Dear President Mahama
With a troubled spirit, a bleeding soul and a broken heart I write you this letter. I pray that you receive the message with an open mind and with little regard to the messenger.
Mr. President, on January 7, 2013, you were sworn in as the president of Ghana for a new four-year term, after completing the term of your predecessor, late President John Evans Atta Mills, who met his untimely death on that fateful day of July 24, 2012 and after beating Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party in the December 2012 Presidential election. You then took a solemn vow to serve the people of Ghana and uphold her Constitution by declaring at a ceremony at the Independence Square in Accra that,
I, John Dramani Mahama, having been elected to the high office of President of the Republic of Ghana do (in the name of the Almighty God swear) (solemnly affirm) that I will be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana; that I will at all times preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and that I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana and to do right to all manner of persons.
I further (solemnly swear) (solemnly affirm) that should I at any time break this oath of office I shall submit myself to the laws of the Republic of Ghana and suffer the penalty for it. (So help me God.)
You made the above declaration in an oath administered by the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, while holding the Holy Bible in a ceremony that had a live coverage on virtually all the television and radio stations, we have in Ghana, meaning that you swore before God and man to protect Ghana and Ghanaians at all times.
Leaders are remembered for what they do or what they fail to do. While you have pledged under oath to discharge your duties to the best of your ability, only you can ascertain if your best ability (or not) is being applied to the services you are rendering to the nation, but if we should assume that you are putting in your best, then we have more than enough reasons to show concern and frustration with your best. This best, at best, seems not to be the best for Ghana. To say it’s inadequate is an understatement.
In all fairness to you, most of the problems in Ghana today did not start during your regime; many of them have been around – though at a much smaller scale, until John Agyekum Kufuor and the NPP took over the reins of power in 2001. For eight years, this country endured one of the worst governments in its history.
You came on board when, more than ever, Ghana needed a very focused, pragmatic and visionary leader.
We believed you as you often stated in your electioneering campaigns that you had been around the corridors of power long enough to understand our national problems and you campaigned on the ground of solving the problems.
Truly, when the 2012 December elections were held, you were no longer a neophyte in Ghanaian politics. You had been around since 1996, after we ushered in the 1992 democratic dispensation.
You had already served 12 years as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole Bamboi form1996 to 2004.
You were a deputy Minister of Communication, and later substantive Minister to the chagrin of many high profile and experience politicians then, who felt your rise, was too sudden.
You were the vice president from January 7, 2009 – July 23, 2012, then as the acting president from July 24, 2012 – December 7, 2012 and finally as president from January 7, 2013.
It is not foolish not to think somebody like you who had served at some of the highest levels of public service, would have no clues about the enormity of the responsibility of the office you were seeking to continue to occupy and the problems ahead.
Following the circumstances under which you initially became the president and having completed a l 4 year term of your late former boss whose poor health, and his close gang of cabals caused him not to achieve much of what he promised, the least Ghanaians would have expected is a leader who would roll up his slips and get to work immediately after he had got a new four year term especially without the overbearing effects and efforts of the political godfathers.
To whom much is given, much is expected. Ghanaians have given you not much but too much and considering your pedigree and your nature of being a performer, not so much is even expected from you, just a little will suffice, but what do we get?
Time is running out, the reshuffle that Ghanaians expect is long overdue, they are so many square pegs in round holes, as Ministers. I have the firm believe that you have the capacity to deliver on all your electoral promises, but you must begin by cleansing your administration and doing away with non-performing Ministers.
I am not and cannot question your judgement, but recently you relieved your National Security Co-ordinator, Lt. Col. Gbevlo Lartey of his post, I do not think that the problems facing us, that should have being your first point of call, in reshuffling your ministers.
The corruption facing you today, started from Adam, as former President Kufuor said, but heightened during the era of John Mills, you are carrying the sins of your fathers. You can rescue this country from the jaws of those who see an opportunity to serve as one to make money at the expense of the larger interest of Ghanaians.
2016 is only a far cry away, there is going to be voter apathy and trust me, you will suffer it more than your opponent.
It is not too late to turn things around, this is your time, make history Mr President by being the first President to tackle corruption head on, the political juggling is becoming too much.
The 70-year old octogenarian is seriously lacing his boots, to get you out of office. I have said in one of my articles that the way things are going, if you do not change the gear, he could become President by default, God forbid though, but time, Mr. President is your biggest enemy now.