Kweku Baako Exposes NPP: In Defense Of Daily Graphic

Kweku Baako Exposes NPP: In Defense Of Daily Graphic

By Margaret Jackson

My mum told me a story about this mad middle-aged man called Kwame Appiah. This man I was told used to love nothing more than the newspapers, therefore, he had the tendency of just stocking his pockets with a bunch of newspapers when he got mad and wandered around the village. In fact the huge stuck of newspapers in his pockets became Kwame Appiah’s trademark, which compelled adults and little kids to make fun of him. But wait a minute; Kwame Appiah took his love for the newspapers to another side-line. I was told that he became so obsessed with newspapers that overtime, he ventured into the homes of people whenever they were not around looking for newspapers to steal.

When I tried to find out from my mum why Kwame Appiah did what he did, she told me a little history about the man. According to my mother, Kwame Appiah was one of the few educated individuals in the village at the time that eventually had a gainful employment in one of the ministries in Accra. Kwame Appiah’s move to the city I was told was a dream come true, as he never thought good tidings would come his way.

My mum said Appiah daily bought and read the newspapers so he had tons of information which he released to the village folks by piece-meal during his month-end visits. My mum further told me that Appiah eventually began to behave that if he had not told you something, then it has either not happened or it is not true if you heard it somewhere. He elected himself as the official mouthpiece of any good or bad news prevailing in the country and around the globe at the time.

I therefore told my mum that probably that is why Appiah stuck his pockets with newspapers even after he had gone mad to still demonstrate to the village colleagues that he is still their unchallenged official source of information, even though he could no longer share any credible thing with them let alone even talk.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have someone in our country today who I believe behaves just like Kwame Appiah. He is known to have stocked his pockets with old newspapers dating back to the 50s and believes he is the official source of information to every living Ghanaian. This man thinks that if the information is not from him, you got not to believe it because he is the only known, recognized, unchallenged, ultimate document holder that the country has ever produced.

Kweku Baako, the so-called Editor-in-Chief (Big Title) of the New Crusading Guide, believes he is the monarch of all that he surveys in Ghana. This discredited guy whose dishonesty and shameless lies backed by stomach political analysis, largely contributed towards the humiliating loss of power by the NPP in the 2008 elections, and who changed the name of his discredited newspaper from Crusading Guide to the New Crusading Guide when President Mills assumed office in 2009, has taken so many people in Ghana for granted and for far too long, thinking nobody would ever hold him to account.

Kweku Baako erroneously believes that Ghanaians are so gullible and would therefore take any nonsense and trash from him to the bank without cross-checking it. That is why he always had the tendency of spewing out garbage to confuse Ghanaians anytime fire begins to burn closely towards the corridors of his paid masters, the NPP.

It would be recalled that the Daily Graphic published in its Monday edition of February 13, 2012, a story about the notorious Ghanaian drug baron, Raymond Kwame Amankwah, who is serving a 14-year prison term at the Provisional Detention Centre at Caucaia in Brazil for drug trafficking. The story has it that the Federal Police Department of Brazil has established that Raymond Kwame Amankwah, a relative of NPP Flagbearer, Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was holding a Ghanaian diplomatic passport at the time of his arrest.

To further buttress the story, the Daily Graphic report quoted the diplomatic passport number of Amankwah as D1878450. The story which came at the heels of the arrest and detention of Asem Darkey, the mastermind behind the missing 77 parcels of cocaine with a street value of $438.9 million, has not gone down well for the NPP folks who have realized that the mystery surrounding their aiding and abetment to cocaine deals which has dented the image of the country to the International Community is beginning to unravel.

Fast forward. Kweku Baako enters the arena with a stuck of old newspapers in his pockets just like Kwame Appiah and informs the whole world that the Daily Graphic story had already been published in May 2008 so it was no news at all, but just a reproduction or recycling of the old stuff. But Kweku Baako made a terrible mistake this time round. He fouled up big time. But this mistake did not catch the attention of many Ghanaians because this rented journalist, who calls himself Editor-in-Chief, has been dancing around words to bamboozle Ghanaians for far too long.

 Kweku Baako stated in his report that there were some similarities and mistakes in the Daily Graphic stories about Raymond Amankwah’s arrest in 2008 and 2012. He then went on to point out that in the 2008 story it was stated that Amankwah was travelling on an ordinary passport number H1878450, so why is it that the 2012 story is stating that he had a diplomatic passport numbered D1878450? This should not take any credible person one second to blink and put Kweku Baako to where he belongs.

My little brother will tell you right there that, “Wait a minute, the passport number quoted in 2008 was meant to cover the back and save Akufo-Addo, the then presidential candidate of the NPP, which is why the alphabet in front of the passport number was changed from D to H in 2008.” Did you not see that apart from the two alphabets D & H, the two passport numbers are the same? Bingo, problem solved! Why would you think that the then NPP ruling government will sit down and do nothing for it to come out that the arrested relative of its presidential candidate was holding a Ghanaian Diplomatic Passport at the time of his arrest? And come to think of it again that the diplomatic passport was issued to Amankwah by Akufo-Addo, who was then the Foreign Minister, to aid Amankwah in his drug deals. This would have been the major campaign ammunition for the NDC that would have aided them till Election Day in 2008.

Therefore, if the Daily Graphic under Ransford Tetteh’s editorship did NPP’s dirty job in 2008 to alter the passport number of jailed Raymond Amankwah to aid Akufo-Addo’s campaign, but has redeemed its dented image under the same Ransford Tetteh to get it right this time, Kweku Baako should never attempt to do the unthinkable of throwing Ghanaians off the gear. The Daily Graphic got it right this time! And Kweku Baako has seriously exposed what the NPP did in 2008 when Raymond Amankwah was arrested. They simply altered Amankwah’s passport number to shield Akufo-Addo from public outcry and scrutiny. Period!

Ghanaians will one day never forget so-called journalists like Kweku Baako who because of the comfort he enjoys by being paid by the NPP, continues to smite the face of the people of Ghana by using blatant lies to deceive the public. It is very pathetic and double standard talk to hear pitiable Kweku Baako saying that he “smells kindergarten enthusiasm" driving government communication and NDC party propaganda following remarks made by leading members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding the arrest of Sheriff Asem Darkey in the infamous MV Benjamin Missing Cocaine saga.

Kweku Baako went on to say that it is very pathetic how the government’s communication team has turned the arrest of Darkey, a totally nationalistic issue, into a propaganda piece. Propaganda Indeed! What has Kweku Baako been saying and doing since the Woyome issue broke out? Is the Woyome issue a Crusading Guide issue or also nationalistic? And if Kweku Baako thinks the missing cocaine issue should be treated as a nationalistic issue, why does he think the Woyome issue does not deserve the same kind of treatment from him and his paid masters, the NPP?

