OPEN LETTER TO NDC’S SAMMY GYAMFI

Dear Sammy Gyamfi,

Respectfully, I have, as a political activist, been following keenly, and with considerable interest, your public exploits particularly media engagements since your election as the National Communications Officer of the largest opposition party in Ghana, the NDC. Even though, I wish, after this exercise, I could return a positive verdict on your performance so far, you haven’t, regrettably, given me reasons to do that. I was one of the persons who supported your bid upon conviction that you would do a much better job. But unfortunately, you haven’t given me any reason to award you with a pass mark. You have at best, been unimpressive.

And I’m sure after your interview with citi fm’s Selorm Adonoo on “Point Blank” on Wednesday, December 12, 2018, you can only agree with me. It was so difficult for you to sustain your claims that the Nana Addo-Bawumia government has woefully failed to honour their social contract with the Ghanaian electorates which you sought to make in your recent press conference to the extent that you had to accuse the host of doing the bidding of the NPP.

You wanted the host to only ask questions relating to the issues you raised in your statement and nothing more. How absurd! But nonetheless, he grants your wish. He then proceeds to confront you with concrete evidence challenging your claims particularly on projects under the Special Development Initiatives being undertaken by the government across the country which, he said, their regional reporters had confirmed. At this point, you became unenviably helpless and one could only sympathize with you.

Only when I thought your citi fm interview was extremely embarrassing, you appeared on Metro TV’s flagship programme, dubbed, Good Morning Ghana, the following day. I can’t even describe the spectacle. It was a monumental disaster and a not not not when you were subjected to FACTS CHECK by the venerable international award winning Abdul Malik Kweku Baako compelling you to make a number of concessions for your countless unpardonable gaffes. Even the host, Randy Abbey, couldn’t save you.

My brother, with this experience, I guess you’ve now seen your “smoothness level” and understand that you can’t speak so loosely and have your way when you appear on serious political shows. Of course, you would have your way if you were speaking on platforms provided by your party’s rented media houses. Obviously, this explains why you are so popular in the NDC, because, it is, perhaps, the only party that rewards “babies with sharp teeth” who can insult leaders of other political parties particularly presidential and vice presidential candidates. It is a party where ascension to political office depends on the sharpness of one’s teeth.

Finally, just before I let go of you, kindly vary your choice of words a little. The expression, “THIS IMPOTENT, NEPOTISTIC AND INEPT AKUFO-ADDO/BAWUMIA GOVERNMENT” which you always use, is becoming just too monotonous. Ghanaians are fed-up hearing you constantly repeat that expression. You virtually cannot construct a single sentence in a political conversation without making that expression. I am not sure that’s the only English you were thought in school. You are too predictable and that certainly, is not a mark of a good politician.

You also do not have to shout and denigrate elderly people to be able to make sense. You don’t have to verbally attack political opponents especially H.E. President Akufo-Addo and H.E. Vice President Mahamudu BAWUMIA before you can make sense. Take this brotherly advice from your friend and contemporary and you will go far. Don’t let the NDC as a body corporate regret sacrificing Fred Agbenyo for you. Enough of the cacophony! It is just too early for you to completely lose credibility in the political space. I will not be happy should that happen. I believe in young people and so, please, give me reasons to continue believing in young people like you and myself.

Thank you.               

Yours in service of country,

IDDI MUHAYU-DEEN

#ForGodAndCountry

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EXPOSING THE HIDDEN AGENDA BEHIND THE FAILED LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE CREATION OF NEW REGIONS

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

There is absolutely no denying the fact that this whole lawsuit challenging the creation of regions was targeted at stalling the creation of the proposed Oti Region, which has, undoubtedly, seen the strongest opposition in this whole conversation of regional reorganization underpinned in Article 5 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic. The said anti-Oti agenda, we also do know, is coming from people in the southern part of the Volta Region, almost all of whom are Ewes including their brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, and it is being spearheaded by their traditional and religious leaders, rather regrettably.

Surprisingly, these people and their leaders do not even hail from the Oti enclave and are therefore in no way affected by the creation of the Oti Region, neither have they called for it. But, they have, both in words and in deeds, openly shown demonstrable commitment to thwarting the effort to create the Oti Region. In case you haven’t followed these developments, let me refresh your memories. First, one Rev. S.S Agidi, a renowned opinion leader in the Ewe community and Moderator of the E.P Church was reported in the Ghanaian Times of January 25, 2018, to have openly declared his hatred for the creation of the proposed Oti Region describing the move as a recipe for chaos and tribal conflict.

Also, the Daily Graphic of Thursday, October 4, 2018, reported on the back page that the chiefs and people of the Asogli State including their warlord, Togbe Adzi Lakle Howusu XII, have vowed to resist any attempt to exclude Ewes from the southern part of the Volta Region from participating in the referendum on the creation of the Oti region. Again, the Goviafe chief, in addressing some anti-Oti protesters at the Asogli traditional palace on 8th August, 2018, stoked ethnic sentiments by suggesting that Ashantis were behind the Oti agenda and that, they [the Ashantis] should leave the Volta region and rather go and split their home region if they were interested in splitting regions.

Mention can also be made of a press release by the Anlo traditional council at the close of a meeting held at Ave, on October 13, 2018, where they posited that a potential conflict was imminent if government went ahead with the move to create the Oti Region. The latest in the series of opposition was what we saw recently from no less a person than the Ahomefia of the Asogli State and President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede, who, aside stoking tribal sentiments, also purported to raise the question of unconstitutionality regarding the processes that had been followed so far.

To me, it is unfathomable that chiefs and people in the southern part of the volta region would think that the carving out of the Oti Region from the Volta Region would affect their tradition authority and reduce the influence of their chiefs. Need I remind them that the creation of new regions or carving out of new regions from existing ones does not affect traditional boundaries? That is why, for instance, we have some chiefs in Volta north and in other regions paying allegiance to the Asantehene and so on. The creation of regions is thus, purely for administrative purposes and has nothing to do with traditional boundaries.

