tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40672223407859167332024-03-13T07:05:53.719-07:00MBokor: Mincing No WordMichael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.comBlogger953125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-80837458002922385442015-08-21T22:56:00.005-07:002015-08-21T22:56:26.938-07:00The NPP’s “concert party” shows and the voters register of Togo<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday,
August 21, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, you must have heard of the
latest in the NPP’s package of electoral laughables that has pushed its
“Concert Party” shows to the most bizarre level. It clearly has taken the shows
beyond the ridiculous to the absurd and contemptible point. Here is the
substance:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“New
Patriotic Party's (NPP) 2016 Vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
has revealed that a team commissioned by the party to go into Ghana’s voter
register has identified 76,286 persons with the same data in both Ghana and
Togo’s voter register.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr.
Bawumia, speaking at a widely publicized press conference in Accra on Tuesday,
said the party’s team identified this suspected anomaly after comparing Ghana’s
register with that of Togo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">These
persons, he said, were mostly found in the Volta region with Ketu South cited
as one of the constituencies where the anomalies are abound.” (See <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Bawumia-uncovers-76-000-Togolese-in-Ghana-s-voter-roll-375993">http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Bawumia-uncovers-76-000-Togolese-in-Ghana-s-voter-roll-375993</a>).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consequently, t<span style="background: white; color: #262626;">he NPP on Tuesday petitioned the Electoral
Commission:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">To compile a new voters register by June 2016
and Ghanaians a new Permanent Voters Card (PVC) as was done in Nigeria.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">To grant a period of two weeks for the
registration to be carried out simultaneously across the country.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">To ensure that the new compiled voters register
is edited by internationally reputed audit firms and all political parties
given copies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">They
also claimed that “Ghanaians have lost trust in the register hence must be
scrapped and a new one compiled.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the vitriolic reaction to
the NPP’s so-called “discovery” in the voters register suggests to me that Dr.
Bawumia and his team are not sure how to do politics to win Election 2016. Some
have questioned the methodology used for that comparison of voters registers of
Ghana and Togo as well as the rationale behind using Togo for this Don Quixotic
exercise in futility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly, the NPP’s motives are
being interpreted as an insult to the people of the Volta Region, which will
change the dynamics for it altogether just as Victor Owusu’s impolitic
devaluing of the Ewes as “inward-looking people” has done to that political
front all these years. Some are even unhappy that the Brong-Ahafo Region has
also been lumped together in this voters register claim by the NPP, indicating
disrespect for that area too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want to support the claim
that Dr. Bawumia’s pronouncements or showcasing of the NPP’s “discovery” is a
direct insult to the people of the Volta Region, particularly. After all,
whatever record informed the NPP’s claim has no direct bearing on the
Voltarians because they didn’t compile the Ghanaian voters register to warrant
their being angered. But if a deeper meaning is read into the NPP’s “discovery”
to suggest that those in the Volta Region aren’t Ghanaians, then, something new
could emerge to foment trouble. I want to leave this aspect as it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some questions arise from the
scope and intents and purposes of the NPP’s comparative analysis of the voters
registers of Ghana and Togo. We know that Ghana is bounded by Burkina Faso and
Cote d’Ivoire as well. Why didn’t the NPP team do anything about those
countries’ voters registers for us to see the overall picture? Why did it
cherry-pick to create the impression that the Volta Region is a fertile ground
for irregularities in the voters register? That is where the issue lies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, we note that on the basis
of the NPP’s self-interested agenda, its flagbearer, Akufo-Addo, has stated
that “Whatever (in electoral terms) is good for Togo must be good for Ghana
too,” in reference to President Mahama’s observations about the compilation of
a new voters register before the Togolese elections last year. His claim here
can be interpreted to mean that President Mahama must do all he can to ensure
that Ghana’s Electoral Commission also prepares a new voters register. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is where Akufo-Addo exposes
his lazy thinking. The mandate regarding the voters register is for the EC, not
President Mahama. What can President Mahama do as Akufo-Addo is demanding? To
put pressure on the EC to listen to the NPP and do its bidding? How?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, we note that the EC has
already dismissed calls for it to compile a new voters register, claiming that
what it has in stock is fit for general elections in Ghana. Of course, the EC
will definitely re-open registration of duly qualified voters and clean up the
register, based on information regarding death, etc. of currently registered
voters; but it has stated categorically that it won’t embark on any exercise to
compile a new voters register.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, what will the NPP do in
consequence? Proceed to court to demand that the Judiciary listen to its cry
and force the EC to do its bidding? Boycott the 2016 general elections? Or do what
more?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No matter how hoarsely Dr.
