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Dear President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,
On behalf of the youth and people of Tolon, the traditional authorities and myself, I cordially congratulate you on your election as President-elect of the Republic of Ghana.
Thousands of victorious campaign employees, donors, glory seekers and parasites will soon invade the capital in search of jobs in the new administration. This act, for both political and administrative purposes, has always been the case in all previous governments.
Your Excellency, as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, you must identify, recruit and retain talented individuals committed to your programmatic and political goals. No matter how political your goals may be, it must contain a reasonable percentage necessary to put development at the forefront above all else. I am sure, as are you, of the severe challenges of your administration four years ago. The challenges associated with corruption and illegal mining (also known as galamsey) involving some of your government appointees made it a daunting task for you in the 2020 election. You could easily have had a large majority if some of those named would have behaved professionally.
I am respectfully aware that in identifying and recruiting candidates, the president is forced to accommodate his party and electoral coalitions. However, the managerial qualifications of most political appointees, and even the technical qualifications of many, are not more relevant to their positions. Simply put, put designated people where they’re supposed to be and not what they want or pushed for. You don’t put a doctor as the minister of education and you expect the person to reach greater heights. That will not work, even though we have chief and technical directors in various ministries. The minister must have a complete and professional understanding of the ministry and not be briefed on basic matters about it.
Mr. President, in your second and final term as President, you will be overwhelmed by the names of candidates who wish to be appointed to serve in your government. They can be smart, committed, and often high-energy workaholics, but most have never done anything except perhaps a political campaign. You need, as president, to be able to allow those who can professionally manage the administration of your party to continue to do so. All the party has to do is provide them with resources and fix them on a party payroll that will keep them away from official government duties. Ghanaians expect a lot from your government and you must live up to it. I’m no stranger to what lobbyists and party funders want. I am well aware that financiers want you to dance to their tunes. They want me to assign their favorites to sensitive positions so they can win big contracts. Your Excellency, you have before you the responsibility to work in balance with the financiers or to hand over your entire government to them. The former would be better, since you can hardly do without them.
Mr. President, several of your policies helped alleviate the sufferings of the common Ghanaian in many facets of your live work. Their Free Senior High School policy did magic to parents and guardians across the country who had to pay school fees to see their children study in our many high schools in this country. I must say that it is a fantastic project that has been implemented by your government.
However, it did not translate into actual votes as we might have thought. It did not materialize in votes like NABCO, Planting for Food and Jobs, and many other employment avenues initiated by his government. This is not to say that your leadership is poor, but you must work on executing excellent policies and be well aware of procurement issues. Hiring is an important area that easily translates to corruption in the blink of an eye. And all of this can be stopped when professional managers are appointed who actually abide by the word “professional” in all their dealings. A single act or attempted corruption can ruin your entire government for the full four years. When that happens, citizens will stop talking about all the good aspects of their administration to discuss corruption during their tenure. Challenges are bound to happen, but you must be prepared to face them head-on.
Commander, I know that it is still difficult for you to understand why a good number of your deputies (members of Parliament) lost in their attempt to retain their seats in Parliament. It is instructive to know that at least 33 deputies from the ruling New Patriotic Party (PNP) lost their seats in the December 7 elections. About 21 of them are ministers, state ministers or vice ministers. They lost because they could not initiate their own policies for the benefit of their constituents. They relied heavily on their national policies for their election. Some of them transmit or miscommunicate their policies to their people.
Mr President, apart from your government’s policies aimed at benefiting all Ghanaians, voters expect your parliamentarians to initiate different policies that will once again alleviate their suffering. Voters view their policies (FREE SHS, etc.) as government policy and, by extension, should not, as a whole, be used as criteria for voting for an MP. They expect the MP to come up with their own policies to prove their worth as an MP. You and I know very well that parliamentarians are not responsible for creating employment channels as established by the Constitution. They are responsible for making laws for us. But our unofficial social dynamics now make them agents of job creation and development, and since they want votes from their constituents, they do so willingly and happily.
The challenges that lie ahead are enormous. The current electoral cycle has seen an increase in political tensions, particularly between members of his party and the opposition Democratic National Congress. Violent incidents occurred during the December 7 elections, causing injuries and deaths on both sides. Their commitment to strengthening dialogue is positive, but for the democratic space to flourish and the rights of Ghanaians to be upheld, they should not be required to speak the same language as the government. Ghanaians should be free to peacefully express their dissent, concerns, opinions or questions about the actions of their government through whatever means they choose, as long as it is legal within the constitutional framework. As a celebrated international human rights defender and long-standing lawyer, your tenure as President of the Republic of Ghana has a lot to do with that.
Mr. President, I am worried for too long. I worry about a problem that has never been addressed, but that problem is the nightmare of our ills. Your Excellency, why do people in many communities in Ghana live in poverty? Why do epidemics that appear to be man-made still have to be traced back to their source? Why do you allow a company like MTN – Ghana to continue raping citizens using high data and call rates? Why? I mean why? So, today and in 2021, I, on behalf of the people of Tolon, the people YOU serve, demand to know the truth, above all. It is a win-win situation.
Excellency, I am fully aware of the immensity of the task ahead of you. Rest assured of my prayers and my willingness as a citizen to accompany you in the construction of a country founded on justice, peace and reconciliation, where the fullness and dignity of life will be the daily experience of each and everyone.
I humbly ask Allah Almighty to bless you for further achievements in your activities. May God keep you under the umbrella of His Holy Right and grant you long years of healthy life.
I respectfully urge you and your government to make these issues a priority.
Sincerely,
… Signed …
Abdul-Razak Lukman
(Citizen of Ghana)
[email protected]+233.24.244.3937
Tolon – District of Tolon on the N / R
