By: Chief Obosu Mohammed
My Dear Country Men and Women,
I am enjoined as a citizen and in accordance with the constitution of Ghana as by law established to act and do right in the supreme interest of our country. I deem it appropriate and in the spirit of good conscience with a clear motive to fulfil the divinely mandate of “loving thy neighbour as thy self” by canvassing and seeking for the welfare of all our compatriots.
May I remind you, my fellow country men and women of the impending national elections to either decide the progress or retrogression of our country – elections they say have consequences. We go to the polls to exercise once again our democratic right – a right which was not bequeathed to us by chance but through the service, sacrifice and selflessness of some great men of old who defied the iron fist of dictatorship to ensure that rule of law and constitutionalism flourish in our land and to become a means to which our lives shall depend on.
We are fortunate enough to have one of such colossus at the forefront of the struggle as our sitting President. A tried and tested leader who understands what it means to be dedicated to the ‘Ghanaian-Agenda’ – a leader who seeks not for himself but for the collective good of all.
Courage
We must self-engineer the courage to reject the NDC’s John Mahama who is staging a ‘sankofa’ and embrace the new hope of Ghana under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo with a renewal of his mandate as President. Governance must transcend partisanship – it should be about who has the vision and courage to drive our collective agenda to prosperity – it must take a ‘Ghana First’ outlook and in extenso who can best deliver to the advantage of all Ghanaians.
There is no better time to be a Ghanaian than now. This is not to suggest that we as Ghanaians do not have challenges or we are governed by a ‘snow-white’ government. However, we must recognise progress and offer our support as needed to be able to consolidate and improve on our gains.
The NDC both in government and in opposition have consistently proven to be competent from behind and often fumble during the implementation of their own initiated policies. Ghana, without a doubt risks being a decade behind progress should the NDC be returned to steer the affairs of our country. Let us dare to be bold for once and say enough of the NDC rhetoric!
Achievements
Imagine a Ghana without Free SHS? Imagine a Ghana without one constituency and one ambulance? Imagine a Ghana without nursing and teacher training allowance? Imagine a Ghana without 1 district 1 warehouse? Imagine a Ghana without planting for food and jobs? Imagine a Ghana without 1 district 1 factory? Imagine a Ghana without NABCO? Imagine a Ghana without a COVID-19 relief packages and prudent management? Just imagine a Ghana without many of such social and economic interventions. Obviously, all of these life-changing and impactful policies would not have seen the light of the day if NDC had been in power.
This is dear to my heart – we must not gamble with the future of our children – a table has been prepared for them today for tomorrow. The Free SHS remains the singular and biggest social intervention of our republic thus far which has a direct impact on the pockets of parents and the personal growth of our children. Like I have made it known elsewhere, if you want to know the future of your country, look at how it is preparing its children today for tomorrow.
The iconic Nelson Madela of blessed memory puts it succinctly in his book titled Long Walk to Freedom as “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
Fellow country men and women, a vote for the NDC will mean a vote to collapse these enviable policies. We shall not only miss the opportunity to continue to benefit from these policies as it has been the track record of the NDC to destroy and not to build, we shall miss the continuity and ‘sweet-policies’ of the Akufo-Addo government.
Indeed, most of the NDC policies which have found expression in their manifesto has either been implemented or being implemented by the Akufo-Addo government. The NDC is now latching on to ‘flowery-promises’ and the onward amendment of their manifesto to hoodwink Ghanaians – we must be weary of the sheep in a wolf’s clothing. No longer must we tolerate groups who want to lie their way into power. It is worth mentioning that President Mahama has nothing new to bring to the table for Ghanaians – ‘dada noa’ to wit ‘the old things again’ .
I urge you all to think about our country. To think about the future of our children and to think about the many reliefs the Akufo-Addo government has brought unto us all.
This election is also about whom you can trust to be there for you as your President and leader. Can you trust a man who said Free SHS was not possible but today claims to be its originator? Can you trust a man who cancelled the nursing and teacher training allowance who now claims he will maintain and improve on the same policy he cancelled despite the wailing of poor trainees? I leave the verdict in your hands, my fellow country men and women.
President Akufo-Addo has been able to achieve within four years of his term what it will normally take eight years or even more for other governments to come close to achieving. This is a leader you can and must trust – a visionary, action-oriented leader with the audacity to implement major policies at a go – a champion of development!
Country men and women, it is a national assignment and a ‘jihad’ to continue to maintain the NPP in government for four more years of outstanding governance and performance.
In all humility, let us all in recognition of the good works of President Akufo-Addo and for the next chapter of our transformational agenda offer him our ‘THANK YOU VOTE’ at the polls on December 7th.
The battle still remains the Lord’s.