Bawumia and his NPP cabal shout, the die is already cast. The EC won’t budge;
neither will the President overstep bounds to put undue pressure on the EC. The
NDC has already made it clear that the NPP’s failure to win political power
does not stem from any flawed voters register and that it doesn’t see the need
for any new voters register.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From what has t6ranspired so far,
I can still maintain that the NPP camp is confused and unsure of how to move
forward with its campaign efforts. Having done everything possible only to lose
Elections 2008 and 2012, the NPP leaders and followers appear exhausted
mentally and politically and cannot add any new value to themselves to warrant
their being voted into office. They are still stuck on their sterile rogue and
book politics to the point of political suicide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By fingering the Volta Region as
the hub of irregularities in the voters register, the NPP has cut deep into its
own political foot and will bleed therefrom. There are already opinions
circulating to that effect all over the place. What do these NPP people have to
prove that those “Togolese” that they discovered on Ghana’s voters register
voted for the NDC at the previous elections or will do so in the next one?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been saying all along that
Akufo-Addo and his followers don’t know how to do productive politics and will
use every straw in their way to drown all the more in the turbulent Ghanaian
political waters instead of surviving. With all the challenges facing the
Mahama-led administration seemingly preparing favourable grounds for them to
hit on issues in their electioneering campaign efforts, they are so
short-sighted and mischievous as to turn to the irrelevant. Winning the hearts
of voters shouldn’t be so difficult for them, but it is because they don’t know
how to do productive politics. They are undercutting themselves and creating
the impression that the electoral process is skewed against them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Elections are not won on
technicalities but on the reality of votes cast and accepted as valid.
Interestingly, the NPP didn’t make any substance out of a flawed voters
register when it petitioned against the outcome of Election 2012. It didn’t
include anything Togolese voters participating in the process to give the NDC
an advantage. It based that useless petition on irregularities (particularly
pink sheets not6 being endorsed by Presiding Officers, etc.). So, what is the
value of this “discovery” by Dr. Bawumia and his team? And how will this issue
change the dynamics for the NPP to win Election 2016?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am all the more intrigued by
Dr. Bawumia’s fixation on NUMBERS. He has been bombarding public discourse with
figures (quoted in his claims about the Ghanaian economy, and many other
areas), which haven’t fetched any political capital to date. Of course, he
claims to be an economist to whom NUMBERS matter; but in politics, NUMBERS
matter as well, especially when they tend toward ADDITION and not SUBSTRACTION.
What I mean here is that when a political party adds votes to its haul, it
profits. And adding votes means not angering and alienating specific segments
of the voter population. Unfortunately, the NPP is doing so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am waiting for the next in the
series of the “Concert Party” shows and hope that I will wake up one of these
days to be told by Dr. Bawumia and his team that they have discovered the names
of mermaids (Maame Water and Papa Water) from the Gulf of Guinea and the
Atlantic Ocean in Ghana’s voters register. This kind of rogue politics won’t
put them in office in my lifetime. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-69818812310525107702015-08-21T22:55:00.005-07:002015-08-21T22:55:37.224-07:00Instead of going after Stan Dogbe…..<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday,
August 15, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, one sticky point in the
agitations by members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is the publishing
of the document containing their demands. Accusing fingers have been pointed at
Stan Dogbe, a member of the Presidential Staff, as the “culprit”. He has been condemned
as the one who “unscrupulously” published the document on his Facebook page to
the chagrin of the GMA; and some are even calling for his dismissal from
office. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Offinsohene, Nana Wiafe
Akenten II, was very loud in condemning Stan, accusing him of impropriety while
members of the GMA (especially the President and Secretary) insisted that
publishing that document ran counter to the understanding between the GMA and
the government to keep the “proposals” close to their chests. Their main beef
is that by this disclosure, Stan has embarrassed all and created a bad public
image for the GMA.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some political opponents have
even gone to the needless extent of claiming that the release of the GMA’s
document indicated that state secrets were at risk of being disclosed by those
in charge of affairs. They have been quick to blame the government for doing
what will endanger state secrets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I strongly disagree with all
these critics or whatever one wants to call them because they have it all
wrong. Beyond that, I highly commend Stan Dogbe—if, indeed, he was responsible
for publicizing the doctors’ demands as contained in that document. By this
singular act, he has helped us know a lot to facilitate public discourse. He
deserves much appreciation; and wherever I meet him, I will give him a huge
bear-hug. So should all others benefiting from the published document do!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After all, such a document has
nothing secret about it to warrant its being hidden from the public. It is a
document that should have been made available for public scrutiny long ago so
the tax payers can be informed. What Stan did fits squarely into the ambit of
the Right to Information Act, which our Parliament is incapable of enacting. By
his bold move alone, he has opened the floodgates for us to gather as much
information about the doctors’ demands as we need to know what is at stake. And
once we know what is at stake, we can easily write these striking doctors off
as pesky bugs to be squashed in public discourse. That is what irks the GMA and
its faceless backers seeking political capital out of the impasse. Shameless
opportunists!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something is seriously wrong with
them. Why don’t they think that it is important and good for the public to know
the doctors’ demands? Why do they think that the document should remain
