INTERVIEW

Comments by Barack Obama of the U.S. – John Dramani Mahama, V ice President of Ghana, and Somaliland’s President, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud “Siilanyo”

White House Talks to Young Africans

Early in August, President Barack Obama and the U.S. Department of State hosted the Forum with Young African Leaders, attended by 115 young leaders from 46 sub-Saharan African nations. The President’s remarks during his opening remarks and his answers to the questions posed are of significance, reflecting the U.S. Government’s attitude and direction in regard to Africa and the U.S. future with Africa. The President was candid and answered many of the Administrations un-answered questions about Africa.

The President’s remarks and the Q & A are in the adjacent video.

The Forum was timed to coincide with the 2010 African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum and the African Women’s Entrepreneurship meetings.

With hosting of these events, the Obama Administration is looking towards greater partnerships with African nations. With 60 percent of the population of Africa under the age of 25, this Forum has hugely important consequences for U.S./Africa future. The 115 young Africans are leaders who will shape the future of Africa for the next 50 years.

John Dramani Mahama:

Is Ghana’s VP a New Breed of African Politician?

Interviewed by Esther Mawu Ntim - Special To The African Times/USA

There are a few choice words that people tend to use when describing African politicians.  Humble, honest, intelligent, and decent are generally not words on that list—unless you’re talking about Ghana’s Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama.  And before you write it off as mere sycophancy, you should know that those words of praise about Ghana’s second-in-command come from people on the other side of the country’s political divide, members of the opposition party.  In fact, it is their belief that Mr. Mahama’s presence on the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) ticket is what inched it forward past the 50% victory line in what turned out to be a win over the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) in one of the narrowest vote margins ever seen in an African election:  50.23%–49.77%.

Mr. Mahama, it appears, is one of those rare politicians who are able to lead and remain well liked and respected by just about everybody.  “He is a worthy opponent,” explained one high-ranking member of the NPP who asked to remain anonymous.  “If he had not been on with [President] Mills, many people would not have been comfortable voting for NDC.”  I wanted to know what exactly it is about this man who may very well end up becoming Ghana’s next president that makes him worthy of such across-the-board admiration and goodwill.

Born in 1958 at Damango, in the Northern Region of Ghana, John Mahama spent his youth as a keen observer of the possibilities and the pitfalls of politics.  His father, Emmanuel Adama Mahama, was a Minister of State in the government of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.  When the government was overthrown, sending Dr. Nkrumah into exile, the young Mahama’s father was jailed, along with all the other Ministers of State, for over a year.

An experience like that could easily have hardened a young man against the political life, and when I sat down to interview Mr. Mahama at his office in the Osu Castle, he explained how and why it was that he, rather, moved towards politics. “My father explained to me that it’s easy to spend your time arguing or fighting against something or someone, but that doesn’t bring progress.”  He pauses a moment, glances at the screens of each of the three mobile phones neatly positioned on his desk.  They have been ringing and beeping nonstop. 

“Progress,” he continues, ignoring the phones, “will only come about when you start advocating and fighting for something.  That’s why I entered politics.

Before becoming a career politician, Mr. Mahama studied History at the University of Ghana, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in the subject.  He then went on to earn a Postgraduate Diploma at the University’s School of Communication Studies.  He further engaged in a two-year special post-graduate program specializing in Social Psychology at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow.

Starting in 1996, he served as a Member of Parliament for twelve years, representing the Bole-Bamboi Constituency. In 1997, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications, a position he held for a year before becoming the substantive Minister of Communications, a position he retained until 2001 when former President John Agyekum Kufuor was elected and the NPP assumed power as the ruling party.  From 2001 to 2004, Mr. Mahama served as the Minority Parliamentary Spokesman for Communications, and in 2002 he was appointed Director of Communications for the NDC.

Most of us think of politics as a dirty business, one that breeds corruption and brings a host of enemies.  How is it that Mr. Mahama has managed to be in leadership positions for so long without any evidence of either?  The question clearly takes him aback.  He smiles, takes a moment to think about it, and then he says, “For me, politics is not life or death.  We have to look beyond our immediate ideological differences.  I try not to get caught up in the pettiness and divisiveness.  It only wastes time and we have to remember and respect that at the end of the day we all really want the same thing, a better Ghana and a better Africa.”

