Fellow Accraists, Time flies. And especially for the main parties waiting for the Supreme Court decision, it seems time isn’t flying fast enough. Come Thursday, the suspense will be over. It will be a joyous moment for some and a very traumatic blow for others. Nana Akufo Addo and John Mahama have pledged to accept the outcome without calling people to hit the streets. I trust Nana Addo to keep his word. As for JM, I don’t trust him! Meanwhile as Judgement Day approaches, I know for a fact that not only John Mahama is on edge. My own position also hangs in the balance. In reality, everyone associated with the National Democratic Congress, especially those of us in profitable positions, are feeling the heat. I have not had a good night’s sleep since the judges fixed the date for the ruling. I have been very pensive. Maybe I’m being selfish, but the truth is any verdict not in our favour means my time as the Mayor of this city ends. Just like that. I am a very worried man. Initially, when the case started, some friends reminded me to shelve any thoughts of decongesting the choked Accra streets. They said the political implications were too huge. I have on my desk a well-written plan to clear the streets once and for all. I plan to sack all those hawkers, irrespective of whether they voted for us or not, from the streets. We need discipline and my job is to ensure that happens. I have often been accused of talking too much and doing very little. Some of my subordinates in the office even make subtle references to me as ‘Mayor Do Little.” I pretend not to hear their jibes as I am inspired and totally committed to changing the face of Accra. For the moment, though, plans are on hold, until the court decides otherwise. Meanwhile, my friends seem to disapprove of my well laid out street clearing plans. They say my actions contradict that of the government. Yes, it’s true that I have disrespected the President a few times. His orders to me have been treated with the contempt they deserve. Who does he think he is to bark orders at me, the Mayor of Accra? However with some hours to the FINAL DAY, the possibility of my losing my position as Mayor weighs heavily on my mind. Once the court asks JM to step aside, my position will be gone. Like a puff of wind. Even if the court orders a run-off, that would still mean I have no job, and the many millennium city projects I have outlined will only remain a dream. I pray the judges do us a favour. Aside my worrying about losing my job, I’m very much worried about the booming peace industry that has suddenly taken over the air waves. There are too many peace preachers who are cashing in on the judgement to make money for themselves. I believe in peace and, I’m happy Ghanaians are being asked to remain peaceful, irrespective of where the judgement falls. However, I think this clarion call for peace is now cacophonous. In the past week or two, anytime I turn on the radio there is a call for peace. “Peace here, Peace there and Peace everywhere.” If you go from one end of the FM bandwidth to another, majority of the programmes airing seem to have a ‘peace theme’. Ah ba ! My ears are tired!!! About a week ago, I decided to talk a walk around my neighborhood. I have not done that in months but on that day, I told my driver not to worry. I told him to relax while I took a stroll and enjoyed the cool August breeze. Five hundred meters away from my house, a huge van with a public address system and three young men positioned in the front, was broadcasting messages of peace. Annoyingly, the address system was so badly tuned, the message was distorted. Their hoarse voices and poor command of the English language made the delivery of the ‘peace’ message worse. The sound was so bad my beard began to itch. I was upset! Who gave a permit to these opportunists to disturb the public peace? Oh Lord, I said. I felt like my beard was falling off. They were blabbing about peace as if the people of Ghana are at each other’s throat with machetes. What nonsense! The last time I checked, Ghanaians were not at war so why this needless peace preaching? Sometimes, I think our so-called governance think-tanks are just looking for an opportunity to make money, drive in flashy cars and pretend to be doing something meaningful for our country. In my opinion, their needless preaching of peace is creating unnecessary problem for most people. We’re not fighting so why are we being bombarded with peace messages? Who said we’re going to fight after the judgement? Their actions seem to be motivated by personal gains. Maybe the Donors have released something small towards footing the bills of the peace ‘initiative’. I remember ahead of the elections, these same guys went round the country asking Ghanaians not to sink the country into the jaws of war. How sad. They created their own perceived tension and doused it, with the help of thousands of dollars from abroad. Despite their prophesying a possible outbreak of confusion, nothing happened. The man who said he was cheated in the election went to the court, he didn’t resort to arms. And so I find it rather pathetic and sad that these guys are back, and they want us to believe that Ghana will be at war after the judgement. I don’t want to mention names but I know those of them who have already bought brand new cars from monies given to them to douse a so-called tension in the country. Others have sent their children abroad, praying the nasty happens so it vindicates their positions. They are the real nation wreckers. I will end here. I’m getting very upset about these opportunists who pretend to love this country but have made fear mongering their stock-in-trade. I am out of here. We will catch up next week. Until then, enjoy the filth. Yours faithfully, Mayor Abodwes3