I urge the Daily Graphic to fight back and redeem its dented image. I blame the Daily Graphic for turning the newspaper into a small gallery of the NPP. As a result, any news published in the Daily Graphic these days and seen to be hitting or exposing any misdeeds by the NPP is dismissed by the NPP and its paid hatchet men. I wish the paper as a matter of redeem its sinking image from the likes of Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Kobby Asmah, Kofi Akordor and others. Next time they will not find people like me defending them.

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Twumasi Appiah Versus Akufo-Addo

Twumasi Appiah Versus Akufo-Addo

By Margaret Jackson

In his book, “The Voice of the People, Public Opinion and Democracy”, James S. Fishkin has this to say, “Ours is an era of stunted public discourse, where instant polls, 900 numbers, orchestrated petitions, and talk-show campaigning appear to have overwhelmed participatory democracy. What has become of the freely reasoned public debate and informed "consent of the governed" that, as cherished principle, we hold will produce better leaders and better public decisions? Where-or what-is the voice of the people today?”

The voice of the people to me has most of the time turn out to be the voice of God. Therefore, if something pertinent pops up in society, or for instance in a countryside, and you have multiple people adding their voices to that issue, leaders in responsible positions in those areas have risen to the occasion to address those issues to put it to bed. That is why when there was public outcry on the recent fuel price increases in Nigeria and Ghana, the governments of those countries responded positively by reversing the increases.

It is also not uncommon to see some politicians doing the right thing for their constituents by resigning from their positions when found wanting in order to save those who elected them to office from public mockery and shame. I remember US President Obama, admitting before he was elected to office, to have experimented with drugs during his youthful days. To me it rather shows strength when people admit to their youthful indiscretions, apologize, ask for forgiveness and move on or put those issues to bed. That to me shows strength rather than weakness.

There is this unending story about NPP’s Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, which I believe if not fully addressed by him and him alone, will chase him even to his grave and beyond. Even little school kids have come to know that Akufo-Addo is not clean when it comes to drug issues. Akufo-Addo is on record to have gone to the Central Region to do door-to-door campaign. In the course of the door-to-door campaign which the NPP has qualified it to a listening tour, Akufo-Addo went to a certain school and it was horrifying that when a certain little boy spotted Akufo-Addo, he blurted out “Naa Nana, Naa Cocaine.” This is how dangerous the situation has become for Akufo-Addo.

It beats the imagination of every sensible human being that Akufo-Addo has decided to remain silent, thinking that if Ghanaians get tired of saying that he is a drug abuser they would stop. Can you imagine that? There have been countless of people who have openly challenged Akufo-Addo to do three simple things to get this issue buried forever. The first is for him to deny the drug abuse by addressing his supporters openly on the issue. The second thing is for Akufo-Addo to admit it, ask Ghanaians to forgive him, promise never to dabble in drugs again, and move on with his campaign. Lastly, Ghanaians would like Akufo-Addo to submit himself to a credible clinic and asked to be tested for drug abuse. If he had done any of these three things, the drug abuse issue hanging on his head as an albatross would have long gone.

But Akufo-Addo and his so-called advisers and campaign staff have deceived him into believing that silent is golden, therefore, he does not care a hoot about what people are saying about his drug use so far as at the end of the day he may see his dream of becoming president of Ghana. What a dream!

Many prominent Ghanaians have voiced their concerns to this drug abuse issue by Akufo-Addo. Those who have openly challenged Akufo-Addo include Kofi Wayo, Dr. Tony Aidoo and a host of many others. But the response from the Akufo-Addo camp has always been the usual “I won’t say anything, I won’t mind anybody.” And the issue continues to linger on, whilst Akufo-Addo continues to limp for cover.

The latest to forcefully add his voice to this drug abuse story is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sene, Felix Twumasi Appiah (NDC) who goaded his colleague MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong (NPP, Assin North) to produce Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for a test at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to establish who between them is a wee smoker.

 Twumasi Appiah, Chairman of Parliament’s Joint Committee on Communications became angry and issued that challenge when Ken Agyapong called him a wee smoker. What Twumasi Appiah did immediately thrust the cocaine abuse issue of Akufo-Addo back to the centre of the political spectrum. And with this issue coming on the heels of the arrest of the mastermind of the still unresolved Ghana’s biggest cocaine deal with a street value of $207.9 million, the situation does not look good for Akufo-Addo. Because anytime Asem Darke’s issue is raised Akufo-Addo and the NPP will feel uncomfortable thinking somebody is out to get them. Remember the old lady feeling uncomfortable when dry bones are mentioned in conversations?

This is the more reason why Akufo-Addo should have done the most honourable thing for the NPP, his close associates, family and to large extent we the Ghanaians he is keenly looking forward to govern if we should make the mistake of electing him as the next president, by coming clean on the drug abuse issue. Akufo-Addo has stonewalled for far too long and this is not helping him today or tomorrow. And he should know that this is one issue which will continue to haunt his campaign this year.

If the NPP is foolishly thinking that they can stonewall their way to victory in 2012, then they are dead wrong. They are mistaken, because people will still push for answers from Akufo-Addo. Sometimes I blame the clergy and some church leaders in the country for some of the social ills we are seeing in the country today. I bet if President Mills has been accused of being a drug abuser, most of these prominent church leaders including Archbishop Palmer-Buckle would have condemned the act and asked Mills to step aside. Why all these church leaders have kept quiet on Akufo-Addo’s issue is understandable because most of them openly pander towards the NPP, therefore, do not see the need to question the choice of the party even if he is a junkie who can implode on Ghanaians.

It has been seven long years when the news first broke out that Akufo-Addo cannot open his eyes and talk to people without the help of “ganger”. But it has taken Akufo-Addo seven years to dribble everybody by keeping mute on the issue. It has also taken the NPP seven years to continue to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians by defending Akufo-Addo that he is clean, when in fact the very accused person has said virtually nothing about the issue. It has also taken seven long years for Ghanaians to patiently wait for Akufo-Addo to do the most honourable thing ever in his life by admitting or denying the drug abuse charge. I must inform Akufo-Addo that the patience of Ghanaians is waning. The election time is drawing close. And Ghanaians would not want to make the mistake of electing someone who may attempt to remove his clothing at a function if something should trigger his brain. Therefore, think again, Akufo-Addo, do you have the interest of Ghana at heart? Are you transformational enough to swallow your pride and do the right thing for your party and Ghanaians by addressing the drug abuse issue? We are waiting to see what you would do this time round, because your silence in this instance is indeed not golden!