In any case, Togbe Afede and his people know very well that NO SINGLE CHIEF in the entire Oti enclave owes allegiance or has ever owed allegiance to any Ewe chief. So what is their problem? We, the people of Oti, in the exercise of our constitutional rights, as enshrined in Article 5 of the Constitution, called for the creation of the Oti region, thereby triggering the necessary constitutional processes and thankfully, the Justice Brobbey-led commission of inquiry, after their investigations, agreed with us in pursuance to Article 5(4) of the Constitution.

But of course, Togbe Afede and the other chiefs and people in the southern part of the volta region who are in this anti-Oti agenda, would have none of that. So, when they realised they were losing the argument, they decided to go to the Supreme Court, through their Ewe surrogates, in a desperate attempt to curtail the process under the guise of seeking constitutional interpretation. It is certainly the height of absurdity and gross incompetence for them to think that the Supreme Court has the power to twist or alter the very express provisions of Article 5 of the Constitution.

Unfortunately for them, in the Supreme Court, when you go talking tribalism, you will get a 7-0 verdict. When you go talking emotions, you will get a 7-0 verdict. When you go talking religious fanatism or traditional convenience, you will certainly receive a 7-0 verdict and that was exactly what happened to them. Their suit was not only void ab-initio but also, was so vexatious and pregnant with legal and constitutional absurdities. When you go to court with such stuffs, you will certainly be embarrassed. I commend the respected justices of the Supreme Court for doing the needful and vindicating our constitutional jurisprudence.

Let the naysayers be told that Oti Region is a MUST and SHALL come to pass to the glory of God (Insha Allah).

Assalamu aliak

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#AdvocateForOtiRegion

#ForGodAndCountry

GHANA MOURNS A FALLEN ICON, HON. EMMANUEL KYEREMATENG AGYARKO

 

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

It is true that DEATH is INEVITABLE as every living soul on earth shall DEFINITELY taste the agony of death at some point, which may be just a second away. Death is also no respecter of persons and gives no damn to one’s age, cultural, political, economic, and social status. Our Holy Books further give credence to this natural order and no man can run away from this reality. Whilst this is true, it is also true that, the consequences of losing a loved one are unbearable and sometimes could get very devastating. 

And certainly, losing somebody like Hon. Kyeremateng Agyarko, who had reached the peak of his service to his country and humanity, cannot be more devastating. The former FDA boss under the Kufuor administration, who until his sudden passing, was the MP for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency and Chairman of the Environment, Science and Technology Committee of Parliament, was an embodiment of humility, integrity, generosity and selflessness. His commitment to serving his constituents and to the cause of the NPP as well as to the Project Ghana is unwavering.

It is not surprising that the common denominator running through all the tributes trickling in speak to Hon. Agyarko’s compassion and down to earth attribute which he demonstrated unconditionally and throughout his life. Let me also use this opportunity to share a personal experience I had with the late MP. Sometime in 2015, soon after I handed over as NUGS General Secretary, social media was awash with a certain self-incriminating chat purportedly coming from me to the then NUGS President, in which I was alluding to my being in bed with the NDC and close association with Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa and Dr. Omane Boamah. 

This fakechat orchestration was engineered; regrettably, by some of my colleagues in the party youth wing to paint me as a mole in the party. Their reason was simple; to get back at me for certain “uncompromising positions” I took while serving as General Secretary of the nation’s largest student movement which didn’t sit well with them.

Unable to stand the treachery and stigma at the time and after weeping profusely, I picked my pen to write officially to communicate my decision of resigning entirely from politics. Only when I was about doing that, my phone started ringing; a strange number it was, when I picked the call, it was Hon. Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, whom I had never met nor spoken to. He called, first of all, to express his sympathy following what had happened to me and to give me the needed courage and fortitude to endure those difficulties and obstructions. He assured me of his ever readiness to support me in my undertakings and had, in fact, since became a fatherly figure to me. The rest, like they say, is history. 

But, as I pointed out, this was a man I had not known personally from Adam. I wasn’t his constituent either. Yet, he had shown so much concern in my wellbeing and gave me hope of a promising future. Having listened to him and taken a cue from his nuggets of wisdom, today, I am serving the party in a position of privilege. Hon. Agyarko couldn’t have had a more positive impact in my life. He had done that to so many others and across the political divide.

This attribute of Hon. Agyarko was obviously what endeared him as the most successful MP in the history of the most elitist constituency in Ghana, the Ayawaso West Wuogon, which hosts the University of Ghana, Airport Residential Area and parts of Dzowulo, GIMPA, GIL, UPSA, Presec-Legon etc. He was loved by all especially the students who would on any day vote for Hon. Emmanuel Agyarko as their MP even if they were not sympathetic to the NPP.

Hon. Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, your sudden departure from this earth is a big blow not only to the NPP but the whole of Ghana and more importantly, a loss to humanity. We celebrate you for a life well lived.

Damerefa Due!!

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

NDC NATIONAL DELEGATES CONGRESS IN RETROSPECT - The Talking Points

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Over the weekend, the NDC, as we all know, held its 9th National Annual Delegates Congress which came off at the Trade Fair Centre, Accra. Of course, the Congress had a lot of talking points ranging from the outright rejection of Volta (the most loyal region of the party), to the triple-track system, to the election of “babies with sharp teeth”, to the manifestation of gross incompetence, to mafia tactics against their own etc. Come with me fellow political watchers, and let’s get talking about the various talking points therein.  

The Volta Coup

If you ever doubted that the NDC, in this John Mahama era, does not regard the Volta Region, then I’m sure after this Congress, all your doubts were cleared. Despite the fact that the Volta Region is the single most loyal region to the electoral fortunes of the NDC, the Region, when it comes to recognition, receives the least attention from the party. It is not surprising that not a single voltarian was elected to occupy any of the frontline executive positions in the party. All the candidates from the Volta Region who were hoping to get the blessing of the party’s delegates for the positions of National Chairman, General Secretary, National Organiser and Communications Officer, were let down. 

