Olawale Olaleye
7 January 2009
Lagos — Newly sworn-in President of Ghana, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, yesterday shortly after taking the oath of office promised that there would be no room for game blame and witch-hunting by his administration, as the people of Ghana are one, irrespective of political differences.
Atta Mills who was handed the staff of office at exactly 2.34pm Ghanaian time said in his acceptance speech that amongst other things, his administration would accord the rule of law a top priority.
The Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, who lost the election, made a surprise but impressive showing at the inauguration ceremony, which held at the Independence Square, Accra. His presence elicited excitement from the crowd who admired his spirit of sportsmanship.
Also, earlier yesterday, the Ghanaian parliament elected its first female Speaker ever, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Mrs. Hon. Joyce Bamford-Addo. The speaker who had put in 13 years as a judge and 43 years into the legal profession, however, inaugurated the fifth parliament of the fourth republic. In all, a total of 228 members of parliament were inaugurated yesterday by the speaker.
Addressing an excited crowd, Atta Mills said he emerged from one of the most keenly contested elections in the history of Ghana, saying "our democracy has been tested to the utmost limit. Thanks to the steadfastness of the good people of Ghana, sovereign will has prevailed. We give thanks and praise to the almighty".
The President who emphasised that there would be no game blame or witch-hunting said he would address the people of Ghana after the completion of the transition process on the state of the economy and what he inherited from his predecessor. He said: "I know we have to face hard truths and take bold, strong measures. I believe that as a nation, we will find the strength of character, love of country and hope for our shared future as a nation, to accomplish even the most difficult of tasks.
"Honesty, fairness, compassion and sincerity will be the hallmark of my administration. I have no wish to carry out political vendetta of any kind. The principles of accountability will be upheld. And the law will be allowed to take its course. We have a duty to ensure that our laws are administered without fear or favour and to this end; we must avoid the syndrome of one set of laws for one group and another, for the others.
"We have a challenge to ensure that our laws work in a system that is blind to one's place in society or one's political persuasion. We will do all in our power to ensure social justice, equity and equality under the laws of Ghana. There is only one Ghana, and that Ghana must work in the interests of every Ghanaian".
While setting a four-point agenda for his regime namely investing in people, job creation, infrastructure development and expansion as well as open, transparent and accountable government, Atta Mills noted that the issue of security would be upper most in the life of his administration. "We will not let the fear of crime rob law abiding citizens of their freedom. Improving the internal security situation will therefore be a top priority of the new government so that Ghanaians can begin to feel safer in their homes and communities.
"Our politics will not focus on power and privilege; on the contrary, we will not forget the concerns of the Ghanaian people who want to see an improvement in their living conditions. Willingness to put personal advantage aside will therefore be one of the key demands on those who will serve in the Atta Mills government", he said.
Atta Mills, however, reiterated: "I have always said that I will be President for all Ghanaians, whether they voted for me or not, and without consideration for which part of the country they come from. It will be my duty as President to heal wounds and unite our dear nation. I intend to pursue relentlessly, all avenues for entrenching peace and unity in all parts of the country as I am enjoined by the constitution to do.
"This is the dawn of a new era of change for better Ghana. It is not change for change sake, it is change in a new direction to enable us move forward with unity of purpose. Ours will be a consensus driven agenda and in building that consensus, we will recognise the constitution of our compatriots in other political parties," he said.
President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and leaders of Benin Republic, Togo and Sierra Leone among others attended the inauguration.
Commenting on the event, Nigeria's Foreign Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said the success of Ghana's recent electoral experience was partly as a result of the maturity of the ruling party's ability to oversee its own defeat.
"The litmus test for a democratic process is if a ruling party can theoretically preside over its own defeat. It deepens the culture of democracy", he said.
Also, the Managing Director of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, who was on the entourage of President Yar'Adua described the inauguration as successful. He said the evidently strong Nigerian presence spoke volume about the good bilateral ties between Ghana and Nigeria.
Those on the entourage of the President included Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman, South, National Security Adviser, General Sarki Muhktar and Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
Others present from Nigeria were governors of Rivers and Lagos, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and Babatunde Fashola (SAN), former Ogun and Lagos State governors, Chief Segun Osoba and Bola Tinubu, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, former Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Chairman, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, National Publicity Secretary of Action Congress (AC), Kayode Fayemi, AC governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Mr. Tunji Bello and Wale Edun, both former commissioners in Lagos State, Senator Ben Obi, former vice-presidential candidate of the AC during the 2007 elections, Chief Rochas Okorocha and Chief Dele Ajomale, AC Chairman in Lagos State amongst others.
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Nigeria may be large in size and population and a wealthy nation but she is still a junior brother of Ghana.
First Ghana achieved her political independence in 1953 and Nigeria had to wait till 1960 because the North was not ready. Second Ghana had always led in all spheres of human endeavors from sports to politics. Yes, Ghana suffered a major economic set in the 80's but she learned her lesson and has turned out to be one of Africa's economic power houses.
Today Ghana has done it again to be the first Black African nation to witness a ruling party supervises its own defeat. From where I live in domicile exile it is known as free and fair election. I was very impressed that the Nigeria entourage led by her President Mr. Musa Yar'Adua did not have to travel too far to the US to take a lesson on smooth transition.
I wish Nigeria would borrow a lesson from this page but what bothers me and should bother every right thinking Nigerian is that our leaders do not learn from their mistakes.
Ojo Maduekwe stole the day when he indirectly admonished his party that it is okay to accept defeat with grace than rig the election. The performance of President Kufo the former President of Ghana is a text book case that should be studied by African political scholars.
Nigeria may be large in size and population and a wealthy nation but she is still a junior brother of Ghana.
