Wise politicians won’t rebuke President John Mahama. They would rather be appreciative of everything associated with his government and difficult-to-identify achievements.
These remarks, uttered by the President, paraphrased though, suggest that those who castigate the President for the shortcomings of his administration are what the antonym of “wise” is.
To describe, in a democracy, those who are disapproving of the President’s policies and actions as foolish by the head of state himself, is highly undiplomatic, obscene and unbecoming of the Number One Gentleman.
We would rather he veered away from veiled insults; a habit which has in recent times become an uncomplimentary attribute of his. Exhibiting such obscene attributes as he simultaneously calls for concerted efforts towards seeking solutions to the country’s economic challenges, is paradoxical and incommensurate with his status as President.
Those who doubted the sincerity of the President when he asked his political opponents to sheath their swords and join him in seeking an antidote for the ailing Cedi, have a premise to stand on when they question his sincerity.
Our President has become somewhat hysterical of late and would not spare his critics harsh words – an attitude which does not endear him to decent-minded people.
As someone who understands more than the ordinary man in the street the meaning and gravity of words and expressions, President Mahama should be the last person to employ certain words totally disregarding their harshness and inappropriateness.
If others can easily pass such remarks with no eyebrows raised, not so if it is the President doing so.
The President was not noted for passing scathing innuendos and direct insults when reacting to comments from his opponents on the other side of the political divide and those who have little or nothing to do with polemics associated with local politics. Those days are past: today the President is engaging his opponents and others who proffer sincere alternatives to his policies, regardless of political and diplomatic ethics. That is our worry because any conduct which has the tendency to reduce the esteem of the office of President in any form whatsoever, should be despised and parried.
Unless the President seeks to be offensive and deliberately reckless about his choice of words when addressing major state issues, he should be advised to be wary about this political minefield.
He has stated that Ghanaians must suffer today for a better tomorrow, describing the restive times as a “painful necessity,” part of his recent verbal gaffes. Little wonder it received a broad-spectrum condemnation.
With the biting times against the backdrop of the reality of government’s fiscal indiscipline which has landed the country in its current appalling situation, asking Ghanaians to sacrifice would definitely fail to make the desired impact.