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Asem Darke “Dze Asem Kese Aba”

Asem Darke “Dze Asem Kese Aba”

By Margaret Jackson

Truth, they say will not always be hidden, that is why Matthew 10:26 states “So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” Ecclesiastes 12:14 also has this to say “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Again Proverbs 10:9 amplifies it by stating “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” Finally, Mark 4:22 nail it with this “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.”

About two weeks ago, precisely on Sunday January 29, 2012, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), held an Interdenominational Prayer Service at the Essipong Sports Stadium in Sekondi to seek the face of God and His divine intervention and success in the 2012 elections. As announced, almost all the NPP gurus most of whom played various roles in plunging the country’s coffers during the NPP’s eight years in office, found themselves at the stadium praying fervently that God should bring them back to power for them to continue from where they left the country’s rape.

I was not there, but as it is the norm during church services, members of the NPP and sympathisers who thronged to the stadium may have found time to confess their sins during the church service. I do not know if any of the worshippers may have confessed to God concerning the missing 77 parcels of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin vessel which berthed at Tema on April 26, 2006. If they did or did not ask for forgiveness for the missing cocaine, God had other plans for the NPP.

Barely after the NPP men and women, had left the stadium very satisfied and confident that God is going to roll them back into victory in the 2012 elections, God in his own wisdom, brushed the lip off what the NPP had done so well to conceal from Ghanaians and in the International Community since 2006. Lo and behold, “Sherriff The Limping Man”, Asem Darke, the main mystery brain behind the missing 77 parcels of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin vessel was spotted and reported to the security agents. And before the NPP could sit and do their post mortem analysis on the Sekondi church service, Asem Darke was picked up by the security agents, immediately sending panic waves across the length and breadth of the NPP quarters.

The arrest of Asem Darke will surely be the biggest news of the decade. And to be brutally frank, Asem Darke “Dze Asem Kese Aba” (Asem Darke’s arrest has surely brought a big issue to the front and centre). Otherwise, if the NPP thinks none of its members or officials are involved in the missing cocaine, why would its General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie go on the offense by accusing the NDC of trying to change the tide by making news out of Asem Darke’s arrest?

The 77 parcels of the missing cocaine (30 kilogrammes each) totally weigh 2,310 kilos. The current street value of a kilo of cocaine is $100,000. But this largely depends on whether the cocaine is pure or mixed and also whom you know, and which part of the United States you are in. Therefore, if we want to go with a conservative value by taking the average street value of $90,000 per kilo, the 77 parcels of cocaine comes up to $207.9 Million (332.6 Million Cedis). Ladies and gentlemen, this is the whopping filthy money shared by those who shepherd the cocaine from the Tema harbour in two canoes which sailed under tight government security under the cover of darkness to the Kpone Beach, where they we eventually off-loaded into a waiting vehicle which vanished into thin air.

It would be recalled that the uproar in Ghana became so great concerning this missing cocaine. This is because the United States personally alerted Ghana before even the MV Benjamin vessel berthed at the Tema harbor. As a face saving act, ex-president Kufour hurriedly assembled a kangaroo committee headed by the current Chief Justice, Georgina Wood, to save the heads of the main players involved, but rather go after the little guys to brush the nose of Ghanaians. As a result, nothing much was achieved by Georgina Wood who was later rewarded by Kufour by being appointed the Chief Justice, after she had submitted her so-called report. I repeat nothing much was achieved as the 77 parcels of cocaine remains missing up to today, and Kufour has no shame of being the president at the time, but feels proud to talk about issues concerning other people.

The arrest of the Limping Man, which would surely open so many cans of worms in the Kufour’s administration, will also send anybody involved in the case limping for cover. Already, NPP’s loud-mouthed parliamentarian, Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, who never dreamt of becoming rich due to his illicit activities, has been fingered by the Limping Man as one of the beneficiaries of the filthy loot. Ladies and gentlemen, I can say with all authority that the Limping Man is gradually ‘limping’ his net to cover some other people in the NPP. Can you believe that apart from Kennedy Agyepong, Asem Darke has also mentioned Kan-Dapaah, Member of Parliament for Afigya Sekyere West, Chief Kufour (Son of ex-president Kufour) and Kofi Osei-Ameyaw, former MP for Asuogyaman, as being part of the network of beneficiaries of the missing cocaine? Truly “asem kese reba, frankaa si do.” As I write, the NPP is in total disarray as the party men and women do not know the kind of information the Limping Man may have divulged to the authorities.

But credible information that I have uncovered has it that the Limping Man has vowed not to go down alone. He is saying that it’s about time Ghanaians know nothing but the whole truth in the matter in order to bring it to closure. In fact he has told the authorities that he is ready to limp with anyone who benefited from the loot, damn the consequence. This cocaine saga has once again reawakened Ghanaians to the fact that the NPP as a government will never do anything against illicit drugs but will support the barons and pushers as long as they get their fair cut from the deals.

I am at this point, imploring the investigating authorities, to do thorough but fault-proof investigations into the matter. I am reliably informed that the NPP and their lawyers are pouring into the case and are bracing themselves in using some technicalities to get the case dismissed if it should be brought to court. Remember this is what the NPP has done since the NDC returned to power. All the cases sent to court have suffered under this same fate, whereby the NPP lawyers simply use some simple technicalities to get those cases against their ex-government officials dismissed without allowing the cases to be determined on their own merits and demerits.

We are pensively waiting to see the issues that would emerge from the investigations, and trust me this is not a good time for the NPP who thought they have a winning campaign message in the Woyome issue that some of its own members are deeply involved. Have you heard that finally, NPP’s Communications Director, Nana Akomea, has come out to state that some NPP members benefitted from Woyome? And O. B. Amoah, former Deputy Minister of Education, in an interview on Radio Gold stated that he cannot say that he has not benefitted from Woyome and that he had donated to his campaign fund-raiser? Wonders will always never end.

Indeed we are all grateful that, God at this appointed time is allowing whatever is hidden in the missing 77 parcels of cocaine to be disclosed, and we firmly believe that whatever is concealed in the missing cocaine would eventually be brought out into the open. I know that God does not watch over evil or allow evil to triumph over good. Every dog, to me would eventually have his/her day.

