WHAT MAKES THE “ANIMAL FARM” AN ANALOGY FOR THE AKUFO- ADDO GOVERNMENT.

Journalism is not an easy profession to be in, especially in today’s cut throat competition by media where each media house has to be the most sensational,have the most current news and even those that have not even been found till yet.

After reading Stephen Anti’s story and how the journalist mischievously twisted former President Manama’s animal farm analogy, i felt disappointed and empty. Sure there is nothing wrong with adding few spices to a story to make its consumption smooth and pleasant, but when the information revealed in it could affect the integrity of innocent personalities, the safety of the nation or image of a corporate organisation then well..that is nothing more than stupid and irresponsible journalism. Stephen Anti has rendered an unqualified apology. My problem with his damage and control moves, is his deliberate failure to factor the character of the former President in his earlier story. He may dislike the former President but he knows very well that Mr President will never describe a political opponent as a pig. I believe that other media houses should also take notice of this goof, instead of gloating in the shameful move by Stephen Anti, they should start keeping a stricter check on what information is being broadcasted and whether it is fine to do so or not. Posting and publication of fake stories is gradually gaining space on the media landscape hence the need to critically scrutinize information released to producers for publication or airing. Yesterday, Gabby Otchere-Darko misled thousands of Ghanaians including astute lawyers and intellectuals with his fake 2016 story about “dumsor” in Nigeria. He posted a 2016 story on his Facebook wall and deceived his readers the story was a 2017 story.

In Orwell’s classic (animal farm), animals had revolted against the rulership of man, an decided they were set to rule and lead by their own guiding principles. Just like the Npp “revolted” against the rulership of the NDC. Akufo-Addo and the Npp promised heaven on earth ; promised to run a lean government, be frugal, bolster the economy, reduce unemployment, battle inflation, fight corruption, one district one factory, one constituency- one million dollar, free secondary education for all student (secondary), build 350 new secondary schools, among other promises. Upon assumption of office, the Npp began to blame the NDC and former President Mahama for their mistakes. By every passing day, the standards are being edited to suit political purposes, just as the pigs did in animal farm. The animals who saw the luxury of Mr Jones’ life, said ” no animal shall wear clothes, no animal shall sleep in a bed, no animal shall drink alcohol, all animals are equal. They believed animals must be given to “undue comfort”. The economy is not improving to the state of appointing more persons, to bring into government more party supporters under the guise of fresh ideas. The trend of corruption in Ghana under President Akufo-Addo is systematically turning into a classic example of the theme being unveiled in the animal farm. It reveals just how some few individuals would squander billions of tax payers money while poor Ghanaians who voted for the few squanders suffer. The Akufo-Addo government needs to come out and admit to Ghanaians that they failed to tell Ghanaians the truth for political mileage, before and after they took over. After 8 years of the Mills/Mahama presidencies, Ghana is today like an old car, with worn out tyres, broken head lamps, non- functional breaks, no shock absorbers with an unqualified driver. We are being advised to tighten our belt but government found it convenient wasting $2.5 million of the tax payers money on a digital address system we can access via Google for free. Thousands of Ghanaians have lost their jobs because they are perceived pro- NDC supporters. Mr George Ayisi Boateng,Ghana’s ambassador to South Africa, during an intersection with some npp supporters made his government’s policy on appointments and support for Ghanaians clear. “We are all Ghanaians. But some are Ghanaian than others” I am sure Stephen Anti heard this unfortunate statement. What about “Ghanaians must stop whining” ? Doesn’t Stephen find worrisome the President’s indifference to the corruption and victimization in our state agencies under his watch, a wobbling cedi, and the growth of thievery in geometrical progression.

Many of the characters and events of Orwell’s novel parallel those of the Akufo-Addo government. In short , manor farm is a model of Ghana under Akufo-Addo, and old major, snowball and Napoleon represent the dominant figures of the administration. Under his reign the Ghanaian people are experiencing terrible poverty and inner upheavals marked by atrocities being unleashed on Ghanaians by his hoodlums operating under the guise of vigilante groups.

Elements of the regime and their media allies can put all the twists on what the former President said. But Ghanaians are witnessing the situation. The family empires being established, contracts to cronies and friends, awarding of contracts without following procurement rules and procedures, corruption at the presidency, sacking of workers perceived as pro NDC supporters, wasting of millions of dollars on trivialities including launching of programmes and logos, harassment of political opponents,muzzling of media houses perceived as anti- the regime, creation of superfluous offices. These are the realities under President Akufo-Addo.