The social injustices, the wanton greed, sleaze and corruption in Ghana today, remind some of us who were old enough, and fortunate to have witnessed the revoltingly ugly events which took place in the 1970’s and 1990’s.

Much as a coup d’état is an abhorrent way in changing a non-performing government from power, the coup enthusiasts, such as the NDC founders, were of the view that a coarse administration deserves to be usurped through ballistic missiles, machine guns, bazookas, and machetes, but not through the thumb.

I would, therefore, like to believe that the no nonsense founders of the NDC would have gone berserk on the ongoing whooping GH22billion financial loss to the state, incurred on the trading activities of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme being administered by the Central Bank of Ghana and President Mahama’s brainchild, the Gold Board.

An account is given, that in the mid 1970’s, the social injustices and harsh living conditions at the time prompted a group of patriotic citizens to stand up against the military government and demanded a democratic rule.

But, before the country could reach a consensus on the question of civilian rule, a group of discontented junior army officers led by the NDC founder, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings of blessed memory failed in their insurrection against General Fred Akuffo’s regime on 15^th May 1979, which led to the arrest and trial of Rawlings and his cohorts.

Nevertheless, the judicial process was halted prematurely by a group of soldiers sympathetic to Rawlings, who revolted on 4^th June 1979.

The June 4 1979 jailbreakers gleefully released suspects and convicts from a lawful penitentiary and deposed the government of the day.

Again, the NDC founders relentlessly breathed down the neck of the then President Limann.

An account is given, though vividly, that the Limann government assumed office at a time when the economy was in deep crisis. The credit lines to the country had almost dried up and were blocked due to brutalities and confiscations at the harbours and other points of entry into Ghana by the coup making founders of the NDC.

However, the story is told, somewhat poignantly, that through careful negotiations, preparations and the implementation of pragmatic policies and programmes, the Limann government managed to arrest the economic challenges.

More significantly, commendable efforts were made to repay Ghana’s short-term debts, and, the Limann government demonstrated the ability to meet Ghana’s debt obligations.

Consequently, Dr Limann’s government managed within 18 months and restored virtually all traditional credit lines (Source: PNC).

But despite the dint of effort, Rawlings and his ravenous and irresponsible cohorts did not give Dr Liman and his PNP government the breathing space to govern the country, as the voracious geezers relentlessly breathed down the neck of President Limann.

As a matter of fact, Rawlings and his enthusiastic NDC coup making minions unfairly kept criticising Dr Limann’s administration for what the conspiratorial plotters perceived as economic mismanagement, until Rawlings and his jailbreaking geezers decided to depose Dr Limann.

Subsequently, Rawlings and the other mutinous jailbreakers took arms and succeeded in usurping the democratically elected government of Dr Hilla Limann on 31^st December 1981.

Rawlings and his rabble rousers unjustifiably supplanted power at the time when Ghana’s economy was blossoming steadily in 1981.

Indeed, Dr Hilla Limann and his PNP government were hitting the ground running, and therefore there was no need for anyone to disturb the ambiance.

They kept criticising Dr Limann’s administration for what the conspiratorial plotters perceived as economic mismanagement, until Rawlings and his jailbreaking geezers decided to depose Dr Limann on 31^st December 1981.

Since regaining the independence from the British on 6^th March 1957, Ghana has, regrettably, been losing billions of cedis to some criminally-minded and rapacious public servants through carelessness and dubious deals.

The founders of NDC, regrettably, tortured and murdered innocent business men and women, many of whom were bizarrely accused of legally borrowing meagre sums of money(as little as 50,000, now GH5) from banks to support their businesses.

Unlike the protagonists in the humongous GH22billion Gold Purchase Programme losses, the business men and women back then, did not have the right of hearing; their businesses were destroyed, their properties were seized, tortured, and imprisoned.

In today’s Ghana, it appears that the justice system descends heavily on the goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and let go the remorseless criminals who hide behind the narrow political colorations.

If the rampant bribery and corruption, dubious judgment debt payments, stashing of national funds by some greedy opportunists , misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement of funds meant to provide developmental projects by some public officials do not warrant criminal charges, then where are we heading as a nation?

As I reiterated elsewhere, there is absolutely nothing wrong for any individual to tag himself/herself as a proponent of transparency, probity and accountability. But it is somewhat hypocritical and deceitful when a group of people who claim to be the exponents of such ethos would then turn around and dip their hands into the national purse as if there is no tomorrow.

After all, aren’t the NDC apparatchiks claiming to be the exponents of transparency, probity and accountability?

So why are they refusing to practice what they have been relentlessly preaching to us all these years?

Are they wolves in sheep’s clothing?
Indeed, it is an illustrative case of false prophets, who are relentlessly nagging their followers that ‘it is written in the Holy Book that thou shall not steal’, while they turn around and dip their hands into the church offerings bowl as if the judgement day will never come.

K. Badu, UK.
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