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The Real Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko

The Real Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko

By Margaret Jackson

Ghanaians are normally known to be very hospitable people. In fact this act of hospitality is even extended to peoples from other countries without consideration to religion, sex or creed. As a result, it has become a common feature for people to burst into the scenes in Ghana and overnight found acceptability in the eyes of Ghanaians. This dangerous scenario which gradually has become the norm has allowed people with shady and problematic characters and past to cash in at the expense of the dear people of this country.

Today we have multiple of those under the tree characters headlining in politics, religion and other social activities in our dear country. That is why it is not uncommon to see armed robbers, drug barons and pushers, rapists, swindlers, and many more, driving on the streets of Ghana with all the arrogance and impertinence. The danger only comes when this acceptability by Ghanaians provide these dappled people a blanket opportunity to lord themselves over people and eventually unleash irreparable pain to them. Many a time, it is only when the true colours of these reprobates eventually show, that leads people with upright minds to have serious doubts about them and question their actions and reasons for their tolerability. But it is sad to say that, the pain and anguish these out of the sun people unleash on people before being exposed leads to permanent irreparable pain.

Many Ghanaians have not forgotten about “Jesus Christ of Dzorwulu” during Rawlings’ days. This social miscreant got the nerve, and on camera, informed Ghanaians that he is the true Jesus Christ who has emerged from the heavens. And since many Ghanaians are at times gullible, some found themselves pitching camp with this horrible guy who had Rasta on his hair. And when atrocious stories began to emerge about this man, it came out that some of his followers were drinking his urine. Ghanaians became so horrified and angry that Efo Rawlings has to move in to disband the group. End of story.

In our social circles also, we have seen some people who out of the blue have emerged with wads of money. You know what I am talking about if you just heard about the arrest of Asem Darke, the wonder man behind the missing 77 parcels of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin vessel which berthed at Tema on April 26, 2006. And since people always found love with money and money givers, Ghanaians normally swell around such people to enjoy bits of their monies without even thinking about the source of that wealth.

Ghanaian politics, likewise, has also not escaped from these malefactor people who parade themselves as tin gods and walk over people as if everybody sends their plates to their houses for their daily rations. Otherwise, we would not today see the likes of Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, a reputed drug dealer, who incidentally and painfully is a lawmaker of our dear country, daily sitting on radio and television stations insulting everybody including himself, and thinking that he is the saint that God suddenly released from the heavens to judge everybody for his/her stewardship. Or we would still not see Agyepong who has been fingered by “Limping Man”, Asem Darke, as one of the beneficiaries of the missing 77 parcels of cocaine blatantly refuse to address the issue by denying the allegation, but continue to limp on the Woyome issue just to deflect attention from him.

But not to deviate from what I promised my growing readership, I will devote the rest of my thoughts on Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the one-man think-thank of the so-called Danquah Institute. By the way have you seen, read or heard anybody talking or even issuing a common statement on behalf of that discredited Danquah Institute other than Gabby?  Just check the offices of the institute at the Nyaniba Estates and you will find out that the offices have remained closed for a long time.

Gabby wants Ghanaians to believe that he has a faultless character, and that he is “The Man” who has been anointed to hold President Mills’ government to account. This is fair enough. It is his Constitutional obligation to do that. But it is equally important to note that people who portray themselves to have sterling characters and enjoins others to follow suit are equally not found wanting when they are put on the radar. I am not going to talk about Gabby who struggled with his law exams and yet wants every Ghanaian to believe that he is a top lawyer, but I am going to talk about his best known hidden secret which he has done well to keep away from Ghanaians all this while.

Do you remember that Nana Akufo-Addo, the NPP flagbearer for the 2012 elections, has been accused variously of surrounding himself with people of dubious character? Many of these unconvinced characters running errands and acting as mouth-pieces for Akufo-Addo are known to be either drug barons or pushers. But Gabby is none of those. In fact he Gabby was arrested with some friends in the United Kingdom during his youthful days when they attempted to rob a supermarket with toy guns.  Ladies and gentlemen, the Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, who has been running riot on radio and television stations in Ghana and trying to let Ghanaians believe that he is a morally upright person attempted to rob a supermarket in the United Kingdom, therefore, he is no different from the apprehended armed robbers we see on television and in the newspapers.

I am imploring Gabby to forcefully come out to deny this statement of fact I am making or shut up. I am daring him to come out so that I can release the rest of the story. The likes of Gabby who have nothing to offer Ghana are just throwing dust into the eyes of voters by trying to sell a dead horse like Akufo-Addo as a blazing chariot to Ghanaians. Ghana has come a long way and it’s about time we open our eyes and flush out these nonentities parading our streets as think-tanks.

Akufo-Addo, to me, is not a serious politician who wants the highest office of the land, because he has refused to learn and purge himself of these sheltered characters. Readers should closely look at his campaign team of 2008, and it would not be far from wrong to conclude that he is still harbouring moot people in his 2012 campaign team. Why Akufo-Addo is doing that has one simple reason. Both his 2008 and 2012 campaigns are largely funneled by drug barons who have a lot to cash in if Ghana makes the terrible mistake of electing Akufo-Addo as president in the 2012 election.

Gabby should henceforth not waste the ears of Ghanaians because he does not qualify as a competent credible person who should hold a government to account. His place in the country, to me at best, is the Nsawam Maximum Security Prisons where he would find the likes of himself languishing there. I am waiting for him to comment on this article if it should be published so that I will conclude with the rest of his shady past.

Ghana is coming a long way in her democratic development, and it’s about time we do due diligence of loud-mouthed people like Gabby to find out about their past before we put the approval of stamp on their actions in the country. If Ghana had done due diligence on would-be politicians and political commentators we would not be seeing today this mad man Kennedy Agyepong running around like a mad dog on radio and television stations.

NB: By the way does anybody know the whereabouts of Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, the 2008 Campaign Manager of Akufo-Addo? That man was alleged to have swindled Akufo-Addo of millions of funds meant for NPP foot-soldiers during the 2008 campaign. As a result, Apraku lost favour with Akufo-Addo and has since been marginalized hence his missing-in-action attitude in the 2012 campaign.

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NDC Foot-Soldiers: Your “Noko Fio” Is At Stake

NDC Foot-Soldiers: Your “Noko Fio” Is At Stake

By Margaret Jackson

Political parties throughout the world coast to victory largely through the good grassroot and campaign works of their supporters across the board. These supporters campaign non-stop by expounding on the manifestoes, visions, aspirations and campaign themes of their parties in their locals. Whilst advertisements help parties to bring their campaign messages to the living rooms, offices, market places and community outdoors of voters, it is a known fact that these die-hard supporters do most of the leg work by selling the party in their localities.

