MY DEAR MR PRESIDENT,

 I have decided to write you as a concerned citizen and your subject who loves you and would like to see you steer the boat ashore in these turbulent moments. The views which I am expressing here are  my own personal observations and not those of my employers or any group of people. My aim is to let you know the stark truth about the Ghanaian society, that you can make your own judgement after a careful diagnosis of this treatise.

Twenty-three years ago, when the late President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of blested memory was struggling hard to win Independence for this nation, a host of talented Ghanaians contributed in no small way to help him. When Independence was granted, he took these same people into confidence and depended on them for the administration of the country. Nine years throw these when old guns denounced him with “I know thee not” just as Peter did to our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of his Ministers of state described him as a “Cantankerous man” (The Ghanaian Times April 2nd 1966) whilst others labelled him as “deceitful, extremely wicked, very despotic and a tyrant” (The Ghanaian Times April 28th 1966). 

Mr. President, I can give you hundreds of quotations on this very important subject but in order not to waste your time I would wish you go back into history and read some of these old papers to be always on your guard. On the eight anniversary celebrations of his death, when I saw all these same people parading around you singing praises of the man they denounced some fourteen years ago, I only laughed and said “Father Kwame, forgive them.” Oh how I wish Kwame was alive at this time to whisper into your ears those you very frank have to listen to and those you need not listen to. To be very with you if Dr. Nkrumah were to be alive he would tell you plainly what he thinks of the Ghanaian. The same people who deceived him, the same people who misled the same people who refused to tell him the truth about the state of affairs in the country are hovering around again unashamed.

Sir, all that I am driving at is that, the problems that confront you in the face now are so numerous that you need tact to overcome them. No one expects you to perform miracles overnight; no one expects you to command manna or milk and sardines from heaven but all the same we expect so much from you. You see, I belong to the “poor-man’s” group and I meet them at the “mangoase” chop bars and drinking places. We discuss nothing but the hardships which Ghanaians are facing. Most of these people do not know that the problems confronting the nation are not of your making. All they know is that Dr. Limann is ruling and things are hard for them. They wouldn’t accept that these problems have accumulated over the years through mismanagement of previous governments. You see, it is time you start nationwide campaign to educate the public on this issue. Sometimes it is better to listen to the silent voices of the poor in the street. Take it or leave it, all previous Governments fell because they refused to listen to these silent voices and depended largely on the voices of the “Big Guns around them. Dr. Nkrumah went that way only to regret that “I didn’t know Ghanaians were craving for milk. Dr. Busia followed suit only to regret that “he was not aware of problems.” Generallisimo Kutu Acheampong fell because he refused to listen to the “vox populi” and was suppressing the feelings of the people whilst depending on his special aides. May be you don’t know; so please take note.

Secondly, I am not very sure her you are aware that whether you are aware that “Kalabule” has given birth to three namely “Gyinabu”, “Hawa and “Neoplan”. Now it is done openly in the markets, in the stores and in the street. A common packet of King Size cigarette is now displayed along ten of twelve cedis. The smallest along the road side for sire of pepsodent is sold openly at ten cedis at Makola, whilst a full piece of cloth takes anything from four hundred cedis onwards. What the Price Control Unit doing? And the managers at the Shops are busy doing their own thing openly with the Makola Mummies and Brief-case Businessmen. Is there nothing you could do to help the poor man in the street? As for the Vigilantes, the earlier you forget about them the better. Most of them go to the shops with their own shopping lists demanding to be served. Only last week I saw a poor Lebanese storekeeper giving four cartons of milk away to three strong men Makola Mummy who claimed to be leaders of a vigilante. And when I challenged them I was nearly torn into pieces. So Mr. President you see the Ghanaian you are ruling. By the way, what about your promise that you’ll get the military involved if the need arises. Now is the time please.

Thirdly Mr. President, are you aware that most of our fishing vessels are doing brisk business outside our borders. My own research has confirmed that over eighty per cent of the catch by our fishing boats are diverted into neighbouring countries and the fish sold out for foreign exchange. That is why if you go to the market these days two small pieces of fish is sold around twenty to thirty cedis. A small fried red fish for kenkey sells at ten cedis whilst a ball-size kenkey sells at one cedi. That is not all. The articulated trucks that we imported into this country to help cart food from the rural areas to the urban centres are nowhere to be found. Just get across the borders and you will see them in Upper Volta, Togo, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast with our Registration numbers doing “BUSINESS”. They want Foreign Exchange and this money comes through the back door and it’s exchanged on the black market. So you see, the food stuffs in the rural areas are getting rotten whilst we starve to death in the urban areas. This is the Ghanaian you are ruling. The PATRIOTIC Ghanaian. And these are the very people controlling the economy. Can’t the Ministry responsible do something about this kind of “BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS”.

Lastly but not the least I would like to draw you attention to the kind of Security Agencies we have in the country. Within the first five months that you were in power there were two “jail-breaks” in the country’s two most fortified prisons. Before we could say jack, these convicts found their way out to Europe. This clearly shows the kind of security we have in the country. Let me put it point blank, we have no security in the state. If those around you are portraying this problem as nothing more than the ripples in a calm lake, then they are deceiving you. Be on your guard.

Before I finally sign off Mr. President may I remind you that Ghanaians are looking up to you and don’t forget the promises you’ve been giving us. “TIMES ARE HARD” but try as much as possible to to fulfil the aspirations of the masses and not the privileged few.

Your faithful subject, 

MAXWELL WULLAR 

ACCRA

 

 

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