Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Mr Kwesi Pratt, has said that though he has no shred of doubt about the moral integrity of President John Evans Atta Mills, he believes that alone is not reason enough for Ghanaians to want to retain his administration in power.
He said a lot more is needed to be done to improve the livelihoods of the people to convince them of voting to preserve the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in power.
During a discussion on Radio Gold’s current affairs programme Alhaji & Alhaji Saturday, Mr Pratt stated that it was time for the government to move forward in terms of its handling of the bread and butter issues of the citizenry.
According to him, the upcoming elections in 2012 – which many commentators believe is going to be a watershed in the country’s political history – will be based on issues affecting the living conditions of the people.
“The 2012 elections should not be taken for granted because this is going to be a keenly contested election and there are so many variables that need to be looked at properly,” said Mr Pratt.
One of the major features of the campaign, he noted, would be the level at which prices have risen since the Mills-Mahama administration took office in 2009.
“Have prices risen? What are the factors which have compelled prices to rise? Could something have been done about it? What is the rate of increases now as compared to the rate of increases in the Kufuor administration and previous administrations as well?” He asked.
Mr Pratt therefore urged the government to pay particular attention to the clarion call of the people in relation to the level at which prices rise thereby making life’s survival very difficult for many.
Mr Pratt quizzed: “What will be the message of this administration come 2012 with regards to increases in prices…?”
Further, the 2012 elections, according to him, is also going to be crucially decided based on the manner in which decongestion exercises, especially in the capital city Accra, is being done. He admitted that the city had to be decongested to pave way for waterways and also for the purposes of beautification.
However, the editor minced no words when he noted that “sending bulldozers around to Chokor and other places to demolish houses and push people into the rain without any consideration what happens to them thereafter is particularly reckless, politically reckless.”
Kwesi Pratt stressed that the issue of decongestion was very critical since it could have very serious repercussions on the 2012 elections; “it can, to a very large extent, determine who becomes president and who does not become president.”
The editor emphasized that it was important for all to understand that those who sell in the streets do so because they have no option “and they do so as a matter of survival.”
“You think that these boys selling chewing gums in the streets…have no ambitions? All of them would wish that one day they would also be ministers and be saluted by policemen…,” he argued.
Mr Pratt also noted that the role of ministers is to inspire for productivity but expressed disappointment that too many of government appointees have been glued to their seats.
He insisted that it is time for the appointees to reach out to the people and explain to their understanding government policies.
“…It is not sufficient to go out there and create the impression that everything is rosy rosy rosy rosy, it is time to compel people in the administration to focus attention on the needs of the people,” he persisted while lamenting the fact that in a tropical rainy belt like Ghana, people had to continue going round in search of water.
He claimed that the moral authority of the President is being chipped at gradually by the opposition and thus, advised the President to reinforce his authority by showing non-performing appointees the exit door.
“I have full confidence in the personality of John Mahama, I still believe in the moral integrity of the President but these are not enough, things need to be done,” maintained Kwesi Pratt.
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