It is commendable to note that many of these supporters some of whom put their life on the line for the sake of their parties and its leadership, perform these campaign works essentially for free. To be brutally frank, after an election victory and the chips are down, only a few of these party stick-in-the-mud supporters are normally recognized and rewarded for their good works whilst majority of them are chiefly marginalized.

In Ghana these die-hard supporters who are found in every constituency are today generally referred to as party foot-soldiers. These foot-soldiers are known to troop from house to house to sell the visions of their parties to voters. But it is very important to note that foot-soldiers in Ghana generally do not have their own means of transportation and principally do the door-to-door campaigns on foot. Another issue that needs to be taken into account is that majority of these foot-soldiers are unemployed (unbiz). Therefore, I would qualify it by saying that any die-hard party supporter who campaigns fiercely by going from door-to-door on foot can be considered as a foot-soldier.

When an election is won, every party looks deep at its available human resources and fill sensitive and essential positions to get the government machinery up and running. It is however important to state that since there are limitations to available positions not many of the foot-soldiers get roped in by way of getting some jobs to do. As a result, many of these foot-soldiers tend to become angry, frustrated, disillusioned and sometimes damn the leadership of their own parties for failing to put them in gainful employment after elections. Whilst it is sad, it is very important to also drum home to these foot-soldiers that not every single one of them can be rewarded by way of employment at the expense of the majority of other citizens many of whom tend to have better skill set and experience on the job market.

The above discussion explains the dilemma and problems that has engulfed the ruling NDC government for the past three years it has been in office. Many of the NDC foot-soldiers who were in the political wilderness for eight years that the NPP was in power saw it as a golden opportunity to lay their eggs when the NDC came to power in 2009. But their hopes of making it in terms of landing their dream jobs seems to have been dashed as most of them continue to be in the same situation they were in four years ago. As a result, it has become a common feature for the NDC foot-soldiers to channel their frustrations and anger at their party’s leadership on air anytime they found the opportunity.

Whilst it is good for the foot-soldiers to let the NDC leadership to know their predicaments so that something could be done to improve their lot, sometimes they resort to some unorthodox means which leaves much to be desired. But there is one principal thing that I would like to pulsate home to all the NDC foot-soldiers. It is extremely important that they note what I am going to say and take it to the bank because it is something that would help them to think deeply and make the right choices and judgments during the 2012 elections.

When the NDC lost power in 2000 and stayed in opposition for eight long years, the party’s foot-soldiers found themselves in pathetic situations. Whilst their spirits were conked out and crestfallen, they had virtually no one to turn to or anywhere to go. In fact, majority of the foot-soldiers could not even go to the leaders of the NDC to discuss their problems. Such was the situation when the NDC was fallowing in the political wilderness during that eight years. 

But today the tide has changed. The foot-soldiers can walk to the party’s offices and to their MP’s and Ministers to talk about issues confronting them. Even though most of their issues remain unresolved, the good thing is that when these foot-soldiers are leaving the offices and houses of these party officials, they are at least given something small (Noko Fio) for transport. That is the spirit! That is something the NDC foot-soldiers cannot afford to lose if they let their nets down and allow the NPP to win the 2012 elections. Even though the “Noko Fio” is nothing compared to being gainfully employed, it at least better than nothing. Therefore, anytime the NDC foot-soldiers remember their Zion Days (8 years in opposition), where they sat down and wept bitterly, they should know that if they make the mistake and stop campaigning and allow the NPP to come back to power, they would be doomed forever. Even the “Noko Fio” they get today shall be taken away from them. Period!

The 2012 elections is going to realign and redesign the political landscape of Ghana. Any of the two major political parties (NDC & NPP) that would lose the elections, is bound to suffer untold consequences. I am even predicting that any losing major party is bound to suffer a breakup since whoever wins the 2012 elections will try its best to consolidate its hold onto power by rolling out credible development programmes to win the hearts and minds of Ghanaians in the coming years.

As a result, if there is any time that the NDC foot-soldiers have to think twice, stop the in-fighting and bickering and look beyond what they did not get out of the 2008 sweat, and move into full gear by whipping up the enthusiasm of their members and campaign relentlessly to ensure victory, it is now. Tomorrow might be too late. Everything is on the line. The “Noko Fio” even will not be spared. And if the NDC foot-soldiers hear their NPP counterparts charging that they must win the 2012 elections at all cost, this should be enough signal to whip them up and bring them together for the major work ahead.

The 2012 elections is not going to be a cake walk for any party. The elections have to be won through real sweat on the campaign trail. The NDC foot-soldiers have to sell their party by highlighting its achievements. They know what the NDC government has done in every locality, therefore it behooves on them to let the voters know. This is their duty. This is their job. They should talk about the construction of roads that have opened up commerce and business. They should highlight on the classroom blocks that have sprinted up in all the regions removing schools under trees. They should not forget to talk about the construction of storm drains that have stopped people from carrying their property on their heads anytime there was a downpour, the low inflation rate being enjoyed by Ghana for the first time in decades. They should also highlight on the economic strides that has made Ghana one of the fastest growing economies in the world. And of course they should also talk about the reduction of armed robbery which was very rampant during the Kufour regime, and the fact that the NDC has not abandoned any project initiated by the Kufour administration. They should draw sharp distinctions between Kufour’s first four years in office and that of President Mills. They should let voters know that the “Better Ghana Agenda” is on course and up and kicking.

The NDC cannot afford to let internal infighting to sway it away from its message. The NDC’s internal in-fighting has been going on for far too long and it’s not helping anybody. The party’s dirty linen is all over the place. With the parliamentary primaries over, the NDC need to come together because the big umbrella is far bigger and stronger than any one single individual in the party. The 2012 elections is not just about winning. It is more than that. The NDC foot-soldiers must know that the election is not about them alone. It is for the better future of the country. It is also for the better future of their children and children’s children.

magjackson80@yahoo.com

President Mills’ Decisiveness And Honesty At Play

President Mills’ Decisiveness And Honesty At Play

By Margaret Jackson

President Mills will go down in history as the most vilified president ever to walk the face of Ghana, but he will also go down as the only known president who never lost his cool but looked beyond the insults and jeers of the opposition to continue with his “Better Ghana Agenda” that he promised to fulfil to Ghanaians. Sometimes I am tempted to compare President Mills to former US President Bill Clinton, who did so much for the Americans in terms of far-sighted economic strides, yet even today is still maligned by the Republicans or the Grand Old Party (GOP). Can you imagine that last year when it failed to rain on “Good Friday”, New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, went on air and lambasted President Mills for being the cause?