“esoteric” when the reality of the situation says otherwise? Why the secrecy? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And they don’t even know how to
go about doing things. There is nothing about the doctors’ demands that
qualifies as a “state secret” to be kept under wraps and known to only those
with the need to know. Neither should anybody blame Stan for acting boldly;
that is if he, indeed, was the one who published the document. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All those doing government
business and are sworn into office know that their conduct is guided by the
State Secrets Act (Act 101), which enjoins them to keep their mouths shut over
matters bordering on state secrets and security. They know the severe
punishment that awaits any of them who shoots his/her mouth anyhow to expose such
secrets. Even when sworn out of office or dismissed, they dare not say what
they shouldn’t. They dare not even carry along with them any document
containing any state secret. They know where the line is drawn and dare not
overstep bounds. Only ignorant people say anything about “state secrets”. I
urge them to lay hands on Act 101 to read!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The demands made by the GMA
(whether portrayed as proposals to the government or not) are not part of state
secrets. They are issues not to be hidden from the public because they have
dire consequences for the national purse; and the tax payers must know what
they entail. That is why it is heart-warming for them to be revealed as such.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anybody claiming that the
document containing those demands was meant for only the government must be
joking. It is meant to be placed in the public domain for the tax payers to
know how their tax money is to be spent, supporting the lifestyle of the doctors.
Placing that document in the public domain for analysis is a good service to
the country and its people for which whoever made it available must be
commended and not condemned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All other documents of this sort
for any institution or professional group in the public sector must also be
published for the citizens to know what is at stake. After all, the kind of
“aura” or secrecy that some think must surround such issues won’t help us
improve our democracy for as long as the tax payers remain ignorant of how
their money is spent. Now that we know what the doctors are looking for, we
will keep monitoring the situation till the dust settles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In any case, their demands have
already been dismissed as “outrageous” and President Mahama has dug in to
insist that his government won’t spend money not budgeted for. He has also
reinforced his “dead goat” metaphor by saying that he won’t budge, even if it
will negatively affect his political standing. He won’t sacrifice the national
purse for political expediency. Excellent resolve!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next move to make is to
ensure that all that is already being enjoyed by the doctors (and other
professionals) which they don’t pay for is withdrawn. I have in mind
accommodation. If the doctors (and other professionals asking for more without
raising productivity) currently enjoy rent-free accommodation, they should be
made to pay rent at the existing commercial rate for them to feel the pinch
that other workers endure. They must not be pampered at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is why the government’s
counter-proposal to pare down the doctors’ demand for 100 gallons of petrol
every month is ridiculous. It must not give any free petrol to any of them.
They must buy their own fuel from their earnings so they will learn how to
manage their lives. The days of Father Christmas are long gone and the doctors
must be told the bare truth and charged to respect it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many other areas to
consider, and I urge the government to do all in its power to enunciate
policies to change the paradigm. Unless it does so, the problems caused by the
doctors can’t be solved; and the situation regarding other professionals in
other sectors on strike or threatening to go on strike must also be scrutinized
and re-appraised for the necessary remedial measures to be taken so no one abuses
the system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the final analysis, revealing
anything about their agitations and demands—as has been done with the
publishing of the GMA’s demands—should be encouraged. In this particular case
of the GMA, whoever released the document needs our support to improve
performance. It is not the revelation of this document that should embarrass
the GMA members; it is their own miscalculations that should. And now that they
are losing traction, they had better rethink so they can cross the Rubicon with
less agony.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<br /></div>
Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-39809666204096701462015-08-06T11:43:00.001-07:002015-08-06T11:43:04.959-07:00The Ghana Medical Association and its striking doctors will lose out<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday,
August 6, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the head-butting going on
between members of the Ghana Medical Association (Ghanaian doctors in public
service) and the Mahama-led administration will likely not end soon; but I can
stick my neck out to say that it will eventually not end in favour of the
doctors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, now that the striking
doctors' demands (be they proposals or substantive ones) are known and quickly
dismissed as "outrageous", there is every indication that they can't
win public sympathy to their cause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike previous occasions when
the public seemed to tilt toward them, this time, the issues are different; and
it is likely that the doctors won't win any support to warrant their persisting
on being satisfied.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second, the doctors' leaders seem
to have over-stepped bounds in "politicizing" the matter to such an
extent as to draw in the NPP to suggest that it is the government's
incompetence that has engendered the industrial action. Although the NPP has
urged/appealed to the doctors to return to work, there is already a perception
that it is behind what is happening. Such an appeal is just a ruse, some claim.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Third, there seems to be division
in the ranks of the GMA itself with some doctors not supporting their leaders'
manouevres. At least, if the news reports are to be believed, it is emerging
that not all members of the GMA have heeded their leaders' call to withdraw
their services. Neither are they willing to resign en bloc as being urged.