And does Mr. Mahama see a better Ghana and a better Africa in the near future?  This is a question he doesn’t need to think about.  Without hesitation he says, “Oh absolutely. Yes. We don’t realize that in the first century of their histories countries like America, Great Britain, and Germany went through worse experiences than what we’re going through in Africa. Ghana is only 53 years old and we were the first sub-Saharan nation to gain independence.  Of course it doesn’t mean that African countries should have to go through some of the same mistakes and growing pains that Western countries did, but it does mean that we are on course.  This is why it is important to study and understand history, not just yours but everybody else’s as well.  I think our successes aren’t celebrated nearly enough. ”

By the end of our brief interview, I fully understand how and why it is that this man attracts the words of praise he does.  He is thoughtful, learned, unpretentious, unassuming, and unaffected—not exactly common traits for African politicians, though they should be.  If more African countries produced more leaders like John Dramani Mahama, then maybe we could create a new vocabulary for the continent’s long-abused political landscape, one that would translate into an official language of consistent progress, consistent peace and prosperity, and consistent success.

SOMALILAND: New President Sets Sights on Corruption

EDITOR NOTE: The newly elected President of self-declared republic of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud “Siilanyo” provided this interview few days prior to his election where he won just under 50 percent of votes cast in the first democratic handover in the Horn of Africa.

His background includes being a senior minister in former Somalia President Siyad Barre's government in the 1980s, Mohamoud quit to join the then armed opposition Somali National Movement (SNM), eventually becoming its leader. After Somaliland's declaration of independence in 1991, Mohamoud held various senior ministerial positions until 2001 when he resigned from the government of the late President Muhammad Ibrahim Egal.

Q: What is your priority should you win?

A: Well, in our program, there are a large number of issues we need to handle but I would say, first of all, we would put together a lean government with limited ministerial posts, which will also be very effective, I hope. Secondly, I will abolish emergency laws, which are unconstitutional and which have sent so many people to prison. I will release all prisoners not sentenced by a court of law, except those accused of terrorism and theft.

[According to a July 2009 report by Human Rights Watch, a key component of the criminal justice system consists of unconstitutional “security committees [which] sentence and imprison Somalilanders, including people accused of common crimes and juveniles, without any pretence of due process. They regularly sentence defendants en masse on the basis of little or no evidence after truncated hearings in which the accused are given no right to speak."]

My cabinet will be much smaller than the current one. We will also make sure that the judiciary is independent. We will also deal with the problems in Sool and Sanag East [disputed territory regions] to create peace and stability. We also aim to boost our relations with neighboring countries to strengthen the fight against terrorism and piracy.

Q: What are you going to do about corruption in Somaliland?

A: That is one of our highest priorities; it is one of the main problems in this country. We will fight corruption and will deal with corrupt people and show them no mercy whatsoever. We will reform the judicial system and will introduce measures to punish corrupt people in an appropriate manner. We will set up an anti-corruption commission.

Q: Somalia has been in crisis for more than two decades now. Do you have any ideas or suggestions how this crisis could be resolved?

A: Well, in terms of Somalia, first of all, we wish our brothers [in south-central Somalia] every success in achieving peace and stability because that affects us as well. We are saddened by what is happening to the people of Somalia. We have thousands of refugees here. We are going to give full support to the position of the international community to bring peace back to Somalia. We are going to support the position taken by the UN and other international organizations to restore stability and peace to Somalia. We are going to be part of the world and we are going to play a very [key] role, I hope. We will definitely study which way we can help directly, without comprising our independence.

Q: There are thousands of people from south-central Somalia, displaced by the conflict there, who have sought refuge in Somaliland. Should you win, do you have a program for them?

A: These people, who are refugees from Somalia [and] whom the international community regards as internally displaced, have been warmly welcomed here. They are our brothers and sisters. There is a very large number of people from Somalia in Somaliland at present and many of them are not in camps. They are with us; they are part of the population and they will continue to be our guests and we will ask the international community to do whatever they can for them. Also, we are going to ensure their safety. Their presence will be one of the major issues we will deal with, Inshallah [God-willing].

Q: The number of youth leaving Somaliland to seek opportunities elsewhere, often undertaking dangerous boat journeys is increasing. Would your government have a specific program for them?

A: It is a major problem facing the country... In our program we have very clearly stated that we are going to create all the incentives possible to discourage young people from throwing themselves in the sea and going abroad. We are going to create a normal life for them in their own country, by creating jobs for them, facilitate education for them and encourage them to stay in the country and believe in their own country and its stability. We will encourage investment in the country to create more employment and also create confidence in the country and its youth.

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