You may not be in the same camp or political party with someone or like his/her guts, but when the person does something good, you have to give him/her the thumbs up. Politics in Ghana seems to have degenerated into so much pettiness that the members of the NPP have vowed never to acknowledge anything good that President Mills has done or continues to do. It’s big pity. And this attitude is being fomented by the NPP leadership who believes that by damning anything that President Mills has done will turn the scales in their favour and return them back to power in 2013.

When the current Woyome saga broke out, the NPP leadership and members went bananas and presented the facts as if President Mills has a hand in the whole issue and that he may even have directed the illegal monies to be paid to businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome. Even former President, John Agyekum Kufour, the man known to have presided over an unprecedented corruption in Ghana’s history during his eight years in office, also suddenly found his voice and behaving as an ethical crusader who holds our dear country at heart, added his voice that the Woyome issue must be investigated as a matter of urgency and the culprits brought to book. But being the honest man as he is, and caring so much for the country, President Mills, directed the country’s Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the matter to let the whole world know the truth in other to put the matter to rest.

The EOCO headed by Mr. Mortey Akpadzi, went into action to unravel the mystery surrounding the whole Woyome issue. What the EOCO did, which makes sense even to the ordinary man on the street, was to invite all the key players to help the organization to know the truth concerning the whole matter. But the NPP, the so-called pillars of democracy, the self-appointed brains behind the rule of law, the ostensible protectors of our Constitution, and the loud-mouthed champions of the independence of the judiciary who have shouted over the roof-top on this issue since last year, kicked against the investigation being conducted by the EOCO.

In fact the entire leadership of the NPP went on air and lambasted the EOCO as being an inferior organization to do the investigations and urged its members cited in the controversy to refuse to attend any invite by the EOCO. And to add insult to injury, former President Kufour, who before the directive by President Mills to the EOCO to investigate the issue had been jumping from one radio station to another calling for an immediate examination into the matter, suddenly chickened out and also urged the NPP members not to honour any invitation from the EOCO.

This attitude by Kufour and the NPP did not go down well to many Ghanaians including Dr. Tony Aidoo, the Head of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Unit at the Presidency. He kicked Kufour around by describing him as the most lawless, unprincipled and corrupt human being ever to be born on this planet. The Founder and Leader of the United Renaissance Party, Mr. Kofi Wayo, also expressed his utmost displeasure on why the NPP, which wants to rule Ghana and apply the law to the letter, is blatantly flouting the same laws that governs the country with its refusal to allow its members to appear before the EOCO. Kofi Wayo, went on to state that no one in Ghana is above the law, and the NPP is not an exception, and that the NPP is setting a bad example with its refusal to cooperate with the EOCO.

In spite of the refusal of the NPP members, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, former Sports Minister and Dr. Kofi Amoah, a former Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the 2008 Nations Cup, to appear before the EOCO, the organization was not perturbed and went into action and finished its work. Last week, the EOCO presented its interim report to President Mills, and the shameless double standards that has been exhibited by the NPP was in full force. Members of the NPP who have condemned the EOCO as a substandard organization to conduct the investigation into the Woyome issue, suddenly pounced on the EOCO report making various quotes from the report on air. In fact they poured on the report citing areas that seem favourable to the NPP. I was totally flabbergasted and wondered if members of the NPP are indeed serious minded people that Ghanaians ever have to engage to govern the country. In one instant the EOCO is a mediocre organization, and in another moment its report is good to be quoted by the NPP. Heaven help Ghanaians if we ever make the terrible mistake of bringing this looting brigade back to power.

The 16-page EOCO report indicted Woyome of making false representation by stating that he had a contract with the government of Ghana regarding the construction of sports stadia for CAN 2008 but that the contract had been abrogated unlawfully. Woyome is alleged to have subsequently filed a writ at the High Court, claiming he was owed GH¢41 million and interest of GH¢10.2 million, bringing the total amount owed him to GH¢51.2 million. According to the EOCO report, this led to the unlawful payments of GH¢17.9 million on February 2010, GH¢10 million on January 27, 2011, GH¢10 million on April 18, 2011 and GH¢14.1 million on September 12, 2011 to Woyome.

The report also gave details of the roles played by Mr. Osafo-Maafo, Mr. Joe Ghartey, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Dr. Kofi Amoah, Mr. Osei Bonsu Amoah and Mr. Rex Danquah, who were ministers and officials in the Kufour’s administration. The rest were, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Paul Asimenu, Director, Legal Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, Chief State Attorney in Charge of the case at the Attorney Generals Department, whose wife according to the report was paid 400,000 Ghana Cedis on June 16, 2011 by Woyome.

As decisive as he is, President Mills after receiving the report went into full gear and ordered the arrest of Woyome and any other persons implicated in the matter. He did that to serve notice that he is there to jealously guard the coffers of the country. But when the NPP gang saw the fire burning closer to their corridors, they again went into full gear claiming the innocence of their members indicted in the report. The most disgraceful and uncouth person ever to become a general secretary of a major political party in the country, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, came out swinging. Please hear Afriyie in his own words in an interview with Joy News, “Well we don’t expect anybody to run away if there is complicity in this matter, but the truth is that they cannot pretend to be roping in members of the New Patriotic Party in order to help them clean the image

of Mills.” Whose image is Afriyie talking about? Is Mills the one who received that unlawful judgment payment or was he the one who ordered the payment to be made?

 
Please hear Afriyie ramble on, “We are not afraid; we have nothing to hide whatsoever. The truth is that if you look at EOCO’s report which was presented yesterday (Thursday), it doesn’t make sense, it does not add up. For instance where it says that Woyome had no contract with the people of this country, it presupposes that during the NPP time he was not given any contract whatsoever. The Attorney General knows about that, Betty Mould knows about that and EOCO has come to also re-echo the same position and therefore to go and arrest Yaw Osafo-Maafo and others because they were then in the previous administration during whose term all these things surfaced, Osafo-Maafo wouldn’t have done anything wrong because EOCO itself says that Woyome had no contract so on what basis are you going to arrest Osafo-Maafo?”

And not to be undone is this open shameful attitude, the NPP Chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, issued a statement rejecting the interim report by EOCO saying, the investigation was only meant to be “simply a smoke screen, charade, and a calculated attempt to cover up the involvement of the President, some of his ministers and other government officials in this sordid affair.” Oh please, get real Jake. Nothing you say can soil President Mills. At least unlike you Ghanaians know President Mills as not a thief.

