt we could have had a better Information Minister. Such a blessing Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has proven to be for his country!

On this date of his birth, I am pleased to join the rest of Ghana, Africa and the World to celebrate this illustrious son of our land. Today, just like always, I celebrate his international award winning achievements and also wish him the very best in life. Sheick, you are a monumental blessing to this generation and I'm not surprised you are celebrating your birthday in the holiest month of the year, RAMADAN. Once again happy birthday Hon. Sheick Mustapha Abdul-Hamid. Stay blessed.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen 

#ForGodAndCountry

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25 YEARS OF NDC: WHAT AT ALL ARE THEY CELEBRATING?

25 YEARS OF NDC: WHAT AT ALL ARE THEY CELEBRATING?

Iddi Muhayu-Deen asks...

The 25 years of NDC's existence, I dare say, have been 25 years of corruption; 25 years of incompetence; 25 years of arrogance and vanity; 25 years of create-loot-and-share; 25 years of wanton lawlessness and impunity; 25 years of insensitivity to the plight of the Ghanaian;

25 years of cronyism and nepotism; 25 years of "we" vrs "them" petty politics; 25 years of vulgar display of opulence and ostentation; 25 years of reckless borrowing; 25 years of mismanagement; 25 years of deprivation; 25 years of suffering and ultimately, 25 years of wastage.

Don't ask me to provide further and better particulars to substantiate this claim because you also lived this experience. You and I (Ghanaians living in Ghana and abroad) have both lived the NDC experience in one way or the other. We lived it; we experienced it; we felt it and we know better it was.

But even if I am, for the sake of analysis and for academic purposes, going to provide these details, you know very well that, once I start, I will not be able to finish. I will not be able to finish not because I will have difficulties getting the examples but because there is so much to talk about. In any case, this is an exercise I have engaged in since I became politically ACTIVE in the past decade or so and I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen 

#SayNoToGalamsey
#SayNoToMobJustice
#SayNoToIncompetentNDC
#ForLoveOfGodAndCountry

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IN HONOUR OF A FALLEN NATIONAL HERO

IN HONOUR OF A FALLEN NATIONAL HERO

Iddi Muhayu-Deen writes...

As somebody who takes a lot of delight in writing, I have written tributes upon tributes. I have also read a number of tributes. Yes, beautiful tributes, I mean. But I tell you one thing, all my life, I have never come across a tribute that is as beautiful and touching like the one read by the mother of the Late Major Adam Mahama of blessed memory in honour of her son at the forecourt of the state house in the early hours of Friday.

I couldn't finish admiring that woman even as I shed tears watching and listening to her read that touching and award winning tribute in that difficult and sombre moment. I wonder how many men could withstand that unenviable experience. But she had to someway somehow find courage to do it for her son and she did it so impeccably.

Indeed no one can love a son more than his mother. Even if you want to take everything and everybody in this world for granted, let it NOT be your mother. They are exceedingly special and would forever be. Treat them as such, and you would have the blessing of both prosperity and posterity. Mothers would always be mothers even in afterlife.

As for the late Army Major, he may have died in the physical realm, but he would forever live in our hearts and minds. He is a national hero and would forever be. He died a proud man and for the love of his country. He had a very powerful gun with him and could have easily shot and killed all his attackers. I say this because; Major Adam Mahama graduated from the Military Academy as one of the best snipers (shooters). He could have easily shot at them but he refused. While they were trying to kill him, he was struggling to save the life of his killers. Such a gallant hero!

I wonder how many men could do that. Certainly, I could not. In fact, I would have, in consonance with the widely accepted principle of self-defence, shot and killed those heartless creatures in order to save my life. He who lives by the sword must die by the sword. Also, he who takes life deserves no life. But Major Adam Mahama chose to save the life of his killers and have himself, killed. I'm sure that he chose to sacrifice his life in order to save the lives of many others, including your life and my life.

