Osei Kofi Acquah of The CPP Writes: The Scam Tidings From Former President John Mahama On Christmas Detected

Party activities coupled with family business and the hectic seasonal responsibilities has kept some of us busy for a while.

So today I decided to watch, read and listen to excerpts of the Facebook interaction between John Dramani Mahama the former president of Ghana who is seeking to come back again as president and my conclusion is simple!
The biggest mistake the NDC has make in the year 2019 is re-electing John Mahama as their flagbearer again.

The NDC should have respected the opinion and decision of Ghanaians when they decided to retire, the tired former president in 2016.

Venturing in to do the video interaction obviously without the advise of his "3 Wise men" like in the bible,
Mr John Dramani Mahama thought Ghanaians still have short memories, so he decided to SCAM us by making some ludicrous promises and allegations.

But as those promises turned out, former president John Dramani Mahama rather seems to have short memory, since he made certain promises during his Facebook video that contradicts certain pronouncements, policies, proposals and positions he took when he was president and had power.

This show of desperation for power coupled with an attempt to hoodwink and lie his way to power can not be brushed under the mat.
So lets interrogate some of the things he said and find out from memory lane what his posture was when he had the very position he is seeking to occupy again.

John Dramani Mahama made some interesting political and scamming promises too ridiculous if one remember what his position and posture was when he was president that i am tempted to ask either he made those promises as "A human being or president"?
*Bridge the Salary gap that exist between regular public sector workers and article 71 one holders*

As an Nkrumaist who believes in social justice and equality, this proposal by Mr John Dramani Mahama is supposed to delight me, but unfortunately it does not. And this is because this proposal and promise is nothing but a *SCAM*! meant to deceive Ghanaians in a selfish and self serving ambition to capture political power. Why am i saying this? Let us take a walk down memory lane.

On 2nd November 2012 Mr John Dramani Mahama who had become president at the demise of former president Atta Mills ordered an increase in the salaries of article 71 office holders. The funny thing is that, the salaries of the officers were not only to grow fat but the were to be back-dated as well. And the back-dating was to go all the way back to 2009!

So to understand the mathematics better you multiply each increased montly salary by 48 months.

The BBC's Sammy Darko reported the anger of many Ghanaians including myself which did not bother the former president who is now telling us, he is going to bridge the gap between us and those whose salary he fattened when he had the very position he once again want to occupy. This is obviously a SCAM meant to capture power.
Below is how the salary structure of Mr John Dramani Mahama, his ministers and deputy ministers, NDC and NPP MPs and his appointees looked before and after they grew fat.

The president's (Former president John Dramani Mahama's) monthly salary grew from about $4,240 (£2,640) to $6,357, and it was to be back-dated to 2009 and let us remind ourselves that it was tax free. Meaning whilst the teacher, nurse and doctors and civil servants who's salary did not grow fat were still paying taxes, Mr John Dramani Mahama and his appointees who selfishly grew their salaries, were not paying taxes!

Tell me how can a man with such mindset and record really care and will be capable of bridging a supposed gap if he does not think we have short memory and also intend to SCAM us!

The new salary for his ministers, who already had benefits such as the use of two cars, a house with staff and an entertainment allowance, shot up to $4,770 a month and they were to be updated all the way to 2009!

MPs' salaries grew from$2,225 to $3,800 a month and they were to be back-dated all the way to 2009!

At that time the monthly minimum wage in Ghana was about $75 and civil servants, such as teachers, nurses etc were earning below $500 a month, and their salary were not to be back-dated to 2009 and were expected to pay taxes too!

Fellow Ghanaians, this is the man who is making a promise to bridge the gap between we the ordinary Ghanaian workers and himself and his associates. The narrative coupled with the figures up there justify why he John Mahama is trying to deceive us. He has occupy the office he is begging to occupy again, and the records shows what he did, when he had power!
Are we going to allow him to make a fool out us again? Are we going to allow him to SCAM us and prove that indeed we have short memory? Definitely not!
*The Student Loan Scheme will be restructured to offer monthly Stipend to all Tertiary students that need it*
As a socialist, i will support every pro-poor social intervention policy that is geared towards easing the burden on the ordinary Ghanaian.

But the question is, does Mr John Dramani Mahama mean this promise!?

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.
As of 2015 there were 38 colleges of education and Mr John Dramani Mahama said he cannot pay the student allowance even if it means the students will vote against him.

As of 2017 the colleges of education has increased from 38 to 41 and Mr Mahama is telling us that he will restructure the students loan which was the reason why he cancelled the student allowance in the first place and said everyone should subscribe to the loan instead, is now saying he offer stipends (Some form of allowance). Isn't the attempt to SCAM us too glaring?

The nursing training colleges who are accredited and were taking allowance under Mr Mahama were almost 60 and he cried that, the burden was too much and went ahead to cancel it and swore never revert them even if it means being voted against will now receive Stipends?

