Bawumia Can Decide To Launch 1 Man 1 House, But He Will Still Loose The 2024 Elections – Mathew Atanga

Today, the president, His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo, and the vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in their usual fashion, launched what they called “The Smart Schools Project” (1 student 1 laptop initiative). Indeed, contrary to what was published earlier, it turned out that the students were given tablets instead of laptops. The launch, which was engulfed in extreme pomp and pageantry, witnessed the president gloated over his achievements in the education sector. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was, in his usual composer, nodding his head rhythemically as if he was enjoying a melodious reggae song from the legendary Bob Marley. In effect, the “The Smart Schools Project ” (1 student 1 laptop) was supposed to have been launched.

However, today’s launching reminds me of the collapsed Nation Builders Corps(NABCO) program. I recalled vividly the launch of that program in Accra on 1st May, 2018. Beneficiaries of the program were bused from every corner across Ghana to Accra just for the launch. The pomp and pageantry displayed that day was at its best. Millions of Ghana cedis were spent organising the launch of the NABCO program.

The program, ambitious as it was, ended unceremoniously and in a rather tragic note. Young men and women who worked hard, teaching in schools, working in the agriculture sector under the program, assisting the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) to mobilse revenue for Ghana, and many others, were laid off painfully. After 11 months without salary, they were sadly sent home with empty hands.

Again, programs like the Free Senior High School(FSHS) program witnessed such huge budgeted launch. It would later be inundated with unbearable challenges that have not been fixed until now. Ranging from poor academic work in secondary schools as a result of the double track system, poor food quality, overcrowded classrooms, and dormitories are but a few of the numerous setbacks brought about as a result of the haphazard implementation of the FSHS program. Other programs like 1 district 1 factory, 1 village 1 dam, all witnessed this kind of gargantuan and expensive launching.

The question, however, is that, what has become of these launchings and funfairs? It is a settled argument that these launchings do not go beyond the launch. After launching and making so much noise about them, they turn out to be empty and mere populism. None of the numerous populist programs have brought any positive impact to the targeted groups and Ghanaians as a whole.

Lest I forget that teachers are currently on strike. Prominent amongst the reasons for the strike is the government’s failure to provide all teachers with the laptops that teachers paid for. Salaries of teachers were deducted by the government with the promise to supply them with laptops. A part of teachers received their laptops, but a chunk of teachers are still left unprovided with the laptops.

So, in all these, how did Dr. Bawumia and his sleeping boss, President Nana Addo, still think Ghanaians take them seriously with this present launch of 1 student 1 laptop project? If teachers after paying for the laptops and yet you failed to provide them with the laptops for which reason they have embarked on industrial action, how will Ghanaians trust you to dash free laptops(tablets) to SHS students? Or they assumed Ghanaians are that gullible!

Well, truth be told, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia can decide to launch any program he wishes, but it will not sway Ghanaians to fall for their deceit. Yes, he can even decide to launch, 1 man 1 house, his days as vice president are numbered. He may succeed in deceiving NPP supporters to be made flag bearer, but he can not become president of Ghana.
Long live Ghana!
Long live NDC!

Written By:
MATHEW ATANGA
NDC Communication Officer,
Kintampo South Constituency.
Tel. 0247144224