As we have heard from some of them including Fred Agbenyo and Anita Desoso, they are very bitter and have proceeded to suggest that the NDC has been ungrateful and that, the party, had given Volta a raw deal. I dare say, the situation is even worse whenever the NDC is in government because they completely neglect the Volta Region. Simply put, the NDC has consistently reduced the relevance of the Volta Region to what I call, “Voter Region” where they only go to fetch massive votes when they need same and nothing more. 

The “Sharp Teeth” Analysis

One clear outcome of the Congress is the election of “babies with sharp teeth” as they are known in our political parlance. It is obvious that the NDC continues to celebrate their members with acidic tongues who can insult and spew much vitriol on their political opponents in the loudest of voice. As far as the NDC is concerned, the sharper your teeth, the more likely you can win internal elections in the party. 

Anyway, congratulations to Peter Otukunu, Sammy Gyamfi, Godwin Ako Gunn of the notorious montie trio, Joshua Akamba, Hannah Louisa Bisiw, Kwaku Boahen and the others. We, in the NPP, are ever ready for you guys if you want us to play ball. However, we will never fire the first shot, but, we won’t sit unconcerned when provoked especially if you begin visiting your usual unsolicited vituperations on our political leaders. That, I can assure you, will not happen. After all, no one has monopoly over abrasive effusions.

The Clear Mafia Works Against Kojo Adu Asare 

Honestly speaking, I do not know what Kojo Adu Asare is still doing in the NDC. Hasn’t the party mafia him enough? Interestingly, he is one of their finest communicators speaking for the party on radio and tv on daily basis. But what does he get in return? Mafia here, mafia there, mafia everywhere he goes. They began by “mafiaring” him at their parliamentary primaries. He came to contest for a position at the International Olympic Committee, they followed him there and mafia him. They again mafia him at the GFA Committee for Brazil 2014. 

Last four years, at the party delegates Congress, Kojo Adu Asare contested for the Deputy General Secretary position of the party, they mafia him leading to his 7-vote loss. He continued to serve the party as if nothing had happened. He comes back, this year, to contest for the same position, and upon sensing that he was likely going to win, the party leadership deliberately ensured that his name didn’t appear on the ballot paper as well as on the collation sheet. Such a mafia work! How can you be this machiavellian and wicked to your own? Kojo Adu Asare [or should I say Justice Yeboah] should simply advise himself. The NDC doesn’t just need him. Simplicita!

The Triple-Track System 

To the dismay of all, a Congress that is supposed to last for just a day had gone not only into a 2^nd day but a 3^rd causing so much inconvenience to everybody at the Congress ground including their own supporters, observers and the media whose personnel had to spend 2 sleepless nights covering the Congress and at great cost to the media houses. Incompetence would not make them learn properly from the NPP which successfully held its 2018 National Delegates Conference in Koforidua without such issues. Incompetence would not tell them that they could not accommodate over 9,000 people at the Fantasy Dome of the Trade Fair.

Incompetence would not tell them that they needed more than 5 polling centres for the Congress. Incompetence would not tell them that they needed an open space with canopies to hold such a Congress. As it is turning out, they are not only incompetent in government, but they are, perhaps, even more incompetent in opposition. Well, you shouldn’t expect anything to be well organized by a political party that eats and drinks incompetence. Anyway, “congratulations” to the party delegates for receiving not less than GHc7,000 each to vote for the various candidates. Ghanaians certainly deserve better.

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

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FELIX KWAKYE OFOSU AND THE NDC EXPOSED FOR PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE DEATHS OF INNOCENT GHANAIANS ON THE ADENTA MADINA-HIGHWAY

 

Whilst the residents of Adenta and Madina are in great sorrow over the incessant killings of their own by running vehicles on the Adenta-Madina highway; whilst the family of the late Mariam Kassim are mourning the painful killing of their innocent daughter on the highway; whilst the whole nation is mourning; whilst President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Bawumia are commiserating with the bereaved families and friends of all persons that lost loved ones as a result of accident recorded on the highway; whilst everybody is saddened by this development, our colleagues in the NDC see an opportunity to take advantage of the situation and make political capital.

Appearing on Newsfile, Ghana’s finest weekend news analysis show, on Saturday, November 10, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a Former Deputy Communications Minister, Aide to President John Mahama and lead communicator for the opposition NDC, clearly demonstrated the NDC’s grand scheme of going all out to seek to make political capital out of the situation. When giving this big platform to contribute to the discussion, the pulse of the nation didn’t matter to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the excruciating pains of the families of the innocent girl who was killed on the highway didn’t matter to Felix, the overwhelming calls on relevant state institutions to take responsibility and act accordingly didn’t matter to Felix.

None of these mattered to Felix Kwakye Ofosu and his NDC. What mattered to Felix was how to make political capital out of the situation for his NDC. So, what does he do? He puts every blame on President Akufo-Addo and calls on Ghanaians to be angry with the President for being responsible for all the deaths recoded on the highway. Obviously, to Felix, this is what will make Ghanaians vote against President Akufo-Addo and bring back his darling John Mahama so that, he, Felix, will possibly be made Information Minister [or is it propaganda Minister]. Such an insensitive and opportunistic narcissist!

Even in doing this petty politics, he won’t do it with finesse and competence, because, of course, competence is not in the NDC lexicon. So, he goes peddling falsehoods and engaging in selective amnesia. Fortunately, the highly respected and celebrated Abdul Malik Kweku Baako was there at the right time to expose such an “opportunistic liar” and lay bare all the relevant documented facts on the matter to the shock of Felix and the NDC. First and all, per the undisputed facts, documentations were finalized in September 2018 and a chunk of the required funds for the construction of the Madina-Adenta Highway was secured before the Mills-Mahama NDC administration took over.

For eight (8) good years, the NDC government couldn’t complete this project which includes the construction of the six footbridges, which is largely blamed for all the needless deaths on the highway. Indeed, the NDC government’s own documents reveal that, by 2014, the footbridges were 75% complete. Since 2014 till now, work on the footbridges had completely stalled over contractual and monetary issues. So, going by Felix Kwakye’s logic, if we were to engage in the apportionment of blames, is it the NDC that had good 8 years and yet couldn’t complete the construction of the footbridges or the NPP that had less than 2 years that should take a chunk of the blame?

