Many of the youth today from the eligible age of voting to those who are over forty five years have only come to read or hear about the many military uprisings Ghana witnessed in the past.
In fact, gory stories are told about those dark times of Ghana to the extent that the citizens embraced the transition from military dictatorship to democratic governance with cheek ease.
It is therefore understandable that the referendum to accept the 1992 constitution and other enactments for democracy received massive endorsement. One can even say that the joy of moving away from the horrid times into a new era of governanceblinded the people from scrutinizing the constitution and the consequences of its use for governance.
The flaws of the constitution as identified today could have been identified then with proper probe but that was never done because all that the people were yearning for at the time was a different type of governance other than the dictatorship and the atrocities of military rule.
The 1992 elections ushered us into this much awaited new dawn with excitement albeit some resentments and snipers of violence across the country. The usage of opaque ballot boxes and other electoral incidences was to take away the beauty of the process but that was never allowed to halt the forward march of the citizenry into democracy.
After some thirty years into democratic governance and having witnessed the two dominant political parties ruling the people with almost the same style embedded in corruption, state capture and loot and share, the generation started the unhealthy comparison of military leadership and the current dispensation. Musa Dankwa’sinstitution posted a survey that seemed to suggest that many of the people interviewed in that poll suggested a return of the military.
Then came an election year again and among the candidates presented by all the political parties, one stood tall not because of his political affiliation nor academic credentials and neither was it his achievements, but for the fact that he had been at the helm of affairs before and was voted out so he could have learnt his lessons and was in the position to cause a change only if he wanted to.
The massive endorsement President Mahama received was due to the reason stated above but political actors will always find a reason for their victory other than the reality.
I remember that I watched an interview of Captain Kofi Amoabeng who hails from the mightyKukurantumi, my home town. In that interview, he made a profound statement that resonated with not only me but I believe a lot of like-minded people and this was his exact words so I take his permission to quote “Ghanaians have tried it all but for the return of an ex-president”, he went further to water that assertion which to me made a lot of sense to many of the electorates
Upon assumption of office, the president by his acts is bringing back the confidence of the people into democracy. The removal of nuisance taxes, his choice of competence over loyalty not as witnessed in the past, his listening governance and utmost humility and sobriety has endeared him to the hearts of many.
His insistence on asset declaration and the introduction of code of conduct for appointees and his quest to cut wastage for frugal use of state funds are some of the things reigniting the hopes of the people. As the president continues to receive commendation from the masses, there are areas he must not lose sight and if his reset agenda reflects in those areas too it will be better.
In as much as I support the arrest and prosecution of any person who has in a way or the other siphoned state funds into their homes, caused financial loss, captured state property of shortchanged that state in any transactions for their personal gins, I think the stage acting and comedies that surround the arrest of these persons should be a things of the past.
After all we the people are not interested in how many people are invited or arrested by EOCO, OSP, THE CID, NIB or whatever you call it.
We are interested in getting corrupt officials to pay for their misdeed. What sense does it make if these institutions arrest many, waste state resources to arrest, detain and to prosecute but get none to pay for his or he misdeed as has always been the case.
I even think that these institutions too must be held for wasting state resources should they make so much noise of alleged corruption cases but fail to achieve nothing.
As intelligent institutions, they should not be swinging like a pendulum just to do the bidding of people in power but to research into matters and be convinced of any alleged crime before arrests and detentions.
Are we not in this country where people alleged to have committed crimes are left of the hook should political power change hands?
If these institutions of state established to fight corruption, arrest thousands with all the euphoria it comes with only to achieve few retrievals and convictions, then they are not worth the huge budgetary allocations they receive. It is unimaginable that some of these institutions receive bigger financial allocations than the police service who are entrusted with all the core functions these other institutions perform. In fact if not for being victimized and chased, I would have said that these institutions cause much more financial loss to the state than the people they go after.
Mr President, your reset agenda should focus on some of these nuisances and if possible all these institutions should come under the police service for effective coordination and efficiency to stop the wastage. How can three or four state institutions be going after one person for similar or same offences when with proper collaboration, they could gather all the alleged crimes and hand it over to the appropriate institution for action.
Were we not here when the OSP moved into Madam Cecilia Dapaah’s house with all the brouhaha but later came to decline jurisdiction in the matter. Wastage at its peak;.
To bring back the confidence further, can’t we pause all new projects and see to the completion of all the old ones going waste as the expense of the tax payer.
Bringing back our confidence is not just about respect and humility as you have demonstrated, that is commendable because it was a trait that evaded your immediate predecessor but we require more action because we are afraid that if you don’t do it now we may not have any person of your kind in the next thirty years to come.
I salute sir
SAM OSEI- AGYAPONG
