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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