A Presidential Staffer, Sam George, who has been in the news in recent times for his negative comments, is reported to have dropped yet another poisonous statement, which has sent tongues wagging.
The young politician has reportedly stated that the highly experienced engineers working for the Volta River Authority (VRA) are incompetent. According to him, it is the incompetence of the VRA engineers, who are paid fat salaries and juicy allowances, that has led to the current energy crisis, which Ghanaians are going through.
To him, since these engineers are receiving thousands of dollars in remuneration from the government, they have no excuse to allow the good people of this country to go through the horrifying ‘dum-so’ moments. Speaking on Atinka FM, an Accra-based private radio station last Tuesday, Sam George is quoted to have said that he suspected some people at VRA to be deliberately sabotaging the energy distribution system, to ensure that some of the equipment do not work.
The Presidential Staffer did not understand why engineers working at the Sunon Asogli Ghana Limited, a privately-owned energy generating plant at Kpone, could use just one week to fix their plants which broke down some weeks ago, while their counterparts at VRA are still struggling to fix a similar problem, which occurred about a year ago.
The Chronicle is touched by the raw patriotism of the young government communicator, but the way and manner he went about it leaves much to be desired.
Criticism, whether it is
about the economy, politics and sports, just to mention a few, is good, since it helps managers to be on their toes. This is confirmed by Winston S. Churchill, who once said: “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things. If it is heeded in time, danger may be averted; if it is suppressed, a fatal distemper may develop.”
Politicians would not openly admit it, but good criticism from their opponents helps them to correct mistakes they may have committed. However, not all criticisms must be accepted, especially, when they have the potential to wreak havoc on a country.
In the case under review, The Chronicle is wondering whether the government had audited the operations of the VRA and come to the conclusion that the current energy crisis was caused by the engineers. If this is the situation, The Chronicle would doff its hat for the young politician.
On the other hand, if this had not been done, and yet, Sam George had decided to launch a vitriolic attack on the engineers, we advise that he withdraws his statement and apologise to them. Sam George is a Presidential Staffer, reportedly appointed by President Mahama, but we do not think the first gentleman of the land consented to these vituperations from his appointee.
The attack on the engineers by Sam George, if it is not backed by any concrete evidence, has the potential to crush this economy if the patriotic spirit departs from these engineers.
As we have already indicated, President Mahama may not have ordered this senseless attack, but he takes command responsibility of whatever happens under his government. That is why The Chronicle is urging him to rein in this overzealous young man, whose attacks seem to have no bounds.
The fact that some executive members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have also raised concerns over the unnecessary attack on the VRA engineers by Sam George, tells a positive story. Ghana is currently in a dire situation, which demands good suggestions from the citizenry on how to overcome the challenges. This is not the time to stoke fires that would exacerbate the situation.
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