The only person who stands out from the NPP pack is MP for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong, who has stated categorically that the Woyome issue should not be politicized. Mr Agyapong who said Ghana comes first in everything, noted that he would not care if anybody from the NPP is arrested and detained in connection with the scandal, further explaining that he would not be bothered by what people from his party would say about him. This is what we call patriotism. Ghana comes first! Period! The NPP gang should go and look for a dictionary and find the meaning of the word Patriot, otherwise no one would take them serious in the Ghanaian political landscape. They claim to be Patriots, but I guess what they mean is Patriots In Lining Their Pockets.

My simple question is, why is Jake and Afriyie fretting and shaking in their panties? Why are they rambling nonsense and not making sense? Why are they trying to put the cart before the horse? I mean why is it that these so-called members of the rule of law gang do not want to allow the laws of the land to take its rightful course. Why is the NPP all over the place saying it is good to arrest some of the indicted people in the Woyome case but equally nonsense to arrest the indicted NPP members? Are they eating their cake and at the same time trying to have it? Are they attempting to have it both ways? When the report was presented last week to President Mills, the NPP crew were all for it. Now when they realized the imminent arrest of some of their members, suddenly they are all against it. Ghanaians are watching you, NPP!

This singular act by President Mills has proven to Ghanaians about his honesty and decisiveness. For Mills to kick out his Attorney General and also gotten rid of his Education Minister all in the supreme interest of the country speak volumes. This is something that Kufour never did in his entire eight years in office. Do you remember Kufour who under pressure to investigate corrupt officials in his government bluntly stated that corruption has been with man since Adam; therefore, suggesting that corruption in his government was no big deal? During Kufour’s eight years in office, not a single week passed without Ghanaians hearing about corrupt practices in his administration. Yet, Kufour adopted a “see no evil, hear no evil” attitude, and therefore allowed corruption to fester in every facet of his administration. This is a man who told Ghanaians in the face that he came to politics to make money but not to sacrifice or serve.

Ghanaians have not forgotten Kufour’s adopted famous mantra, “If you have evidence about corruption in my administration, just go to the police with the evidence.” Even when some New Patriotic Party (NPP) gurus including NPP’s former National Chairman, Haruna Esseku, came out to accuse Kufour of accepting kickbacks at the seat of government, Osu Castle, these accusations did not shake the former president one bit. Kufour simply followed the money trail wherever he smelled it.

Dr. Richard Anane, former Transport Minister in the Kufour’s administration, was accused of corruption stemming from the transfer of huge sums of money to his American mistress, Alexanderia O'Brien, with whom he had a child during his days at the Health Ministry. As a Health Minister attending an AIDS conference at the time in the United States, Anane had an unprotected sex with O'Brien and the result was the illegitimate child with the lady. Anane supposedly stepped aside from the Transport Ministry to defend himself in the case brought against him by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). But it is on record that his supposed stepping aside was a ploy by Kufour and Anane to deceive Ghanaians. The fact is whilst Anane had told the whole world that he had stepped aside, he was indeed running the Transport Ministry from the confines of his home. And he did that until he “won” the  case, got re-nominated by Kufour and returned to the ministry. Wonders, they say shall never end.

Every stewardship demands accountability, therefore, we should be conscious about the kind of world our children will inherit from us because every good person leaves a good legacy. If you steal from the country and leaves the money behind for your children, do not think you are doing them any good. In fact by being a thief, you make your children an extension of your diabolical act if you leave some of the money for them to enjoy.

If there are any fruitful lessons for Kufour and the NPP to learn from the character trait of President Mills, it is now. This man has nothing to hide, therefore, he walks with his head higher up. Can Kufour do the same? I bet never. I believe President Mills will make every effort to help the country to recover all the monies paid to Woyome. This is what we call leadership. I can qualify it as decisive leadership and honesty at its best. This is what the country needs. We do not need people to come on board and rape the country and pretend as if it is okay to do that.

In spite of soiling his reputation and character with corrupt activities whilst in office, Kufour and his cronies are walking free on the streets of Ghana today. And to add insult to injury, Kufour with all the swagger he commands, continues to claim that if he or any of his appointees are corrupt, how come none of them is languishing in jail since he left office. My simple reply is: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children but a sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22). Kufour should never ever think that if he indeed used his God-given brains to defraud Ghana whilst in office he will ever go scot-free. If Ghana is unable to make him account for his stewardship, God will. Kufour will one day be made to account for his misdeeds before the judgment throne of God. Mr. John Agyekum Kufour should therefore ponder over this whenever he lays his head on a pillow.

magjackson80@yahoo.com

Re: Akufo-Addo Is The Transformational Leader Ghana Needs

Re: Akufo-Addo Is The Transformational Leader Ghana Needs

By Margaret Jackson

There are some people who have vowed never to change or seek the truth, therefore, when events even do not seem favourable to them, they try to turn the scales in their favour either by force or foul means. With such people, when it is very expedient to them they would either try to make a dead horse look like a sizzling chariot or portray a junkie as a role model. The danger, therefore, emerges when the things such people say or write about go unchallenged leading the public to consume any garbage that they churn out.

Transformational leaders are known as people who are excellent role models who inspire their followers with their unimpeachable moral character. Such people in addition to enhancing the motivation, morale and performance of their followers, also go to greater heights to connect to the sense of identity of their adherents and challenge them to take superior ownership for their work, whilst understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Transformational leaders can be charismatic, but they are normally not cast in the mould of pure charismatic leaders.

Even though transformational leaders have some pluses, they also have some caveats or baggage that follows them. It is true that transformational leaders have loads of passion and confidence, but often times this passion and self confidence that transformational leaders trumpet can be erroneous for reality and truth. You would understand me better if you know who in Ghana exudes this over confidence traits and tries to deceive people into believing that if Ghana makes him the next president, he would turn the country into paradise overnight.

There are some transformational leaders who have enthusiastically led their people to achieve great things, but it is equally important to note that some of them have also led their people right over the abyss with their dismal performances after their followers have sold their trust in them. Ladies and gentlemen, because somebody believes he/she is right about something, does not mean they are right. Just because somebody says he believes in Ghana does not mean he is speaking the truth. Just because somebody says he has a can-do attitude does not mean he actually has it.

An unemployed Polish electrician, Lech Walesa, who eventually became President of Poland, is regarded as one of the greatest transformational leaders of our time. This man unleashed a terrible blow to the former Soviet communism when a successful strike he led at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk led to the birth of the Solidarity trade union which went on to play a major role in the demise of communism across the Soviet bloc, changing the course of history in Europe forever.

