The eyes of the crab may look like match sticks, but they are certainly not.
We, the *Coalition for Democratic Governance (CDG)* wish to sound a very stern warning to President Nana Akufo Addo, his Vice Dr Mahamadu Bawumia and their advisors that, we will not allow them to impose their their super incompetence as an economic burden and hardship on the good citizens of Ghana. Enough is enough.
The humility of the Ghanaian must never be misinterpreted for cowardice.
We will like to borrow from the Latin expression in the proverb; *Praemonitus, praemunitus,* which translated into English means; *forewarned is forearmed.* The purpose of knowledge in advance is to enable one to be prepared very well in advanced. If in the abundance of this caution government is now groping in the dark and inflicting pain on it's citizens as the solution or answers for its self inflicted problems, then government is either hopelessly and incurably incompetent and insensitive or all of the above.
When in it's inordinate quest for political power the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential Canada and his running mate made all the ludicrous and unrealistic promises to the electorate, they were warned.
The people of Ghana can still remember like yesterday, when John Dramani Mahama, addressing the intellectual community at the University of Ghana- Legon, told his audience that, it was not economically sustainable to promise freebies, increased public expenditure whilst at the same time promising tax cuts with a pledge not to borrow.
The response from Dr Bawumia and his NPP was that, *"........Mahama is incompetent. I worked at the Bank of Ghana and I know where the money is. We don't need to tax the people......"* they even went ahead to say *"...taxation is the lazy man's option......"*
To make matters worse, soon after coming to office, they appointed the largest government ever.
If they have difficulties fixing the situation, let them sit up and think through the solution properly rather than attempting to impose any form of incompetence on us.
Let them be told that the Ghanaian is so terribly disappointed in them for doing the exact opposite of what they stood for in opposition. In fact, they've so far done worse than the NDC government that they criticize and wrestled power from. Let them be told that Ghanaians are not fools.
Today in government, the NPP government that said they'll not borrow have borrowed more than the drunken _brokeman_. But because the citizenry have kept quiet, their silence has been interpreted by this super incompetent government as weakness.
They're now trying to impose killer taxes on us to finance their profligate corrupt empire of family and friends government and senseless political projects that they were foretold are not sustainable. Why are they not interested in cutting down on the expenditure: the waste, the superfluous and obese government, the bloated contracts, the doling out of cash for frivolous purposes like the payments made by NHIS to train NPP communicators, needless contractual payouts but are stealth bent on taxing the poor and suffering people to generate money? This is akin to squeezing water from stone. Don't they know where the money is any longer? Why has Dr Bawumia all of a sudden gone mute? Is he missing his brain?
In prudent financial management, if you're unable to raise the required funds to match your expenditure, one of the options to resolve the problem is to cut down on expenditure to match revenue. Simply put, cut your coat according to your cloth.
If we may ask, between John Dramani Mahama and Dr Bawumia, who is better qualified to be described as an economist. NPP has failed abysmally and we urge them to beat a retreat and do the needful by withdrawing all the taxes and seek other options as advised. We call on the civil society to help protect the ordinary Ghanian who is struggling to eke out a living from the callous hands of this brutish and insensitive regime. We fully agree with Franklin Cudjoe of IMANI Africa that, "this government must not be allowed even 1% increase in taxation." They should review their expenditure.
Abdallah Ali-Nakyea, a tax expert agrees with us on these points:
1. Reduce the abnormal size of government machinery
2. Stop increasing the financial burdens of tax payers for non-essential political projects, and focus on urgent critical national projects
3. Subject the Ministries to strict expenditure reviews, and curtail Ministers' political projects.
4. Reduce fuel usage and other expenditures by non-critical government appointees.
The corruption, mismanagement and misuse of public funds within this 18 month period has been phenomenal.
We'll all be spared of the burden of this harsh regime if government is minded to respond positively to all the concerns raised here and elsewhere
Diplomatic Mubarak
National coordinator
+233 24 869 0371
Abyna Ehun
Deputy coordinator
+233 24 373 6858
Alex Sarpong
Communication Director
+233544926343
