John Magafuli assumed control over his country after a keenly contested elections which was won with 58% of total valid votes cast.
He is referred to as the “bulldozer” and immediately he won his elections, university students and the intellectual community in Tanzania flooded social media with the hashtag “what can or will the bulldozer do”.
Indeed one of the issues we face in our continent is not the availability of good leaders but rather the ability of leaders to live up to the expectations of their constituents especially when several campaign promises have been made by them during their electioneering period .
The leadership of John Magafuli is a direct indication that not all is lost with respect to African leadership. Pombe, as he is locally called has shown his desire and commitment in salvaging his country from the abject poverty ,to a nation of hope and opportunities for the next generation of young Africans in Tanzania.
His demeanor ,words, desire and commitment to changing the status quo in line with making his country better, must be recognized in the nook and cranies of our continent.
Tanzania now is a true reflection of Changing lives and a transformation agenda carefully orchestrated to yield the requisite results which remains a mirage in other countries.
The praises and sweet words hurled on Pombe is to let our African leaders know that their actions have an effect in determining the future of the next generation whether bleek or bright.
John MAGAFULI as president has placed a ban on all foreign travel for Senior Government officials in Tanzania. This drastic measure to save the coffers of his country was implemented immediately he assumed office as President of Tanzania.
A friend of mine opined that these actions of his would go a long way to adversely affect his chances of controlling his party as he will desire to seek re -elections after his term and as such he should have waited until his second term to implement such a harsh policy.
I asked him why he used the word “harsh ” for such a policy and his point was that, it was the usual norm for their Senior Government officials to travel outside with their women and as usual get numerous allowances .
It was very interesting to most people in other parts of Africa as they felt there will be a revolution in other parts of Africa because of the works exhibited since he assumed office but that was not what has been felt even though a good precedence has now been set.
Placing a ban on all travel was a great policy as several amount of money would be saved by the government. Other African leaders must learn from this policy including Ghana led by His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. High Commissioners and Ambassadors of various African Countries outside our continent must represent their respective governments in the host countries in the most cost effective manner to save the continent from spending millions of dollars on government delegations alone, as John MAGAFULI is doing.
MAGAFULI has decreed that on the day of independence, every single person has to pick up their tools and clean their backyards which means a national sanitation day so to speak.
Let’s look at this policy of MAGAFULI closely. What is the relevance of the celebration of independence day ? Do you think Ghana must adopt this decree in Tanzania as well by cleaning our environment on this day and on several holidays in this country?
I will say “Yes” and side directly with this action from the Tanzanian leader. We spend huge sums of money to celebrate an independence day which has no effect on how the country’s economic fortunes.
Such amounts of money could be used to complete road networks, hospitals,schools and other infrastructural facilities that are deemed necessary for the people.
Remembering our past leaders and celebrating an anniversary which adds no solution to our problems such poverty,unemployment, economic instability among others is a total waste of time to say the least. The actions and works of our leaders can be felt in our hearts and not just on an anniversary day.
Great countries around the world did not achieve greatness overnight but with sacrifices,commitment and fortitude, they pressed on. It is thus true that Rome was not built in a day but if the builders had stolen the building materials, Rome would have never been built. l am of a firm believe that if we wish,as a continent (and Ghana specifically) to make an impact in the world and to live a legacy worthy of emulation for the next generation,we must be willing to sacrifice our love and joy now for the good of our motherland.
Even though Ghana as a country has introduced a national sanitation day, one does not need a soothsayer to tell him/her that the policy is not nationalistic in nature and as such, it is only done by acolytes of the government which is wrong in principle .
Moving forward, just as Paul Kagame of Rwanda re- introduced the ancient old community cleaning exercise which is nationalistic in nature, other African Countries can do same.
Today in Rwanda, every last Saturday of the month throughout the year, all abled-body Rwandans pick their tools to do general cleaning around designated sites of their communities. During the same day, locals build homes for the poor or initiate a project to help the most vulnerable within their community. Many other activities are done.
Ghana has a national sanitation day but our government must enforce laws to make it compulsory for all Ghanaians to get themselves involved in it.
It is so shameful that we are spending huge amounts of money to celebrate years of independence when our people are dying of cholera,malaria and hunger.
That time can be spent on street-cleaning to improve sanitation and arrest contagious diseases outbreak.
Now let look at this policies from Magafuli too; Instead of sponsoring a World AIDS Day exhibition, Magufuli ordered the money to be spent on anti-retroviral drugs for AIDS sufferers ,he has turned up in person -and-on-foot at government ministries and demanded to know why civil servants were not at their desks.
Some officials have been jailed for lateness, the head of the tax authority has been suspended and the use of public funds to pay for Christmas and New Year greeting cards banned, according to local media.
He has shown courage ,wisdom and strength among his citizens and that has encouraged his citizens to have trust and hope in his leadership.
Africans take a lot of inspiration from their leaders, so their deeds and words go a long way to affect them.
MAGAFULI matched his words with actions, slashing the number of cabinet posisitions from 30 to 19 by merging ministries since he believed that some ministries were irrelevant in the protection of the people’s future.
Our African leadership must allow their constituents to have trust in them even if they voted against them and l believe with that we can make great impact in the world.
Our President His Excellency John Mahama must learn and adopt from some of the measures taken by President John MAGAFULI in Tanzania in order for Ghanaians to have full trust in his government and governance.
God bless Africa
God bless Ghana
Tinkaro Asare is a former NUGS President for the University of Ghana and a concerned citizen interested in Political and International issues.