Walesa who was very passionate in his belief that communism was a bad thing and must therefore be uprooted, won the Nobel peace prize in 1983, and also met Pope John Paul that same year for talks that received international headlines. Walesa and his Solidarity union which was backed by international governments of Britain and the United States put so much pressure on the then Polish government that it adopted sweeping political and economic reforms which led to its first free elections in June 1989, which the Solidarity won majority seats in parliament. Walesa eventually ran and won the newly re-established office of President of Poland in 1990 and presided over the transformation from communism to the market economy.

I would like readers to take just a little note. Walesa did not wait until he became President of Poland before putting his vision in scope. This electrician with little formal education, seized upon the moment of the day to do something for his people. It is therefore, important to point out that anybody who aspires for the higher office of the land must perform exceedingly well in the little areas they find themselves, in order to use that performance as a benchmark for higher office.

Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the man with the best hidden dark secret which when unleashed to the Ghanaian public can sink and reduce him to a common robber, wrote an article expounding the credentials of Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP’s flagbearer for the 2012 elections. Read what Gabby wrote: “I have been tracking Akufo-Addo’s leadership path over the last 35 years and from a proximate vantage point over the last 10 years. What jumps at any such observer are his unwavering, principled patriotism and an incurable conviction that Ghana can and must achieve much more than what it hitherto has managed.”

Very well said. Principled patriotism is a good lingo to describe Akufo-Addo if only it was a true statement. But I would like to ask Gabby who I would personally take on and expose to Ghanaians on what he did during his youthful days in the UK, that is it patriotism for Akufo-Addo, whose party is the patriotic party, to fail to prosecute three ladies of his party who were arrested under his watch whilst attempting to smuggle narcotics out of the country? Gabby, is it a principled act for Akufo-Addo to sit down for the docket on these three NPP criminals to vanish into thin air under his watch? I would like to find out if Akufo-Addo has decided to wait until he becomes president before prosecuting these three NPP women? Gabby, since you have known Akufo-Addo for well over 35 years as a principled patriot, can you provide Ghanaians with an answer?

Now hear Gabby again, writing about his relative, Akufo-Addo. “His belief in Ghana has proven true for 35 years. Whether in fighting against dictatorship, or defending the rights of the Ghanaian in court, or organising his party or promoting Ghana’s interest abroad.” Has Akufo-Addo been defending the Ghanaian in court? What was his position in the country when 44 Ghanaians were butchered in the Gambia? He was the Foreign Minister when these Ghanaians were killed in cold blood. But what did Akufo-Addo do? Nothing. He looked the other way until the NDC government came to power and pursued the matter leading to the compensation of $500,000 to the families of the affected victims.

Gabby also talked about Akufo-Addo promoting the interest of Ghana abroad. I would have loved to hear him elaborate on that because when the chips settle down you will rather find out that Akufo-Addo indeed tarnished the image of Ghana to the international community when he was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. When the NPP member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, Eric Amoateng was arrested in the United States on drug charges, was Akufo-Addo not part of the NPP gang who initiated a bill in parliament that would have enabled Ghanaians in foreign prisons to be repatriated home to serve their sentences in Ghana? Was the bill not a face saving act for Amoateng who was reputed to be one of the financiers of the NPP? Whose interest was Akufo-Addo seeking, Ghana or Amoateng? You be the judge.

Talk, they say is cheap, therefore, you can never equate free speech to real actions on the ground. Gabby quoted some speeches given by Akufo-Addo as evidence of his hunger for the transformation of Ghana. I pity Gabby, because when Akufo-Addo headed the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs what transformation did he bring to those ministries. If I were Gabby I would have gone to those ministries to find out the good things Akufo-Addo did when he headed those places instead of using mere speeches to promote his man.

I was appalled when Gabby again wrote this: “Nana Addo stands out as one African leader who, soaked in the full sense of our history and driven by a strong vision of what we are capable of, has his finger on the pause of the situation and solution. His hunger for transformation is inspiringly phenomenal.” What has Akufo-Addo so accomplished in Ghana for him to be regarded as an African leader? Does Gabby know who qualifies to be an African leader?  Even on the shores of Ghana Akufo-Addo’s accomplishments come short. If Gabby thinks being a part of demonstrations to protest against injustices makes Akufo-Addo an African leader, then he is dead wrong.  African leadership is not born out of mere “Two boi”.

Gabby in that quote also stated that Akufo-Addo has his finger on the pause of the situation and solution. Haba, is Akufo-Addo God? If indeed this man has his finger on the pause of the situation and solution to Ghana’s problems, NPP would never have gone into opposition. I strongly believe Akufo-Addo would have assisted Kufour with that so-called gift to transform Ghana.

I would like Gabby to note this carefully; transformational leaders who have emerged in the world are normally not violent people. They do not urge people to spill their blood in order to see them in power. They do not urge their followers to use every means available to see them achieve their dreams. They do not incite the public to adopt chaotic tendencies as Akufo-Addo has been doing. A good transformational leader would never go to the Volta Region and accuse them of voting one way. Transformational leaders rally people around them, assist them to overcome their weaknesses whilst helping them to build on their strengths.

Next time if Gabby wants to talk about Akufo-Addo he should highlight his achievements rather than speeches because speeches alone do not make somebody transformational. Ghana needs leaders who will come on board, be on top of issues and assist communities to develop. When we talk about transformation, it means bringing water to communities that have none. It means constructing roads to open up the country to commerce and industry. It also means bringing electricity to the rural areas and also constructing drains and gutters to curtail the situation where any downpour brings untold misery to many communities.

Is Gabby aware of what massive transformation Ghana is going to get from the $3 Billion Chinese loan to finance agreed Infrastructure Development Projects under the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda? The loan would be used for the development of the oil/gas pipeline and processing plant, Takoradi harbor and Volta basin/ coastal landing sites, Accra Plains Irrigation, and Takoradi to Kumasi railway line. This is what we call bringing transformation to the doorstep of the ordinary man, because many unemployed people would get gainful employment through the disbursement of the loan facility.

Therefore, to take Gabby back to the classroom, I would like him to note that transformation has nothing to do with going round and promising the moon to Ghanaians when you do not elaborate on where you are going to get the money from. It also has nothing to do with telling Ghanaians that you are the only one with the magic wand to turn the country into paradise when your numbers do not add up and you have never excelled in any portfolio you have held in the country. Yes, it has nothing to do with doing “big talk” when you know that you do not have the capability to transform the country but only want the presidency to boost your ego and credentials. Finally, I want to tell Gabby that Ghanaians are wide awake and can therefore easily separate the wheat from the chaff.

magjackson80@yahoo.com