Razak Kojo Opoku writes: What is the relevance of the National Fitness Day under Ghana’s current conditions?

I sighted an advertising flyer this morning, 8th September 2022 around 6:00am, on social media indicating that on Saturday, 10th September 2022 there will be a maiden edition of a “National Fitness Day” being organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

I asked myself why this?, is this programme necessary at all considering the general atmosphere and mood of Ghanaians as we are being impacted by the effects of global economic challenges that President Akufo-Addo is doing everything possible to ensure that Ghana’s Economy bounces back stronger?

From a neutral objective point of view, the “National Fitness Day” or “Aduro Wo So Health Walk” is completely needless and irrelevant under the current prevailing economic conditions and general atmosphere of Ghana.

What we need to do as members of the ruling NPP and citizens of Ghana is to support President Akufo-Addo to bring to Ghanaians the needed economic turnaround solutions that they are looking for especially addressing the challenges of cedi depreciation, inflation, high cost of fuel and food, high cost of living and import issues.

Instead of needless “National Fitness Day”, why not “National Awareness Day” to reach out to Ghanaians through door-to-door approach or any medium possible and passionately explain to the cause and effect of the current economic difficulties largely caused by the existing economic architecture of Ghana which has been somehow import driven since Independence that Akufo-Addo’s Government has introduced policies such as 1 District 1 Factory, Planting for food and jobs and Digitalization to address it, which of course may take considerable time to correct the economic architecture and narrative of Ghana so Ghanaians should be patient with NPP because we are not sleeping but working seriously to make things better for them especially the future generations to come.

We can use such opportunity to explain further the interventions, initiatives and mitigation measures that Akufo-Addo’s Government has put in place to address the economic problems being faced by Ghanaians as well as gives Ghanaians the full assurance and hope that we are capable and competent enough to deliver on our promises before December 2024.

The Budget for the “National Fitness Day” can be use to motivate National Commission for Civic Education(NCCE), Polling Station Executives and the base of the Party to educate Ghanaians about the various unprecedented achievements of Akufo-Addo’s Government, sector by sector as well as explain the economic difficulties to Ghanaians and beg for patience from the general public.

This will serve a better purpose than wasting the money on “National Fitness Day” which will not help to address inflation, high cost of living and Cedi depreciation.

We don’t have to give room to the incompetent NDC to question our sense of judgement, integrity and political morality.

During the Mahama’s administration, there was this policy known as the “National Sanitation Day” that NPP then in opposition vehemently criticized.

The “National Sanitation Day” was designed by Mahama’s administration to raise awareness of the need for improving sanitation within the Country. The policy of “National Sanitation Day” placed conscious concerted efforts on Ghanaians to step up and out to clean their environment and the general community.

Leading members of NPP in opposition questioned the relevance, legality and purposefulness of the “National Sanitation Day” policy instituted by Mahama’s administration.

To the extent that, NPP raised issues with the source of funding for the “National Sanitation Day” and further described the policy as a waste of public resources and time.

Some leading members of the NPP made us believe that the “National Sanitation Day” policy was a political vehicle that John Mahama was using to win the 2016 general elections.

Subsequently, when the NPP came into office in 2017, Akufo-Addo’s Government CANCELLED the “National Sanitation Day” Policy of John Mahama.

Fast forward to 2022, the Ministry of Youth and Sports under Akufo-Addo’s Government has decided to organize “National Fitness Day” with the maiden edition slated for this coming Saturday, 10th September 2022.
I find this quite strange and hypocritical because what is the real difference between “National Fitness Day” and “National Sanitation Day”?

According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the aim of the “National Fitness Day” is to promote fitness among citizens quoting World Health Organization(WHO) Reports.

According to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the “National Fitness Day” will promote good community relations, promote a platform for talent discovery, provide active patriotism and urged the public to embrace the initiative to enhance physical, social and mental well-being.

As for me, these reasons cited by the Ministry of Youth and Sports are completely irrelevant because these reasons are synonymous with the reasons that Mahama’s administration stated for the organization of the “National Sanitation Day”.

If we rejected Mahama’s reasons for “National Sanitation Day”, why should we accept synonymous reasons for “National Fitness Day” from the NPP?

If I may ask, between the two, “National Sanitation Day” and “National Fitness Day”, which one:

1. has value for money?
2. is far better or impactful on the health and lives of Ghanaians?

Is the NPP Government going to use Public resources for the “National Fitness Day” as it was done by Mahama’s administration?

If it is Public resources, Ghanaians may ask for the total budget earmarked for the “National Fitness Day”

Is this not a waste of public resources and time of Ghanaians just like Mahama’s “National Sanitation Day”?

In my candid opinion, the NPP Government has no moral right, justification and political correctness to organize “National Fitness Day” synonymous with Mahama’s “National Sanitation Day”. The political motive behind “National Fitness Day” and “National Sanitation Day” are almost the same.

As members of the NPP, we must at times put our interest aside and do well to safeguard the image of Akufo-Addo’s Government.

Ghanaians may not see NPP as a principle Government and Political Party if we still go ahead to organize the “National Fitness Day” similar to Mahama’s “National Sanitation Day”.

We are far better than John Mahama and we have to continue to demonstrate to Ghanaians that as competent as we are, there is no way we will copy blindly the errors of incompetent John Mahama.

Ahead of 2020 general elections, NPP organized Health Walks more than any Political Party in Ghana but the result was a shared 137:137 Parliamentary Seats between NPP and NDC, and a deficit of over 400,000 Presidential votes.

Ahead of the 2016 general election, in spite of “National Sanitation Day” organized by John Mahama, he still lost the elections by almost 1 Million Votes.

We can’t use Health Walks to break the 8-year-cycle curse. Not all things are profitable