SABOTEURS FROM WITHIN

Friday September 25, 2009

The Ghana National Fishermen’s Council says some government functionaries, including District Chief Executives and politicians, of interfering in the administration of pre-mix fuel.

In their words, these government officials and politicians have “hijacked” the Landing Beach Committees set up to manage pre-mix fuel distribution.

According to the fishermen, Members of Parliament have formed their own Landing Beach Committees and appointed their own secretaries and pump attendants, contrary to guidelines setting up the committees.

It may be too easy for officials to reject allegations such as the fishermen are making or brush them aside as “politically motivated”. But the Times would advise against such predictable political stand.

Indeed, we make bold to say that knowing how fiery the issue of pre-mix is be in the community of fishermen, it is certain that diplomacy and the careful language chosen by the fishermen at their press conference have been the result of the sobriety and level headedness of some of the leading men on the Council.

When the Minister of Information went to town on the issue of pre-mix fuel only a few weeks ago, we were among those that concluded that this government has learned from the mistakes of previous governments.

We gave it credit for the measures it outlined to stave off trouble from the fishermen’s quarters.

What we did not count on was a fact for which the Akans have a word- that in every hamlet there is a Mensa.

These Mensas in politics are the ones whose only reason for going into politics is to amass wealth and wield influence – to be seen by everybody in the community as the most dreaded power-brokers.

They are all over the place, throwing their weightless weight about, craving to be seen as the movers and the shakers of all events that happen in their district, region or the country.

That is the way they see politics.

Unfortunately, it seems as if there are many of them in every political party in Ghana.

By their activities, so far, it cannot but be concluded that the NDC has its fair share of such. These are the people who are uncomfortable with and disdainful of any leader who seems (to them) “too holy”.

If they had their way, the leaders should be brought down. You would not put it past them to start a whispering campaign of calumny.

It is to satisfy people like these that some Heads of State have attempted to bend the rules, and have lived to regret doing that.

Following from the press conference held by the fishermen, the Ghanaian Times would like to see some action. Someone must call these greedy misguided politicians to order.

No matter how close they are to power, apparently by virtue of their fat bank accounts, these party officials do not love the party; otherwise, they should not be repeating the mistakes that caused the fall of other governments.

These saboteurs, identified by the fishermen as government functionaries, could not be operating out of love of the country.

It is for their personal pockets. What do they want control of pre-mix distribution for?

Invariably, it is for them to be able to control its diversion to sources over which they have control. We fear that soon, there would be a shortage of pre-mix fuel and an increase in the price.

The beneficiaries would be these party officials and government functionaries who would be smiling all the way to the bank – at the expense of the ordinary people.

In the interest of the millions of Ghanaians who are likely to suffer in the event of a pre-mix shortage, we urge the government to act, and act now.

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