Well, you (Felix Kwakye Ofosu and the NDC) can play all the propaganda with the deaths of your fellow countrymen and women, but Abdul Malik Kweku Baako and other discerning Ghanaians will expose you. We are NOT unintelligent.

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry 

KNUST UTAG AND TEWU MUST GET SERIOUS AND SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO LAWFUL ENGAGEMENTS FOR PURPOSES OF RESTORING SANITY IN KNUST

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

I honestly think that Ghanaians have had enough of the intransigence of KNUST UTAG and TEWU on their failure to appreciate the wisdom behind the need to RECONSTITUTE a new Governing Council to man the affairs of the ‘trouble-ridden University’. You don’t need to have a sense of good judgment to know that the old council had completely lost legitimacy for superintending over such gross human rights abuses, draconian regime, organized lawlessness and institutionalized impunity against their students.

You don’t need a sense of good judgment to know that the old governing council of the university that visited such excruciating and inexplicable injustices upon the students culminating in the violent demonstration of October 22, which led to the closure of the school, CANNOT be brought back. This is so basic and commonsensical that I expect even a primary 3 pupil to understand. So I ask, what at all is the motive of these lecturers and TEWU members for insisting that their reps in the old discredited council should be included in the new yet to be constituted governing council? I am just unable to come to terms with their disingenuous disposition and the poverty of their logic in this conversation.

You want to bring back the old governing council because of whose “recklessness and incompetence”, the ordinary Ghanaian taxpayer is now going to cough up over GHc1.7 which is the estimated cost of the destructions arising from the violent demonstration? Are you serious?  And because you are being told that it is unreasonable to do this unthinkable act, you are threatening to withdraw your services and embark on an indefinite strike? Wow! I guess you deserve a clap for this.

But what then happens to the basic principle of people taking responsibility for their actions and inactions? Why do we subject people to disciplinary actions for alleged wrongdoing? How do we, the taxpayers (who are invariably going to pay for these damages) get justice if the very people who caused this mess are allowed to remain at post, whilst the matter is being investigated? How do the students get justice? Since the action(s) of the previous council is a subject-matter for investigation, how can they be investigating themselves? How can they be judges in their own case?

Doesn’t this make nonsense of the uncompromising principle of Natural Justice on the rule against bias which finds expression in the legal maxim, nemo judex in causa sua? Is this not a very fundamental principle of law that is respected and upheld in all jurisdictions? Is this not the very principle upheld by the courts of Ghana in Akufo-Addo v Quarshie Idun, Exparte Mobile, Republic v Constitutional Committee Chairman; Exparte Braimah II, Adzaku v Galenku, Ex-parte Ameyaw II, Sasu v Amua Sakyi and Ex-parte Awusu II among several others?

Okay, since you [UTAG and TEWU] claim you are talking law and due process, let me debate you in your so called comfort zone. Now, we are not talking logic but law. But before that, I wish to admit that I was initially wrong when I said the President and for that matter government was not the appointing authority for the KNUST governing council and therefore, per Article 297 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, government couldn’t have disappointed or dissolved the governing council because it was not the appointing authority.

However, upon some education I got from some lawyer friends of mine and my subsequent reading of Article 70 of the Constitution together with the KNUST Act, (Act 80), I came to the inevitable conclusion that the President [government] was indeed the appointing authority of the KNUST governing council. The other bodies or constituencies only make nominations for the President to exercise the powers vested in him in Article 70 to appoint the persons so nominated into the governing council. Since the President is the appointing authority, he certainly, per Article 279 has the power to disappoint or dissolve the council.

The KNUST Act, however so problematically couched, cannot be read to take away the president’s appointing authority under Article 70 of the Constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of Ghana and per Article 1(2), any other law found to be inconsistent with any provision of the Constitution shall be void to the extent of the inconsistency. Also, KNUST, being a public University just like UG, UDS, UEW etc, cannot have an Act that is so inconsistent with the Acts of all the other public Universities particularly in respect of the appointment of members of governing council.

Even with the KNUST Act (Act 80), when the sole Statute Law Revision Commissioner of Ghana, VCRAC Crabbe, whose office revised the Laws of Ghana from 1852 to 2004 in seven volumes, took away the powers of the PNDC Secretary to make appointments into the KNUST council, it failed to specifically mention who was to effect the appointment. The KNUST Act, as it stands now, Section 7(1) of Act 80 only states that, “The governing body of the University shall be the University Council which shall consist of the following members appointed by the PNDC”. It proceeds to mention the members including 7(1)(g), that talks about “a representative of the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution of the University”.

Let anybody tell me whether the PNDC is still in existence and whether it was the PNDC that appointed the members of the council that was recently dissolved. Let anybody tell me whether we had a representative of the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution in the council, as provided by the Act. This only tells us how archaic and inoperative the KNUST Act has become particularly Section 7. It also tells us how Parliament has failed the nation in its law making functions. It appears we pay people “fat fat salaries” for not doing much. Our institutions of state seem not to be working.

I am not surprised that as a nation, we still do not have a single document governing tertiary education in the country, and yet we pride ourselves as the beacon of hope in Africa. How ironic and shameful! Mr. President, this, respectfully, doesn’t make me feel proud to call myself a citizen; perhaps, I’m better off as a spectator if this is all we have to show for being citizens.  

So, members of KNUST UTAG and TEWU, you can see clearly that, the only inevitable logical inference that can be drawn from the reading of Section 7 of Act 80 as well as Article 70 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana is that, the President and for that matter the government of Ghana is the appointing authority of the University Council. Nowhere in the KNUST Act does it say that TEWU and UTAG should nominate people to serve on the council. So, if I were to advise government, I would say government should ignore you [KNUST UTAG and TEWU] and go ahead to appoint people from your fold to represent you in the council.