There are about 16 universities/ Technical universities in Ghana and their uncountable affiliates and centers nationwide. There are uncountable private universities and Mr Mahama who couldn't pay the allowance of the Colleges of education / Agric colleges and the Nursing training colleges alone now wants to add the extra burden of the main stream Universities and the Technical universities by offering them not student's loans but Stipends!? This is definitely a *Murky SCAM* being pushed by Mr Mahama who think we indeed have short memory
*Restoring collapsed banks and Ghanaian participation in the financial sector*

This is a good policy. The only way to develop ones country with a capitalist mindset like a confused socialist like Mr John Mahama is to allow the private indegenous and citizens the opportunity to also make use of the available opportunities.

But Mr Mahama how did we get here? How did the banks collapse in the first place?

Most of the defunct banks sprung under your watch both as head of the economic team (Vice president) and the commander in chief (Preaident).

Like a lazy farmer you watched weeds grow among edible crops!

While most of the defunt banks were springing up, some ponzi schemes in the form of banks also sprung up right under your nose, and although you had the national security, Eoco and other state security agencies, You sat unconcerned and watch thousands of Ghanaians get defrauded although it was your duty and priority to protect them.
Resourcing indegenous Ghanaians is good, but have you accounted for the reimbursement you gave to Capital bank and others with our money?

As a reminder Mr former president these are your own words when you went to parliament during the 2016 SONA.

"Mr Speaker, over the past five years, there has been a proliferation of microfinance companies. These companies come under the direct supervision of the Bank of Ghana (Remember you appointed the governor for the Bank of Ghana). You continue Mr Speaker Unfortunately, lack of effective supervision has resulted in many cases in which microfinance companies licensed by Bank of Ghana have breached the rules and created supposed pyramid schemes that have eventually come crashing down.” These are your handiwork and your words Mr Mahama.

Now your admission of the meaa which happened under your nose called for drastic measures, and i wonder if you could have handle it any better than the way it has been handled.

Under your watch most of the banks were insolvent but were posing as banks in good standing and your appointees never bothered to check, do the regular supervision we paid them to do, or were part of the conspiracy?

Most of the Banks were having negative Net worth (I hope you understand what rhos means) and still opened to customers and were taking new deposits. Your appointees did not not care. They saw no evil and heard no evil!

Your promise for a better financial and banking reform is nothing but a SCAM! Looking back at your track record when it comes to the financial sector.
*Establishment of Factory Enclaves naming them crop processing zone*
As an Nkrumaist, my believe is that one of the ways to achieve self reliance which is a pillar of my party's ideology is to add value to the raw materials God has given us by processing them mechanically right here in Ghanaian factories.

It will earn us more foreign exchange which can stabilize our ailing Cedi as well as boost our economy But the question is Does Mr Mahama has what it takes to make this work or it is another attempt to *SCAM* the ordinary Ghanaian for power again?
He Mr John Dramani Mahama had 8 years in leadership.
First As the head of the economic team (vice president) we never heard him make proposals to either build from scratch a factory or revamp the factories that were build by the Osagyefo and the CPP government.
When he became president, he made an attempt to revamp the Komenda sugar factory which was bequeathed to us by the CPP government, a good intention and good move, but the question is what is the state of the factory now!?
How many tonnes of sugar did it produced, who was it sold to and what was the revenue accrued?
Mr Mahama i put it to you that this promise is a scam! An obvious political promise to hoodwink us for power at all cost!
*The youth of Ghana need a permanent job and not temporary job like NABCO*

I agree that when graduates complete school, they should earn the same salary like their colleagues who have been gainfully employed and are placed on monthly salaries, and not subject to taking the peanuts they take under the Nabco policy.

But when a former president under whose watch, these same peanuts taking graduates were not working and earned nothing!

They were home idle to the extent that, they had to form the Unemployed Graduates Association.

How come you are now promising them haven?

Where is your new found idea and knowledge when you had power and you were at the helm of affairs?

When your minister of state in charge of private sector development Mr Rashid Pelpuo was asked how government intends to deal with the soaring unemployment situation i watched and listened in amazement when he said the Ghanaian Youth should be innovative ans should think about gathering firewoods and stones and sell them by the road side.

Your minister wanted the HND graduate who studied accountancy at school, the Computer Science graduate, the business administration graduate, the student who graduated with degree in herbal medicine to gather woods and stones and sell them by the road side! Nabco may not be good, but tell me in between the two, which one will you let your daughter choose when she graduate?

You see why as a patriot, a youth and a good citizen I cannot help but admit that, this promise is yet another John Mahama's intended *SCAM*!?

