Fear Empty Stomachs, Not Loaded Guns – Okudzeto Ablakwa Tells Akufo-Addo

The Member of Parliament(MP) for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said leaders who have made the mistake of fearing guns instead of the people have had deep regrets.

The North Tongu MP’s comments come on the back of recent comments by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his recent tour of Kumasi.

Delivering a speech at the Idris Barracks, President Akufo-Addo urged the Military to continue to guard the peace of the country.

“I want to encourage you to continue the good work that you’re doing for our country. I encourage you to stand firm in your loyalty to the Republic, your loyalty to the Constitution of our nation so that the orderly, peaceful development of our country which is the only way that can guarantee the future prosperity we are all working for can come about.

“So that these [present] generations of Ghanaians will leave as our legacy, that even when things were difficult in Ghana, we all held together under our Republican institutions and our constitution to find a way to a better future for our nation. I am confident that we can do it and I am counting on you to help me do it,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Reacting to the President’s comments, in a Facebook post, Monday, 24 October 2022, the North Tongu MP, stated: “President Akufo-Addo should not be begging soldiers while dismissing the legitimate demands of suffering civilians with utter contempt.

“Throughout history, leaders who make the fatal mistake of fearing guns instead of the people have deeply regretted — the guns were silent but people power toppled bad leaders during the Arab Spring and much recently in Sri Lanka. In Sudan, 8 months of angry demonstrations led by disillusioned young people from 2018 eventually resulted in the overthrow of strongman Omar al-Bashir on April 11 2019, after 30 brutal years in power.”

According to Mr Ablakwa, “Soldiers cannot protect any government; only government’s own humane policies and responsible conduct can guarantee its protection.

“This is why it is absolutely imperative that President Akufo-Addo regains consciousness from his comatose and implement urgent remedial measures to rescue suffocating Ghanaians. The pain and suffering under this unprecedented collapsed economy is visceral and tangible.”

He suggested that the President “fire his Finance Minister NOW; the clueless Economic Management Team ought to be disbanded with dispatch; corruption and profligacy should be uprooted; embark on ruthless retrievals of all stollen taxpayer funds; cancellation of reckless prestige projects; his bloated government including the disgraceful position of CEO for a non-existent Keta Port must be drastically pruned, the countless retirees on contract should go home and catch a well-deserved rest; and as we have often demanded — it is time to convene a non-partisan economic rescue forum to harvest fresh ideas.”

He further suggested that “if the President cannot pursue these as outlined, he should simply resign without further delay.

“When the people are hungry and angry, it is most unwise to contemptuously ignore them and go begging soldiers. In any case, Ghanaian soldiers don’t live in a different economy, they are experiencing the same excruciating hardship and hopelessness we are all confronted with.”

He added: “President Akufo-Addo should fear empty stomachs, not loaded guns.”