VOICES IN THE NDC have consistently maintained that former president, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, is an obsession for the ruling NPP. And, you know what, they are not far from the truth.
Because in semi retirement, Mr. Mahama continues to draw enemy fire. He still suffers indignities and downright rudeness from the shooting gallery that is the NPP. A gaggle of NPP functionaries have made it their sacred duty to pour scorn and disdain on the former president.
The latest NPP blowhard to grossly disrespect the former president is the Minister for Defense, Mr. Dominic Nitiwul who engaged in a wilful personal vendetta against Mr. Mahama last week.
Mr. Nitiwul’s accusation that Mr. Mahama is occupying a piece of land that belongs to the Ghana army was without merit, patently false and not evidence based. More broadly, Mr. Nitiwul made the frivilous accusation with the clear intention of appeasing his bosses and bolstering his political standing in the NPP.
Otherwise, how else do you explain Mr. Nitiwul’s rush to paint the former president as a greedy land grabber, who is hesitant to let go of the privileges and freebies he once enjoyed as head of state?
Mr. Nitiwul’s efforts to discredit Mr. Mahama are shameful and despicable. The former president is not living off the sweat and labor of Ghanaians; even if he was, he has justifiably earned everything coming his way.
Like other former presidents, Mr. Mahama enjoys a generous state pension and other benefits for services rendered to the country. The nation willingly offered these packages and to begrudge Mr. Mahama is outrageous and unpatriotic.
Not unexpected, Mr. Mahama’s office rightly reacted with anger and disbelief to Mr. Nitiwul’s outrageous accusation. Not only was Mr. Nitiwul’s assertion way off the mark, the office said, it also added that the minister would have been better served if only he had first crossed checked facts with the office.
Mr. Nitiwul has been roundly condemned for his harsh verbal assault on the former president. But, to date, he has neither apologized to Mr. Mahama nor retracted his statement.
If you have followed Mr. Nitiwul’s career closely, you won’t be startled or taken aback by his intransigence. He is a a bully with a short fuse who is given to emotional outbursts than critical thinking. Ultimately, it is the public that falls victim to Mr. Nitiwul’s impertinent behavior.
Mr. Nitiwul’s appointment as custodian of one of the most important government’s ministries stunned Ghanaians. In fact, many in the NPP seethed with disapproval and wondered what prompted Nana Akuffo Addo to elevate Mr. Nitiwul from a backbencher to such a high profile position.
And, Mr. Nitiwul has not exactly distinguished himself as a defense minister, inexperience and immaturity making his job all the more difficult.
Sources tell me Mr. Nitiwul is impervious to advice. That in itself tells you a lot about the minister. We should not count on him recanting and turning over a new leaf soon. Given his nasty disposition, Mr. Nitiwul will continue to be a source of irritation, disdain and controversy.