Government has been too magnanimous with you people pleading with you to nominate a representative each for appointment other than the individuals who served in the previous council that caused the mess. Is this a rocket science that you can’t understand? Well, if you think the Asantehene has the legal authority to appoint a governing council that would include your preference, just go ahead and let him do that and inaugurate the council. If you think government is acting unlawfully, just go to court and challenge same. And let’s see whether your internal regulation of choosing a so called council rep is subservient or superior to the laws of Ghana. We are NOT unintelligent. Enough!!

Asslamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

OPEN LETTER TO THE NDC ON DR. BAWUMIA’S CHALLENGE

Dear NDC,

I have followed with curiosity your attempt to rise up to the innocuous CHALLENGE posed to you by His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Bawumia to mention a SINGLE [just one] social intervention policy you had successfully INTRODUCED and SUSTAINED in your entire 8-year rule. I ignore the fact that it took you almost two weeks to attempt a response to Dr. Bawumia’s challenge because I appreciate the difficulties you found yourself in trying hard to identify a SINGLE social intervention policy you had successfully INTRODUCED and SUSTAINED [emphasis on “introduced” and “sustained”]. 

However, what I CANNOT ignore is to do a CRITIQUE of your response having waited for almost a month and taking cognizance of not only the statement issued by Dr. Omane Boamah but also comments made by your former government officials and party communicators purporting to respond to Dr. Bawumia’s challenge. Having done this exercise, my conclusion, unfortunately, is that, you still haven’t been able to meet the challenge. In other words, you still haven’t been able to tell the Ghanaian people any single social intervention you had successfully introduced and sustained.

What you successfully did; was to set your own questions and proceeded to answer same. Respectfully, Dr. Bawumia did not ask you to mention social amenities you had successfully provided in the 8 years you were in office. He certainly couldn’t have asked you that question or posed such a challenge to you. This is because the provision of social amenities is the mundane and primary responsibility of every government and indeed, all governments in our history have shown some commitments in the provision of social amenities. Even the Hilla Liman government which ruled Ghana for less than 3 years did provide a lot of social amenities within that short period.

I refuse to accept your definition of social intervention policy to include the provision of social amenities such as schools, hospitals, bridges, water, electricity, road infrastructure among others. This, like I said, is basic and all governments have done that to a very significant extent. However, for social intervention policy, it takes a lot of thinking beyond the realm of ordinary to introduce, implement and sustain in a manner that will touch the lives of every Ghanaian across the regions. Social interventions entail programmes that are so grandiose as to shake the very foundation of poverty in the country and provide significant relief to the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians nationwide.

Social interventions therefore include programmes like the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP), National Health Insurance Scheme, National Youth Employment Programme, Free Maternal Health Care, The School Feeding Programme, The Capitation Grant, The Metro Mass Transit, Discovery of Oil in Commercial quantity, MASLOC, Cocoa Mass Spraying, Free SHS, Zongo Development Fund, Planting for Food and Jobs, Cancelation of the payment of BECE Registration Fees, NABCO and the likes. Interestingly, all these social intervention policies seen in Ghana were introduced, implemented and sustained by the NPP under former President Kufuor and now, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo.

The NPP, which surprisingly, was founded on the principle of capitalism, conservatism, property owning democracy, liberalism and centre-rightness, is rather the political party that is able to pride itself with the successful implementation of all the social intervention policies recently seen in this country. Whereas you [the NDC] despite your claims of having been founded on the principle of social democracy, you are finding it almost impossible to mention even a SINGLE pro-poor social intervention policy successfully introduced and implemented by you in your entire 8 years.  How ironic!

Well, back to Dr. Bawumia’s challenge, having drawn the line between social amenities and social interventions, can you [NDC] now tell us a SINGLE social intervention policy you had successfully introduced and sustained in your entire 8 years to provide such significant relief to Ghanaians as a whole? And please, don’t come telling us about distribution of free exercise books and textbooks, which every government does. Don’t tell us about building schools, hospitals and roads, which every government does. Don’t tell us about the over-size school uniforms, which you provided once and couldn’t sustain.

Perhaps, what would have met the threshold of social intervention under your term is SADA. Unfortunately, it became the vehicle which you used to siphon money in pursuance to your create-loot-and-share enterprise which characterized your 8-year administration. So, don’t tell us about SADA. You cannot tell us about the bus branding either; nor can you tell us about the payment of judgment debts to your cronies and functionaries. I bet you, if you are able to mention a SINGLE social intervention policy you successfully introduced and sustained, I, Iddi Muhayu-Deen, would DEFECT from the NPP and join your fold. Of course, I know you need me. So, just “do the do” and let’s play along. The challenge lives on… JUST ONE!

Assalamu alaik

Yours in Service of God and Country,

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

NPP Youth Activist

#ForGodAndCountry

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THE PERSPECTIVE OF A FORMER STUDENT LEADER ON THE KNUST BROUHAHA AND RELATED MATTERS - GOVERNMENT MUST ACT WITHIN THE LAW

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Regrettably, the nation’s premier University of Science and Technology, KNUST, has recently, been in the news for rather bad reasons, ranging from the autocratic disposition of the university management to student unrest and the latest, being government’s intervention. I have, with considerable interest as a stakeholder and former student leader, followed these unfolding developments, and wish to express this take. One may argue that, being a student activist, I may have some personal biases against management and in favour of students. Whether or not this suspicion is true, I would rather the issues I am raising be looked at devoid of such prejudices.

It is instructive; first of all, to make the point that there has been an overwhelming condemnation of last Monday’s violent demonstration staged by the students. Whiles admitting that there were indeed some excesses on the part of the students, I am nonetheless of the firm conviction that the rioting students were under extreme provocation and had no option than to vent their spleen in the way they did in order to catch the needed attention. Kindly indulge me to pose the following questions especially to those going very hard on the students. Where were they when these students were subjected to 21^st century penal servitude by the authorities of KNUST under the pretext of instilling discipline?