A schemed promise meant to deceive people who he John Mahama thinks have short memory.
*Declare 100 million trees plantation policy to protect the environment*

With the change in the Climate for the worse, I cannot help but admit that this proposal is very necessary.
As the saying goes, when the last trees dies, the last man dies. Trees give life and protect our environment.
But Mr Mahama and tree planting again!?

In 2014 Mr John Dramani Mahama the president of Ghana made a similar policy under the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
Trees were to be planted and the tax Payers money was used.

Although SADA paid GH¢32 million for five million trees, only 700,000 were planted and they were planted in the dry season killing all the trees and a good thought and policy. Joy News's Mannesah Azure confirms this.

This is the same person promising to plant trees so we should give him power. A person who is obviously clueless when it comes to planting trees, since no one with knowledge in agriculture will decide to plant in the dry season.

The truth is that, this is yet another *SCAM*! Another intention to dissipate the tax payers money.
*I WILL NOT BE A CLEARING AGENT, AND CLEAR CORRUPT APPOINTEES*

Corruption is a cancerous canker that needs to be dealt with wherever we find it, with all our might as a developing country.

Indeed not only does corruption drain the public purse, it also discourage and drive away investors. It breeds extreme poverty and deprive people the basic necessities of life.

But does Former president Mahama have what it takes to fight it?
Will he allow due process to work. To answer this let us jog to memory lane.

Super clearing agent Mr Mahama cleared his blood brother Ibrahim Mahama and his Exton Cubic company in a restricted tender to mine Bauxite at Nyinahini in the Ashanti region. No competitors were allowed to bid, just Mr Ibrahim.

He cleared Mr Roland Agambire and his RLG company when they failed to deliver fully the laptops we paid fully for with the tax payers money.

He cleared the Muntie 3 by releasing them from Nsawam after the have been cited for contempt for threatening not mere people than our Supreme court judges on public radio and Television.

He cleared Elvis Afriyie Ankrah after the Brazil brouhaha when a committee set by Mr John Dramani Mahama himself made certain recommendations that he Afriyie Ankrah should be punished.

He told his ministers that they cannot and should not accept gifts that are about $50 dollars and went ahead to claim a gift whose worth was more than $100,000 dollars. The list goes on.

This and more are the reasons why as for me, I fear the Greeks even if they come bearing gifts.

From where I sit, what I have seen, what I have read, What I have witness and the show of desperation for power on the part of Mr John Dramani Mahama, I see a Trojan horse, waiting to capture political power to cause more harm and damage than he did when he once upon a time had what he seek.

Abolish the Double Track system

This pronouncement shows that, the former president is not only tired but not in fine tune with what is happening at our educational sector especially at the high school level. The double track system has become necessary because there is limited infrastructure like classrooms and dormitories even though enrollment has sky rocketed due to the introduction of the free SHS.

Let us educate the former president with this analogy. 100 students complete junior high school annually. Out of the 100, 45 students parents are those who are able to afford the pay before you go system. The classrooms and dormitories that are in existence can accommodate 50 students maximum. So with 45 students going to school, there is still a vacancy for extra 5. The Mahama administration was ok with the system, so didn't see the need to expand and start building new infrastructures in the existing schools.

Another government takes over and decides to implement the CPP's conceived idea of Free compulsory senior high school education for all. So now all the junior high school graduants whose total number is 100 have to go to school, but the existing infrastructure can only accommodate 50 students.

The question becomes which tax payer's son or daughter should be deprived a senior high school education? Yours, mine or Mahama's?
Racking of brains and thinking outside the box then suggest that, why don't we make use of the existing infrastructures that are available, and are no longer used when the students go on vacation.

So simply dividing the students into two, to make use of existing facilities becomes a necessity.
50 goes to school at a certain period, and when they go on break or vacation, the other 50 also take turn. Not only did this policy made use of the limited facilities we have, it also gave opportunity to future leaders whose future could have been destroyed because their parents are poor and couldn't afford. Again the policy craved for more hands since enrollment has doubled, therefore creating employment for Tertiary graduates who once upon a time, were all sitting home idle, unemployed and had to form the unemployed graduates association.

So Mr John Mahama, the free SHS like a tree has now grown roots and branches, which when cut down will affect negatively the lives of the tax payers whose money you want to once again, want lavish in.

When you kill the double track, which students will u sack? Which teacher will you dismiss? Infrastructures don't grow like mushrooms, they take time to be completed, an estimated 7 months will take a 4 storey classroom and dormitory building to be completed. So what is which (Pardon my French Mr retiree

Former President John Dramani Mahama is not on a rescue mission to rescue Ghanaians, but on a mission to ravish and lavish in the taxpayers money. Being used to power privileges, he feels like a fish out of water because he is feeling what the ordinary Ghanaian felt under him, and he in a hurry to jump back in.

His proposed rescue mission is a SCAM and i am not falling for it. The NPP is not doing well, but the alternative is not John Mahama and the NDC, it is the CPP!