Kufuor Charms Cape Coasters at Peoples Assembly
...and proves once more that citizens like face to face interactions with their elected leaders
Kofi Agyepong | Posted: Wednesday, February 08, 2006
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| Kufuor: Making Waves |
After close to twenty years of governance by shouting, screaming and intimidation, Ghanaians wanted a long period of calm leadership. The style of leadership of the (P)NDC and the current NPP leadership are in marked contrast. Whereas the NDC and its antecedent military movement, the PNDC had a leader who considered himself a Colossus and brooked no nonsense from any one and therefore talked down on the citizenry in often long and rowdy speeches, the NPP leadership exemplified by President Kufuor is more down to earth and people-oriented, with the president approaching the citizenry with as much reverence as possible. The introduction of the Peoples Assembly by President Kufuor five years ago was to give meaning to this people-oriented style of leadership.
Yesterday, he showed his personal and government's commitment to accountability when he hosted the fifth edition of the Peoples Assembly at Cape Coast.
This years Assembly was under the theme: "Positive Change Chapter Two - Accelerating Development, Deepening Good Governance".
As in the others before it, it offered people from all walks of life the opportunity to ask the President questions about his stewardship, give him ideas, criticise him and even vent their frustrations.
The President started off by giving an abridged version of the State of the Nation Address which was delivered only last week.
In this statement, the President explained some policies of his government and stressed the need for all Ghanaians to stand against, and deplore any acts that would derail the nation's democratic process, as well as set her back in her socio-economic development.
He said: "Ghanaians, should in this regard, oppose elements who wish to take over the reins of government, other than through the ballot box" and cited "the current chaos in one of the neighbouring countries as a result of such negative acts".
The vice president, ministers, members of parliament and some traditional rulers joined the president in at the assembly. A 7-member delegation from the International Monetary Fund IMF also joined the president to witness the People's Assembly.
The delegation of the IMF led by Tom Scholar is in the country to acquaint itself with developments and also interact with various groups including civil society and the media.
The assembly took about three hours, and was interrupted by a few technical problems. See ADM Opinion.
When the floor was opened to the public, there were endless queues waiting to interact with the president.
Often robust, sometimes incoherent, other times very touching, and a few times belligerent, the reactions flowed thick and fast.
Some of the questions asked were on micro-credit, the disability bill, Peoples Representation (Amendment) Bill, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), construction of roads and markets and Ghana's 50 anniversary and others.
An old man recovering from blindness asked the president for assistance in setting up a poultry farm.
A woman told the president about she has strived very hard to get micro-credit and gone through all the necessary processes but had still not got her share.
The president in his answer said the micro-credit is "dispensed indiscriminately". He admitted that though the scheme may have some problems in its disbursement, "its efficiency in disbursement supersedes the problems".
He added that his government in its quest to ensure accountability and equal assess to the country's wealth will ensure that the scheme is improved.
A physically challenged man asked the president about the passage of the Disability Bill.
He said though physically challenged, he was well educated but was finding it difficult to get a job. He noted that his current predicament had made him an enemy to most people, since they see no good in them.
The president in a solemn response said his government last year made a provision of one billion cedis to assist the physically challenged.
He gave the assurance that "the Disability Bill will be passed at the shortest possible time to ease some of the problems, which we know you are facing, but shouldn't be".
A petty trader accused the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) of not seeking their views on some of their actions and wanted the president to act on their behalf.
President Kufuor in answering, called the AMA boss Nii Adjiri Blankson, and asked him about the authencity of the accusation.
The AMA Boss debunked the accusation by saying that his outfit had been in constant touch with the leaders of the organizations they work with.
President Kufuor urged AMA to be circumspect in whatever action they take against hawkers and petty traders. He advised AMA to give the new market to those who do not have, but not to those who already occupy one.
A questioner from Anomabo asked the president: "Mr. President don't you think the passage of the Peoples Representative Bill will perpetuate the Brain Drain problem?"
The president in response noted that since the Peoples Representative Bill is a constitutional right, qualified Ghanaian voters shouldn't be disenfranchised.
"Though there are difficulties, let's do the right thing first", he added. On the National Health Insurance Scheme, a man named "Honourable Asem Foforo" narrated what he said was his ordeal when he took his pregnant wife to hospital and paid 15million cedis to cater for his wife's expenses.
The man went further to compare the government's health system to the previous government's health system.
"The current health policy is not good for us, especially when we compare to the previous government's", he said.
The president asked the man whether he had registered for the scheme or not.
With no answer coming from the man. The President said "It's very bad to compare the two governments but let me tell you, the previous government's policy was cash and carry, but ours is not".
He urged all Ghanaians to register for the scheme, since it's the only way to ensure that they don't spend much on their health.
A man from Bodwease, Emmanuel Afranie complained to the president about how the government had failed to honour its promise of rebuilding the "Bodwease Market" into a modern one and the shoddy work the contractors are doing on the roads leading to the town.
The resident explained how important the market is to the development of the area.
He called the District Chief Executive and questioned him on the state of the market and what the district administration was doing about it.
The DCE of Boadwease told the president that they had started with the "quantities" of the site, and immediately that is through, they would write a proposal to the Local Government Minister.
To inquire more on the market, the president called the Central Region Minister, Mr. Isaac Edwumadze to explain things further.
Mr.Edwumadze said the Central Region Administration had consulted a firm, which is doing estimations on the land. He noted that they would do a tender publication after the estimation.
"We are on course Mr. President", he reported cheerily.
"I hope we accept these explanations, but be fast", the President said.
President Kufuor also lamented the lackadaisical attitude of some District Chief Executives and District Assemblies. He described them as non-developmental partners.
"But my government will ensure that accountability is assured at all levels", he promised.
In answering a question on how the country is ready for its 50th anniversary the president said: "We are making sure that everything is done to make our anniversary a success, but we all need to have unity of purpose".
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