Editorial: Dissecting An Outburst

While some Ghanaians, understandably inundated with the now-incessant outbursts of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, would rather such rantings are denied the media oxygen needed to publicise them, others think otherwise, given the ominous inference they contain.

In our editorial of yesterday, we did bemoan how such outbursts can have negative repercussions on the performance of the presidency. To the extent that the fallouts from such outbursts will be counterproductive for the country, we frown at them.

We do think that there is the need to consider the points raised by the ex-President, with a view to drawing whatever lessons they might or not contain.

Such interrogation, for us, would enrich our democratic experience, knowledge which would serve us immensely.

Given that many Ghanaians questioned whether the then Candidate Mills can be his own man or not when Ghanaians give him the nod, we think such an interrogation is relevant and appropriate at this time.

It is interesting to note that ex-president Rawlings, the man who brought the incumbent president to political limelight, is the man who prompted this interrogation.

Mr. Rawlings, the NDC Founder, claims that the President is not putting his feet on the ground to stem what for him is a litany of foolish things around him.

There is indiscipline, it can be deduced from the foregone, and the President has not been able to rein in those responsible for the unacceptable acts. So observes his mentor, Mr. Rawlings and we are compelled to, based on the foregone premises, to conclude that our Number One Gentleman is unable to call the shots.

This then is a vindication of the Ghanaians who exhibited the apprehension before the assumption of power of the incumbent president that his potency is in doubt.

With a President not in control of his government, what we can expect is maladministration of the state machinery which is what is happening today.

Such a situation, in the face of an almost perpetual querying of the President, could aggravate the already adverse status quo.

The Presidency, being the head of the government which is in its present awkward situation, cannot definitely live up to the expectation of majority of the people.

Ours is not to hold brief for the ex-President whose incessant rantings we find opprobrious and not in the favour of the nation anyway, but to use such opportunities to, as stated earlier, subject them to interrogation.

What could Mr. Rawlings be implying when he warned that should the President continue to steer the ship of state in the way he is doing, �he would go down� and he Rawlings would not be part of the drowning team?

How such a process would come about appears to be beyond the ken of many politically-curious Ghanaians?

It has led to a multitude of speculations about the import of this portion of the outburst. Much as we would want to point at an imminent electoral defeat, which he Rawlings would not countenance, others are really at a loss as to exactly what Mr. Rawlings is pointing at in such an unclear delivery.

�There is indiscipline in the system and the President is unable to control the situation even as the ship of state appears to be listing dangerously� was the bottom-line of Mr. Rawlings� outburst, a worrying one at that. God save us.

Source: Daily Guide