Where were the men and women of good conscience when the students were being subjected to a regime of oppression by the school authorities? Where were the men and women of good conscience when the fundamental human rights and civil liberties of the students as enshrined in Chapter 5 of the Constitution of the Republic were wantonly contravened by the authorities of KNUST? Where were they when the students of KNUST were subjected to officially-sanctioned brutalities? What were they expecting the students who were otherwise embarking on a peaceful demonstration to do when the police were firing unprovoked warning shots at them?

Where were the men and women of good conscience when student activism was under siege by the school authorities? Where were they when student leaders were made powerless and inefficacious by the school authorities? Where were they when the duly elected Hall Executives were stripped off their positions and residential status by the school authorities for exercising their constitutional right of going to Court to challenge some of their unpopular decisions? Where were the men and women of good conscience when the Annual Hall Week Celebrations for all the Halls on campus were consolidated into a week-long activity, denying students the opportunity of celebrating at their own pace and will?

Where were they when all student accounts including the accounts of the SRC were consolidated into one and superintended over by the Dean of Students rather than the students themselves? Where were the men and women of peace and good conscience when the KNUST Vice Chancellor was bent on banning a Hall Tradition (MORALE) which had existed since the establishment of the University for no legitimate reason? Where were the men and women of good conscience when the students were subjected to 24/7 molestation and brutalities by the campus security under the authority of the VC?

Where were the bastions of law and constitutionality when the VC of KNUST caused a prison cell to be constructed on campus where “law-breaking students” and others were locked up by the campus security, virtually turning the school into a whole Republic with him, the VC, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of KNUST? Where were they when students of KNUST were compelled to necessarily go to bed not later than 10pm? Ultimately, where were the men and women of good conscience when University life in KNUST was turned into one of Secondary School with so much restrictions as if the students were kids?

The most annoying thing was that even in the face of all these injustices occasioned largely by the acts of maladministration particularly on the part of the embattled VC, nobody was ready to listen to the plight of these students who had virtually become academic slaves. The VC and his colleagues in management would just not grant them audience. The media would also not tell their story the way it should be told to reflect what was really happening on campus. Under these circumstances, you would agree with me that the only option available to the students was to stage a massive demonstration to shake the very foundation of KNUST in order to catch the attention of the whole nation, which they succeeded.

We should remember that silence CANNOT be an option when things are ill done. Also, throughout history, evil triumphs in society only because of the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most as well as the inactions of those who should have acted. Where there is no room for a jaw-jaw in order to arrest a particular evil, certainly ‘war-war’ becomes the only option because under no circumstance should evil be made to fester in society. Our national anthem enjoins us to resist oppressors’ rule remember?  It is for these and other reasons that I am hesitant in going hard on the students for the excesses. In any case, it thus appears that the only language our authorities understand is “aluta” rather than constructive engagement.

And this sub-culture of notorious intransigence on the part of officialdom is not peculiar to KNUST but cuts across all the institutions of higher learning in the country and other government ministries, departments and agencies. I remember vividly, during my days as the General Secretary of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) sometime in the year 2014/15, it always took a threat of demonstration from NUGS to compel authorities and indeed the government at the time to grant us the needed audience. One of such many occasions was when the then government was hell bent on compelling students in all public tertiary institutions to pay utility bills; but for our threat to stage a mammoth demo, which compelled also the Presidency, to grant us audience leading to the resolution of the matter.

Tell me, if the KNUST students had not staged that demonstration, would the whole nation get to hear of their plight? Would their issues make headlines in our national dailies including the Graphic? Would the TV stations in Accra fly some of the student leaders to their studios for them to tell their stories? Would their ordeal be discussed on all “Morning Shows” on TV and Radio including my favourite “kokorokoo” hosted by the legendary Kwame Sefa Kayi, on peace fm for a whole week and counting?  Would the Abdul Malik Kweku Baakus be speaking to their issues? Would we see an intervention from government?

And talking about government’s intervention, it is rather unfortunate that government, through the Ministry of Education, appears to be getting it all wrong and that saddens me. As much as I want the embattled KNUST VC to go, my fidelity to the law enjoins me to always stand on the side of the law. Else, I will not only be betraying my law lecturers but also my good conscience. I am, under the circumstances, unable to support government’s purported dissolution of the KNUST Governing Council and the purported formation of an Interim Management Council (IMC) to run the University, which move, clearly flies in the face of the law. You don’t use a faulty process and for that matter a palpable illegality to achieve a legitimate end. In law, the process is as crucial as the end.

If you don’t have the power to appoint or create, you certainly CANNOT have the power to disappoint or destroy. This is a fundamental principle of statutory interpretation. As we speak, per the Statute establishing the University, the appointing authority of the KNUST VC is the University Governing Council, properly so constituted, and NOT government. Government only appoints less than 30% of other members of the Council and this, of course, does not include the VC. Membership to the Council is largely by institutional representation. Respectfully, Article 297(a) of the 1992 Constitution on implied powers cannot be cited as justification for government’s move, to the extent that government is not the appointing authority of the Council, let alone the VC.

In view of the foregoing, I join the seasoned lawyers who have spoken on the matter, the KNUST SRC, UTAG, VC-Ghana, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Yaw Buaben Asamoah [the NPP Communications Director who conceded to this illegality on Newsfile], and indeed all well-meaning law abiding Ghanaians to call on government to do the needful and restore the status quo. Certainly, I expect the KNUST VC, for demonstrating such legendary incompetence and superintending over complete lawlessness on campus, to be REMOVED from office BUT only through DUE PROCESS. Long live KNUST!! Long live Student Activism!! Aluta Continua … Victoria Ascerta….

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

Former NUGS General Secretary

#ForGodAndCountry

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EXPOSING THEIR CRASSITUDE OVER NABCO AND TELLING THE STORY OF THE NATION’S GRADUATES

EXPOSING THEIR CRASSITUDE OVER NABCO AND TELLING THE STORY OF THE NATION’S GRADUATES

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

When they were in government, for good EIGHT (8) years, they did very little to better the lot of the nation's unemployed youth particularly graduates whose numbers were running in hundreds of thousand, if not in millions. Meanwhile, it was during their reign that the menace of graduate unemployment reached an all-time crescendo, becoming a national malaise and a blot on the very conscience of the nation. The narrative of the Ghanaian graduate was only becoming worse at each passing moment.

