Story by: Delali A. Awuyeh
According to civil servants in the country, the Nana Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration have made them to realise that, the former President John Dramani Mahama led a lenient government during his tenure in office.
To them, they never knew former President John Mahama was delivering a compassionate governance admist real development across the social and economic sectors of the country.
“Due to our ignorance as Ghanaians, we gave in easily to the deceit of then opposition NPP led by Nana Akufo-Addo ran up to the country’s 2016 general elections”, the workers confessed.
In an exclusive interview with thenewindependentonline.com in Accra on the current economic hardship in the country, the workers disclosed that, usually their take-home pay though not enough, however, could buy substantial number of items which do take them through to the 18th or 20th of the new month along side other budgeted items.
“Look at the way prices of food items, clothes, virtually everything are sky-rocketing; go and find out the price of a bag of cement now under this NPP government”, one of the workers lamented.
One Antwi narrated to this reporter how the current economic hardship is like a hell, indicating that, most of them are facing serious economic depression that, they now use their take-home pay to settle friends whom they borrow from, and also settle chop bar operators from whom they credit food from to survive.
Adding that, , loan institutions are also deducting from source with high interest rate spread for long years between 3 to 6 years, which in result is affecting their pay at the end of the month.
“…..my brother, nothing good is going on in our lives as civil servants in the country under this government”, he opined.
Kaseem who shares the sentiments of his colleague Antwi revealed that, he now finds it very difficult to raise just about Ghc300 to pay the termly school fees for his four (4) children who are in KG 1, classes 1, 3 and 4, aside the Ghc4. feeding fee per child.
“…..anytime I do not have 4 Cedis for the four, the fortunate ones will go to school whiles the others stay until the next day for divine intervention for all the four to go to school, that is the situation the government has put us in, Kaseem sorrowfully added.
In addition to their growing predicament, they alleged that their salaries are highly taxed though they do shop in the same market with the rich who themselves are also complaining of the same serious economic depression.
“What Ghc10 use to buy in the market to prepare food in the house, today it takes a about GHc25 to prepare the same quantity of food; we use more money to chase for fewer items/food stuffs, can you imagine; everything in Ghana is very expensive, and nowadays nobody wants to give us tips like before”, Kaseem opined.
To him, he bitterly said, “Nana Addo has really disappointed me, and I must confess, I now respect former President John Mahama a lot adding, he keenly followed the campaign of the two leading parties, the NDC and the NPP and their leaders that, he now realizes that, Mahama was more honest, Kaseem asserted.
Some other workers at the ministries also reiterated former President John Dramani Mahama ruled Ghana with compassion and fear of God. “Look I have never paid adminission fee in full for my children in SHS when NDC and JM were in power”.
“Two of my 4 children completed Senjoy High School (SHS) in 2014 and 2016, I never struggled in paying their fees, one is among those who will be completing SHS soon, and I am struggling to pay her fees and certain charges, alondside her provisions due to poor governance”, one asserted.
