John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana
“…Fellow Ghanaians, I would like to take you down the memory lane. On 24th July, 2012, when our beloved country, Ghana was engulfed by that dark day, all guns were targeted at me. But in all this I know posterity is my judge. In 2012 election, when I won the election, some political demagogues refused to recognize me as President elect for the country. They went further to block the former president, Kuffuor from [ads1]attending the presidential inaugural ceremony, because it was JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, a village boy from Bole-Bamboi who won the election. Fellow Ghanaians, at the time they were doing this, I was not surprised at all, because my father, Emmanuel Adama Mahama, ( of blessed memory) who was the first member of parliament for West Gonja constituency and first Regional Commissioner of Northern Region during the first republic under the first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, told me much about the UP tradition, which now has its “christian name” as NPP.
In my regime as President, there were unprecedented things that need to be identified. I was the first President whose election victory was challenged in the supreme court in this country, though the election was genuinely won, just because of someone’s parochial interest to become President at all cost. When this election petition case was dismissed after almost a year journey in the supreme court, the at all cost presidential ambition crusaders declared making my government ungovernable. In my regime by this time, we were still in court. But as for them, “the true owners” of this country, should be given enough time for assessment. Is too early to demand from them on the promises they made. This was the reason I questioned whether they know what it takes to be a President. When I legally and constitutionally appointed Electoral Commissioner Chairperson, Madame Charlotte Osei, hell broke loose. I’m not not surprised the chairperson is being investigated for impeachment. This was planned from day one and known to everybody.
Critic is someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. What did they tell us about their hundred days in office? What haven’t I witnessed in my tenure of office as president, Association of Unemployed Graduates, Nurses for Change, et cetera et cetera. When I told them the truth about the state of the economy, they thought I was deceiving them. Strike here, strike there. When I said that dead goat has no question to ask the one who placed a sharp knife on its throat ( I developed dead goat syndrome), they took it world cup.
I remember when I delivered my first state of the nation address, NPP led by Dr. Bawumia, countered my address with their so-called true state of the nation address. In that address, they made it clear that, there is money in Ghana, we need not borrow money to develop this country. “Money is here. Our problem is reckless borrowing.” In their six-months-old government, what did we see? I know the measure of a man is not, “How did he die?” – not, “What did he gain?” but, “What did he give?” I gave my all to this country, truthfully, but posterity is my judge.
I could remember I was in the University of Cape Coast to give lecture on the economy. After my delivery, one of the students asked me about the restoration of the trainees’ allowances. I made it quite clear that, the trainees’s allowances wouldn’t be restored – even if that is the price I will pay for my political victory. On that day I told the students that they should study job market in order to know the courses to offer in the university. I used myself as an example for them. After my Bachelor degree in history, I taught for some number of years. Having known what was needed for the job market at the time, I left to do postgraduate diploma in communication. This is what brought me to this far. Let me ask, what is the story these people are telling us today? The restructuring of the school curriculum. Where is the change?
Did the vice President not vindicate me when he said, ” governance is not easy”? Did the information minister not vindicate me when he said, ” Ghanaians are difficult to rule”? This was the reason why I said “Ghanaians have short memory” ( Ghanaians forget easily). Were we not told by the former President Kuffuor that, political victory is all about deceiving the electorates ( citizens)? I’m still saying that, this current government officials don’t know what it takes to be a President.
In my office as President, I was called all kinds of name. “Incompetent” is synonymous to Mahama at the time. Fellow Ghanaians, how do you call this government? In their campaign they told us they are going to create jobs for the citizenry. What did we hear from the senior minister and minister of health on job creation? Fellow Ghanaians, I told you the future belongs to the risk takers, not the security seekers. The more you seek security, the less of it you will have and the more you pursue opportunity, the more security you will achieve. I told you 2017 is a year of smile, but you chose lie over truth. This made me remember the first former President,Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, when he said, ” If I knew it was milk you wanted, I would have connected it through a tap for you to drink.” Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines – Robert Schuller. The gem cannot be polished without friction or man perfected without trials.
Fellow Ghanaians, in President meets the press, when questions directed at me to answer and I, on many occasions throw them back to my ministers to answer, what would have been the headlines? If in my regime, BOST stinking scandal occurred, and minister promised to investigate the issue but only to come back and tell us different story, what would have been the preachings from well respected pastors and clergymen? If in my regime, courtrooms and flagstaff house were raided by the vigilantes associated to me, what would my name change to?
I have a call to attend a meeting for which I’m here in Kenya, but before I leave, deliberate on this, “There are no two lands; the pure or impure on their own. The purity of the land depends on the mindset of the people living there.” Have a good morning, until then, goodbye. Posterity is still my judge.