After all the University hustles; after spending some four years of their lives at the University having already gone through basic and secondary education hustles; after paying all the astronomical fees; after studying very hard to pass their exams and graduating successfully, this was what they had to show. All they could give back to their families that had spent so much in their education, is joblessness and hopelessness. Their expectation of securing jobs in the country had become a complete mirage. These graduates had become a burdensome load on their families again.

Some of them had to defy the odds and went into menial jobs. Others, who could not withstand the economic hardship occasioned by government's manifest incompetence at the time, had to leave the shores of Ghana either as stowaways or preferred to join terrorist organizations like ISIS. At least, we have undisputed evidence that about ten of these young graduates of our country including Nazir Alema, Abubakar Mohammed, Abdul Rafik, Shakira Mohammed and six others were widely reported to have been recruited into ISIS. They just couldn’t withstand the untold hardship visited on them by the governing political elite.

This was how bad the story of the Ghanaian graduates had become. And in their quest to make their voice heard, they came together, and formed an Association of Unemployed Graduates (AUG), the first of its kind, not only in the history of Ghana but also in Africa and indeed the World. It still didn't help matters. They had no one to look up to, except, of course, the State, acting through the NDC government at the time. Unfortunately, the then Ghanaian leader, President John Dramani Mahama, said he had become a “dead goat” playing Daddy Lumba's "yen tie obiaa's song" everywhere he went to.

And as if his government hadn't done enough, they again placed a complete EMBARGO on public sector recruitment following a bailout agreement they entered into with the IMF as a result of their mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy. In the words of President Mahama, this move was necessary for policy credibility; essentially confirming the suspicion of Ghanaians that his government had lost anything credible.

Since the public sector had become a "no go area", the only option left for these graduates was the private sector. But unfortunately for them, the private sector was perhaps, even more problem-ridden and had virtually collapsed due to government's inability to arrest the 4-year debilitating dumsor crisis compelling many businesses to lay off more and more workers. That was the story of Ghanaian graduates under the John Mahama-led NDC government. How sad and pathetic!!

But the good news is that we now have a listening government that has shown demonstrable commitment to changing this sad narrative to give hope to these graduates. Indeed, one of the many initiatives of this Nana Addo-Bawumia government, to better the lot of graduates is the much talked about Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) which has just taken off providing job opportunities to some 100,000 graduates. It is the first time in the history of this country that a government is rolling out such a comprehensive and masterful job-creation package targeted at none other but the nation's graduates, a lot of whom have been sitting idle for years.

What is even more refreshing is that NABCO is not only providing employment avenues to these graduates but also a fine opportunity for them to get skill-training, job experience and build their capacity in order to enhance their employability in the labour market and also make them self-enterprising post NABCO. I doff my hat for all the persons in government that played instrumental role to make this NABCO Project a reality, particularly Dr. Ibrahim Anyass, the CEO of NABCO, whom I describe as the greatest revelation of this NPP government in recent times. You just can’t help but admire this fine gentleman for all the good reasons. I am not surprised he is coming from the Office of the Vice President, where COMPETENCE gets its true and real meaning.

On what is in stock for our brother and sisters who have subscribed to NABCO, it is worth acknowledging that while the monthly stipend of GHc700 for each beneficiary may not be enough, they, themselves, have been quick to admit that it is much better than sitting at home and getting “rotten”. Certainly, it is better than living a jobless life for years and not having an opportunity to own a payslip at the end of every month. In any case, beyond the GHc700, is the issue of building their capacity and increasing their employable skills to help enhance the dignity and self-esteem of the country’s graduates. What more can government do?

Again, following the ban on public sector employment as a direct result of the IMF deal with the previous John Mahama government, which deal is still subsisting, government’s hands are tight and cannot do any mass recruitment into the sector. Under the circumstances, it would only take a competent government to think outside the box and come out with a bold intervention like NABCO.

This is what the NDC does not and CANNOT understand. But, I am not sure it is their fault and so, I entreat the nation’s graduates who had suffered so much social injustice under the NDC’s reign to forgive them. I entreat the 100,000 NABCO beneficiaries as well as their families and indeed the rest of the nation to forgive our NDC friends; for it is not their fault. A political party that cannot think beyond incompetence and create-loot-share schemes like the Woyomes, the bus branding, the SADAs, and the GYEEDAs can certainly NOT understand a novelty like NABCO. But their manifest deficiency should not prevent us from being CITIZENS for the love of our Motherland.

Assalamu alaik 

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

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DR. BAWUMIA AND THE GHANAIAN ECONOMY; SEPARATING THE FACTS FROM THE FICTION

DR. BAWUMIA AND THE GHANAIAN ECONOMY; SEPARATING THE FACTS FROM THE FICTION

By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

In the past couple of weeks, the debate on the current state of the Ghanaian economy, has, for some reasons, gained significant momentum following the slight depreciation of our currency against the US dollar; with critics of this government pointing accusing fingers at His Excellency Dr. Bawumia for the "troubling cedi". Regrettably, this waging debate is largely being driven by partisan considerations and sometime pettiness rather than substance and fair economic dissection.

They tell us that every blame be put at the doorstep of Dr. Bawumia for, in their words, superintending over weak economic fundamentals culminating in the “woes” of the Ghanaian currency. "If the fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate will expose you", they say; claiming to throw back the VEEP's words at him when the NPP was in opposition. But, are the economic fundamentals really weak? As an economic savvy person, I am baffled and metagrabolised at the manifest poverty of the criticisms against the Number 2 man of the State [Dr. Bawumia].

Perhaps, it is politics as usual. Else, why would anybody, with the benefit of working faculties, tell us that reducing inflation from 15% to 9% is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? Why would they tell us that reducing interest rate on the 91-day treasury bills from 16.8% in 2016 to 13.4% (thereby reducing the cost of borrowing) is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? Why would they tell us that increasing our gross international reserve from $6.2 billion (i.e.3.5 months of import) in 2016 to $7.3 billion (3.9 months of import) as at June 2018 is a sign of weak economic fundamental?