Remember, any of us could one day be mistaken for an armed robber and lynched. Any of us could one day be seen as a threat to somebody's source of income and livelihood and therefore get killed through the animal called MOB JUSTICE. Clearly, Major Adam Mahama chose to die in order to send a clear message to the rest of Ghana to start a national conversation on how to permanently end mob justice. And truly, his demise has brought an overwhelming national spectacle on this deleterious social canker called mob justice.

May he not die in vain. Let it be said that his painful death indeed marks the end of mob justice in our society. Let it be said that his death marks the end of galamsey. I am very proud of this fallen national hero. And just like the people who lived with the Yaa Asantewas; the Kwame Nkrumah’s; the J.B. Danquah’s; I know very well that, one day, I shall say, with pride that, I lived in the era of the Adam Mahamas. Rest in peace my brother and hero till me meet in the Heavens.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#StopMobJusticeNow

#StopGalamseyNow

 #ForGodAndCountry

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MASSIVE ROT UNCOVERED AT THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AGENCY (YEA) - HOW GHANA WAS RAPED

BREAKING NEWS

MASSIVE ROT UNCOVERED AT THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AGENCY (YEA) - HOW GHANA WAS RAPED

The new Management of YEA under the acting CEO, Mr. Justin Kodua Frimpong has uncovered what would go in history as arguably the worst scandal the Agency has witnessed involving some GHc 52.8 million or 580 billion old cedis of the taxpayers' money which would have gone into wrong hands if his outfit had not intervened to save the situation.

There were also multitudes of gross impropriety, acts of criminality and maladministration that were uncovered. The acting CEO of the Agency made these mind-boggling revelations when he addressed a Press Conference on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at the Ministry of Information conference room in Accra.

The new Management, he said, arrived at these findings through a physical verification exercise conducted by the Agency's Monitoring and Evaluation Unit as well as the work of the Internal Audit Agency, which was commissioned by Management to conduct a special audit into the operations of the Agency.

In all, it was discovered that there were 42,794 beneficiaries with various improprieties who were nonetheless, being paid by the Agency without any legitimate basis. In other words, the Ghanaian taxpayer, over the period, was burdened with the payment of money to people, numbering over 42,000, who did not deserve a penny from us. This is the breakdown of the figure:

- 2,716 beneficiaries did not have appointment letters but were being paid

- 9,442 beneficiaries were above the age requirement but were being paid

- 4, 681 beneficiaries have vacated post but were being paid

- 11,512 beneficiaries were without assumption of duty letters but were being paid

- 14,443 beneficiaries did not exist at all but payment was effected in their names

All of these people were receiving monthly allowance from the Youth Employment Agency and for that matter the Ghanaian taxpayer. The auditing exercise also revealed the following discrepancies:

- Funds meant for official use were being paid to personal accounts

- Procurements were done without recourse to due process

- No supporting documents for some payments effected in the name of the Agency

- District directors conniving with some beneficiaries to partake in the physical verification exercise, knowing very well that these beneficiaries were not at post

- Some appointment letters were purportedly singed by the Acting CEO when same was not the case. The date on which those signings were done, Justine Kodua had not even been appointed. Clearly, his signature was forged and backdated to allow people take money illegally.

- Some appointment letters were issued bearing the signature of the outgone CEO between March and April 2017, at which time, he was not in office.

Aside the issue of fraud and criminality, which would be handled by EOCO and the BNI according to the Acting Director, the net effect of these improprieties is that, the Ghanaian taxpayer would have paid as much as GHc52.8 million or 520 billion old cedis but for the steps undertaken by the new Management. This money is bigger than the amount paid to the infamous Alfred Agbesi Woyome (GHc 51 million).

It is also bigger than the 2017 budgetary allocation to some three Ministries. But that is how much we would have wasted on some criminal elements in our society. Characteristically, I won't romanticize with words and call this corruption or indiscretion or impropriety. This is a clear case of daylight thievery, criminality and a raid on the Ghanaian purse.

And if these enemies of State are being prosecuted and you describe the action as political witch-hunting, then my brother, you are worse than the notorious murderers of the legendary captain Mahama. You don't deserve to call yourself a citizen of Ghana.