First Ghana achieved her political independence in 1957 and Nigeria had to wait till 1960 because the North was not ready. Second Ghana had always led in all spheres of human endeavors from sports to politics. Yes, Ghana suffered a major economic set in the 80's but she learned her lesson and has turned out to be one of Africa's economic power houses.
Today Ghana has done it again to be the first Black African nation to witness a ruling party supervises its own defeat. From where I live in domicile exile it is known as free and fair election. I was very impressed that the Nigeria entourage led by her President Mr. Musa Yar'Adua did not have to travel too far to the US to take a lesson on smooth transition.
I wish Nigeria would borrow a lesson from this page but what bothers me and should bother every right thinking Nigerian is that our leaders do not learn from their mistakes.
Ojo Maduekwe stole the day when he indirectly admonished his party that it is okay to accept defeat with grace than rig the election. The performance of President Kufo the former President of Ghana is a text book case that should be studied by African political scholars.
" .. but she learned her lesson .. "
But did not learn the fundamental one well enough.
Did you notice that Mills was swearing on the foreign slave-trader's manifesto called 'bible' - the manifesto of those who raped and tortured and killed their ancestors?
- would he strive to be a good leader without the foreigners? Were there good leaders and thriving kingdoms in the land before the white killers arrived with their propaganda manifesto? Were these ancestral leaders sworn to upholding law and order and mindful of the happiness of their citizens? Does Mills contend that because they did not have a 'bible' therefore they were evil, failed leaders?
- does Mills contend that our ancestors who had no 'bible' were not meek or peace-loving or merciful - and that those with the bible are full of those virtues? Were our ancestors lacking in integrity or fidelity? Why should he tie the native to a foreigner's 'bible'?
- The land of Ghana was blessed with the people's myth, and the people's religion and the people's deities. And the lands thrived - until the foreigners arrived with guns and malice - spewing dislocation, pestilences, starvation, death and destruction. And they held the ancestors in bondage.
Mills honors them.
.
Over 25% of the population hold fast onto their ancestors' myth and BELIEVE in their deities - just as the foreigners hold fast onto their myth and BELIEVE in their deities.
One is not required to verify a BELIEF with empirical evidence. No analysis and proofs required - for they are myths. Thus, the well-educated as well as the less-educated are just as welcome within a belief system.
So the native's belief in the African deities is just as respectable and becoming and hip as Mill's belief in a foreigner's deity. So Mills is welcome to believe in Ghana's ancestral deities. But Mills clings to foreigner's myth - those who would harm the native.
Are African deities - that sustained Africans through the millennia - good enough for Mills? Does Mills respect and honor for our ancestors?
Or is Mills afraid that the foreigners will mount a "regime change" should Mills show a self-awareness and a hint that the colonial conditioning (of inferiority complex) is wearing off?
Mills is dismissive of our traditions. Mills alienates and denigrates the spirits of our ancestors. Mills scorns the African as surely as the colonial plunderers did - with lofty rhetoric covering crass hypocrisy and self-aggrandizement.
Is the heathen Mills (who promotes foreigners and the foreign way of life and believes that THAT of Mother Africa is not good enough) appropriate for Ghana?
.."Did you notice that Mills was swearing on the foreign slave-trader's manifesto called 'bible.. It is a catch 22 because in whatever way he was sworn in, be it with the Koran, Bible or the Traditional way someone would still have something to say. So damn he does and damn he doesn’t
Let us bring the issues where they belong and the issue here is about a smooth transition of power ever witnessed in Africa. It was made possible because the party in power was able to supervise its failure without rancor. How did it happen? It was made possible because of the level of maturity showed by the Ghanaians to obey their election laws without rigging to the election.
No matter how you see it Ghanaians deserve some kudos and kudos they got from all people of good will. The same way they learn their economic lesson is the same way Nigeria should learn both economic and political lessons.
" .. because in whatever way he was sworn in, be it Koran, Bible the Traditional way someone would still have something to say. So damn he does and damn he doesn’t .. "
NO!
You can't get away with it that easy.
- It seems fitting that the traditional way take precedence among the natives. You wouldn't want to force the prime minister of Israel to be sworn according to the swearing-in traditions of the Ashanti, would you?
- trust me, the traditional ways of the whites/English will be observed in the ceremony coming up on Jan 20, 2009 for the inauguration of that well-to-do son of the people. ( And Omweri will not be welcome either.) Would you recommend otherwise?
If anyone has any reservations about the ways of the natives - then they must be encouraged forcefully to leave the lands of the natives.
" .. Let us bring the issues where they belong ..." The people and their culture/ways/traditions are central to their aspirations and hence the sovereignty of the people. And religion is integral to a people's view of themselves. What parts of culture of people of Ghana does Mills embrace? Does he have the option of choice to pick and choose?
So, Mills wants to be the sovereign leader of the proud people of the ancient kingdoms of Ghana. What can we expect? Firstly, is there an issue regarding his name?
.."Firstly, is there an issue regarding his name? Well, you would not get an augment from me on that. Yes, it negates everything Kame Nkrumah stood for but that said; it does not change the basis of the topic.
The traditional African political structure that existed before the advent of the Colonist could not stand the test of time today. It is the basis of modern day tribalism and hatred that has stalled West Africa in particular from advancement.
Good government in Africa would restore the African tradition. When African leaders learn to invest in their people there would be no need for hankering onto foreign culture. Good government would stop brain drain and Africa can tap into her potentials to showcase what they can do. It is against this backdrop that we welcome the smooth transition of government in Ghana.
The West African leaders have not accepted the challenges they are confronted with otherwise they would not be busy stealing and stashing the West African wealth away. So we need good African government rooted in what works to take West Africa to the next level.
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Active Discussions: Atta Mills - No Blame Game, Witch-Hunting