Why would they tell us that reducing the fiscal deficit from 9.3% to 5.9% is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? Why would they tell us that increasing the growth of Agriculture (the very backbone of the nation's economy) from 3% to 8.4% is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? Why would they tell us that increasing the growth of industry from negative 0.5% in 2016 to 17.7% is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? Why would they tell us that reducing the debt to GDP ratio from 73% to 65% is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? Why would they tell us that increasing the size of the GDP from GHc164 billion in 2016 to GHc206 billion is a sign of weak economic fundamentals?

Why would they tell us that an economy that has been able to withstand a significant reduction in electricity bills by as much as 30% and 17.5% for businesses and households respectively is an economy with weak fundamentals? Why would they tell us that an economy that has stood a reduction in water tariffs by 10% across board is an economy with weak fundamentals? Why would they tell us that an economy that has stood the scrapping of nuisance taxes is an economy with weak fundamentals? Why would they tell us that an economy that has been able to withstand the huge budgetary implication for the full implementation of the famous Free SHS policy is an economy with weak fundamentals?

Why would they tell us that an economy that has been able to sustain the full restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowance is an economy with weak fundamentals? Why would they tell us that an economy that has been able to resolve "dumsor" by tackling the very root cause of the energy crisis (financial challenges) is an economy with weak fundamentals?

Ultimately, why would they tell us that an increment in the economic growth rate from 3.6% in 2016 to 8.5% (even before the recent rebasing) is a sign of weak economic fundamentals? I doubt they understand what a weak economic fundamental is. Figures, they say, don’t lie. I can go on and on and on... because the success story of the Bawumia-led economic management team is simply inexhaustible.

I am however quick to admit that it is indeed true that the story of the Ghana cedi hasn't really been rosy following the 7% depreciation it recorded against the US dollar in the past few months. But it is also true that the cedi hasn’t fared badly considering recent developments at the international capital market, where the US dollar has, following certain interventions of President Donald Trump, seen almost an unprecedented appreciation in value as against all the major currencies at the interbank market.

The British pounds, the euro, the South African rand, the Indian currency, the CFA, the Argentine currency and indeed all other currencies have recorded significant depreciation against the US dollar averaging between 7% to 50% in some cases within the same period. But for our strong economic fundamentals, the cedi would have, perhaps, depreciated by more than 30% in the midst of this global exchange rate crisis.

But the good news is that the international capital market has now reacted to this “anomalous occurrence” in respect of the US dollar. It thus appears that this time round, the dollar was not arrested by Ghana police but by Interpol and the locked key was given not to the IGP but thrown into the high seas with the hope of never returning.

That is why you will see clearly that some stability is now being realized in the interbank market and accordingly, our “darling cedi” is beginning to enjoy same. The reasonable deduction to be made therefore is that, the recent woes of the cedi had absolutely nothing to do with the current managers of the Ghanaian economy. That notwithstanding, the competent economic management team is doing the needful and not sitting aloof at all.

It is therefore not surprising that global credit rating agency, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) Global, recently upgraded Ghana’s sovereign credit rating from B- to B with a stable outlook, for the first time in 10 years, citing the country’s strong economic fundamentals. The cynics, particularly our NDC friends can decide to rubbish the positive ratings for political expediency. But, the international investor who wishes to invest in the country would certainly not listen to what the NDC or NPP says about the economy. He would rather consider the in-depth economic analysis and ratings by Standard and Poor’s Global in making all his investment decisions.

Having said that, I wish to now respond to what I call, attempted but failed gratuitous and unwarranted attacks on the unimpeachable credibility of Dr. Bawumia by some of our NDC friends, for comments he made about the economy whilst in opposition. His critics accused him of lying to the Ghanaian electorates because according to them, Dr. Bawumia, whilst in opposition, promised that a future NPP government will NOT borrow.

Meanwhile, these critics have still not been able to provide any iota of proof to substantiate their allegation. If somebody criticizes you for engaging in reckless borrowing and chopping a chunk of the money borrowed, how does that mean that the person will not borrow at all when given the nod? I never knew English could be this difficult.

The other thing he said was that, it is possible to develop this country without engaging in the kind of reckless borrowing the NDC was engaged in. I ask again, how does this suggest that an NPP government will not borrow at all? In any case, which country in this world doesn't borrow? Even the Americas and the Chinas, which happen to be the two biggest economies in this world, borrow from other nations as well as from the Britain Wood Institutions. So, it would be highly preposterous and inconceivable to make the argument that a poor country like Ghana can survive without borrowing.

Of course, Dr. Bawumia was also vocal in critiquing the mode of computing economic figures particularly inflation during the NDC administration and challenged the Ghana Statistical Service to review their methodology, because at that time, inflation and interest rate were approaching opposite direction, which defied economic logic. Dr. Bawumia was initially lambasted for this criticism until officials of the IMF came to Ghana and in their analysis of our economy, confirmed the observation he had made.

It was at this point that the Statistical Service released a statement admitting the erroneousness of their methodology and committed to reviewing same. If this was not a vindication of Dr. Bawumia, I wonder what else it was. Fast forward to this current administration, with Dr. Bawumia as the head of the economic management team, you will now see clearly that, unlike what we saw during the NDC days, whiles inflation is dropping; interest rate is also dropping, thereby establishing the required direct relationship between the two economic indicators. This is what makes economic sense and vindicates the credibility of statistical data under this government.

Well, the NDC can continue on their fruitless journey of looking for basis to attack the very credibility of the “economic prophet” of our time (Dr. Bawumia); they can continue peddling falsehoods upon falsehoods; they can continue to play populist propaganda about the current state of the Ghanaian economy, BUT economic students like us and indeed discerning Ghanaians, will expose them. After all, the good people of this country are NOT unintelligent. We have all lived the NDC experience; we tasted the NDC experience and we know how bitter it was! Never again INSHA ALLAH. Forward, we move, for love of our country.

Assalamu alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen

#ForGodAndCountry

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