All in all, you would agree with me that the new Management has done a yeoman's job. And so, I doff my hat for the acting CEO, Justin Kodua Frimpong and his two deputies including my elder brother, Ibrahim Bashiru and Miss Lydia Atiemo for this great service to country. They have vindicated the ginormous confidence reposed in them by His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo and I’m proud of them. Change has indeed come. Long live my motherland.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

 #ForGodAndCountry

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I CRY FOR MY BELOVED COUNTRY, GHANA

I CRY FOR MY BELOVED COUNTRY, GHANA

Iddi Muhayu-Deen writes...

An innocent young man has been murdered. He was a military officer, who had risen to the rank of Captain. He held a Master's Degree and so, could have been working in any of the luxurious institutions and earning thousands of Ghana cedis monthly. But he said NO. He chose to be a soldier in order to protect you and I. He chose to sacrifice his luxury for our safety and comfort. And what did he get in return? He got beaten and killed by the very people whom he chose to protect.

He was actually lynched and burnt beyond recognition. "Subhanallahi!". This is the height of barbarism, which I thought only happens in American movies. This innocent man lost his precious life because he had chosen to fight and protect our natural resources for the next generation and posterity. He was killed because he had chosen to fight galamsey. It could have been you. It could have been me. He essentially sacrificed his life for the love of his country. That is the sad story of Late Captain Adam Mahama of the Ghana Armed Forces.

He died and left behind his beautiful wife and two children. His family members are in serious grief for this incalculable and lugubrious loss. Members of the Ghana Armed Forces are in serious grief. The whole nation is in serious grief. And what do our politicians do? The NPP issues a statement which was signed by the party's acting General Secretary (John Boadu), condemning this dastardly act, whilst commiserating with all.

The NDC on the other hand, issues a statement, which was also signed by the party's General Secretary (Asiedu Nketia). Interestingly, in the NDC's statement, they are telling us to blame President Akufo-Addo for the murder of the military captain. And they proceed to call on the President to RESIGN because somebody has been lynched somewhere. And I guess when he resigns, their "darling John Mahama" will be, for the 3rd time, sworn-in the next day as our new President since that's all that matters to them.

Regrettably, that's the approach the NDC chose to take. To play politics with the death of a fellow human. The last time I checked, even animals have RESPECT for the dead but of course, the NDC doesn't, at least, per their latest position. The party has absolutely no regard for the painful feeling of the poor widow, the bereaved family and well-meaning citizens including the Ghana Armed Forces. They do not value human life and the lack of it. I honestly thought the NDC was only incompetent and somewhat insensitive. But I didn't know that their INSENSITIVITY has become this LEGENDARY. Cry oh my beloved country!

If I were to play their kind of dirty game, then I would list all the instances of MOB JUSTICE during their tenure. When I went through my archives, I counted not less than 10 of such happenings when His Excellency John Mahama was the President. So I guess, per the NDC's logic, President Mahama ought to have RESIGNED as many as 10 times or more. But I am not like them, so I won't do that. I value human life. I am not petty. I would spare you with that ugly spectacle, for the sake of this Holy Month. If I did that, my mother would NOT be proud of me. My mentors would not be proud of me either.

Even with this write-up, I did it quite reluctantly. I feel sorry for myself and others for eating back my PROMISE of NOT commenting on any issue (political or otherwise) in this Holy Month of RAMADAN for obvious reasons. I just couldn't sit unconcerned whilst I see my country being DESTROYED by Asiedu Nketia and his cohorts. Silence is NOT an option for me when EVIL is being perpetuated in my country. I CANNOT be a spectator in my country. I don't know about you, but that is who I am. I only hope that I don't get tempted again. And I pray Almighty ALLAH forgives all of us. May the gentle soul of Adam Mahama rest in perfect peace.

Assalamu alaikum

Iddi Muhayu-Deen 

#SayNoToMobJusticeNow
#JusticeForAdamMahamaNow
#ForLoveOfGodAndCountry

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