CDG-GH names John Mahama as nation builder not Akuffo Addo
The Caucus for Democratic Governance, Ghana (CDG-GH), has named Former President Mahama as a nation builder, not Akufo Addo in their latest press release copied to NewsGhana24
According to (CDG-GH) the four leaders in Africa who qualify to be called nation-builders are
1. Former President John Mahama of Ghana
2. President Paul Kagami of Rwanda
3. The late President John Makofoli of Tanzania
4. The late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
The group argued that these four have demonstrated as president, the ability to think out of the box.
Mahama the Nation Builder
Former President John Mahama is a nation builder. These are leaders, who seek the interest of the nation and its people, developing the county with all available resources. They provide social amenities and bring satisfaction to the people. Nation builders are leaders who do not seek their personal interest but that of the nation. Former President Mahama, affectionately known as “JM” in four years carried out about four hundred projects across the length and breath of Ghana. Hospitals, nursing training colleges, Universities, teacher training colleges. factories, roads, central markets, water projects to towns and villages, distribution of electricity to towns and villages and many others. All ten Regions had their share. Ashanti Region alone had over forty projects. His accolade : “ JM the nation builder”, made him a man of choice. His Basic Education Program provided equitable access to good quality and child friendly universal basic education for all. This was achieved through significant improvement in infrastructure, provision of teaching and learning materials, enhancement of quality teaching, management and supervision of schools, as well as delivery of social intervention programs.
The statement said.
Below is the full press release
CAUCUS FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, GHANA(CDG-GH)
PRESS RELEASE
25th JULY 2022
THE TRAJECTORY OF AFRICAN LEADERSHIP
Preface
Caucus for Democratic Governance, Ghana (CDG-GH), in its research on governance, takes a critical look at leadership in Africa. Generally leaders are expected to exhibit fundamental qualities of Integrity, probity, accountability, humility, vision, empathy, communication skills, influence and positivity. Unfortunately many self centered, corrupt leaders do not have these traits ; instead they exhibit divers negative attributes, such as lies, multiple promises, inordinate ambition to leadership and disregard for people and country. This often leads to monumental failure, projected by economic, social and material deprivation ; an epitome of bad governance.
Colonial Heritage
Our self centered corrupt leaders trained in Yale, Oxford and Harvard, with colonial mentality, have always believed without questions every proposal and decisions put forward by their International masters, much to our disadvantage. They sit at table to drink tea, and request potatoes and French cheese for lunch, instead of plantain and fufu. This summarizes the tragedy and failure of African leadership which keeps us plagiarizing, copying very quickly and rapidly, even from wrong sources and from wrong contents. Beside we believe too quickly without considering all reasonable options and dimensions. We have therefore got to be extra careful about those we choose as our leaders.
Nana Addo in Retrospect
A few years after his election into office in 2017, it was clear Nana Addo has nothing new to offer. His priorities were to cripple, destroy, destabilize and corrupt the country ; oblivious of the sentiments of those who voted him into office. As if that was not enough, he compromised the Judiciary, Police, military and other public institutions-putting square pegs in round holes- to complete the full cycle of State Capture. Frequent police killings, kidnappings, murder and intimidations, made it clear he had come to steal, instill fear, kill and destroy the basic structures of our economy, our country and our democracy. Nana Addo`s poor leadership was characterized by heavy borrowing, and depleted International Reserves. He lacks fiscal prudence and management, often spending more than the country earns on consumption instead of productivity. Common sense for him, is not common and hence the massive economic mess.
President Kagame
Rwandan President, Paul Kagame says, and I quote : ”it is a worst form of criminality, for any leader in Africa to give tax concessions to mining companies who mine without paying necessary taxes”. Kagame who is a Pan-Africanist, criticized presidents in Africa who think the African continent`s solutions are a monopoly of Westerners.
Speaking to Parliamentarians in Congo Brazzaville he said he knows quite a number of African leaders who have gone with bowls begging for financial help from Western countries, when back at home they have given tax concessions to mining companies. There ought to be a paradigm shift in thinking by African leaders to realize that the problem they are facing individually as a country and collectively as a continent can only be solved by ourselves.
Indeed African leaders need to stop depending on the West to be free from oil hikes and “their chains”. When we stop depending on them, we will be able to make independent choices and decisions. On the other hand, if we continue to be puppets, we will not be able to think based on what we see; they will always pull the strings and command you to dance to the tune.
IMF
To depend on IMF to give you solutions is equally deadly. They can`t allow you to make policies to cushion the people, because those who run these Western institutions are the same ones who mine our minerals and own the companies that sell oil on International markets.
READ: Police launches full-scale investigation into alleged “landguardism”
Mahama the Nation Builder
Former President John Mahama is a nation builder. These are leaders, who seek the interest of the nation and its people, developing the county with all available resources. They provide social amenities and bring satisfaction to the people. Nation builders are leaders who do not seek their personal interest but that of the nation. Former President Mahama, affectionately known as “JM” in four years carried out about four hundred projects across the length and breath of Ghana. Hospitals, nursing training colleges, Universities, teacher training colleges. factories, roads, central markets, water projects to towns and villages, distribution of electricity to towns and villages and many others. All ten Regions had their share. Ashanti Region alone had over forty projects. His accolade : “ JM the nation builder”, made him a man of choice. His Basic Education Program provided equitable access to good quality and child friendly universal basic education for all. This was achieved through significant improvement in infrastructure, provision of teaching and learning materials, enhancement of quality teaching, management and supervision of schools, as well as delivery of social intervention programs.
Late Makofoli of Tanzania
The late President John Makofoli of Tanzania was an African fire-brand who only knew Africa and nowhere else. He sought solutions for problems from Tanzania and from Africa. He refused a 10 million dollar loan from China because he saw no reason for going to borrow when his country can demand a justified amount of mineral resources to manage his economy. With local funds, he bought 6 planes for Tanzanian Airlines. He built a standard gauge Railway lines; built a Gold Refinery for Tanzania and established fee free education. He himself never travelled outside Africa, and banned his Ministers from foreign trips outside Africa. He reduced the number of Ministers from 30 to 19; reduced the salaries of Government officials and abolished their tax exemptions. He was courageous enough to investigate and criticize the UK- Gold Company of illegal mining and for devaluing his country`s gold export. 250 of the company`s containers were seized, and the Company was asked to pay $195 billion. After some negotiations, the Company agreed to pay $300 million, and 16% share of the Company was given to Tanzania.
Courageous Nation Builders
A few of such courageous nation-builders have been listed below.
They are :
1. Former President John Mahama of Ghana
2. President Paul Kagami of Rwanda
3. The late President John Makofoli of Tanzania
4. The late President Dr Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana.
Thinking Outside the Box.
British and US have capitalist type of Democracy. Russia has Socialist type of Democracy. The Chinese have Socialist type of Democracy with Trade Liberalization. I guess it is time for Africa to develop her own political system. Democratic Socialist system with business components.
Dr E. K. Hayford
Executive Director
Caucus for Democratic Governance
CDG-GH
0277606338