Thus, we foresee tension at the GMA front itself, which won't help it sustain
its industrial action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fourth, the government has
outsmarted the doctors by releasing the document containing their demands,
which has attracted much public interest. In earlier circumstances, no one got
to know what exactly the doctors demanded, short of which they withdrew their
services. This time, not so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The public have had access to the
document to know more about the issues involved. Although some may sympathize
with the doctors—especially viewing issues from the harsh living conditions in
the country and perceptions that politicians are making it "big",
unlike others in public service—the general feeling is that they are asking for
far too much. The economy isn't strong enough to support such a venture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fifth, President Mahama's
hardline position, saying that his government won't pander to anybody to spend
money outside this year's budget threshold is clearly eye-popping. (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Mahama-to-Doctors-We-won-t-spend-out-of-budget-373286).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such a strong statement tells us
that he is not ready to bow to the kind of pressure being put on him by the GMA
and all others following suit by either threatening to withdraw their services
or or are already on strike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some may claim that he is
insensitive to the cause of the striking doctors or others threatening to go on
strike or doing so already; but the import of his statement must be clear by
now: the government cannot just spend money anyhow when the wage bill is already
high!! And there is every indication already that this firm position is
supported by the public, especially those questioning the justification for the
doctors' outrageous demands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sixth, public sentiments for the
doctors' line of action won't last. It is more than likely that as the
situation worsens, the public will put pressure on the striking doctors to
return to post; and they will bow, especially if voices from the clergy and
civil society groupings intensify the appeal for them to end it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, the GMA leaders will
come to realize that by insisting on not bowing to their pressure, the
government has the clout. They are likely to see things differently if the
government decides to enforce the regulations on public service, especially by
refusing to pay them for the period that they didn't work or to ask those not
ready to return to post to leave the service. It can be enforced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The GMA leaders will likely back
down on their dogged insistence on carrying the day and the doctors will return
to post; but it will be at a huge cost to them, especially if they do so
without their demands being met. What next will they do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By then, they would have given
themselves a bad name and the government an elbow room in which to call the
shots henceforth. So, what would the GMA have achieved, after all, with this
strike action? Nothing really but a bad name for itself, putting behind it the
tenets of the Hippocratic Oath!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, I can predict that they
will wear their political blinkers and see things from their situated positions
to do the anti-Mahama politics that the invisible hands have already begun
pushing some toward doing. They will intensify their dirty politicking in their
consulting rooms, theatres, and anywhere they go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At that point, they are likely to
turn their domain into a poaching ground for the rogue politicians and become
pawns in a political game that won't change their circumstances, even if the
NDC government leaves office after Election 2016. As must be obvious to them
already—if they haven't yet heard it from the NPP's Kennedy Agyapong—no
Ghanaian government can meet their demand!! What more do they need to be told?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-35194680466448900072015-08-03T06:56:00.005-07:002015-08-03T06:56:35.354-07:00Isn’t it time to privatize the government hospitals?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday,
August 3, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the perennial striker
actions embarked on by Ghanaian doctors working in public health institutions should
set the stage for the government to privatize public health institutions and enforce
other measures aimed at curtailing the enormous pressure being put on it and
the Consolidated Fund. The current strike action by members of the Ghana
medical Association (GMA) should be the clarion call to change the existing
paradigm so those who cannot fit in can go into private practice to stop
harassing us all with their huge demands for improved service conditions. In
private practice, they will get to know what it takes to function as doctors.
No pampering of anybody!!</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly, members of the
Ghana Bar Association hardly go on strike, apparently because they will do so
at their own risk. Their counterparts on the Bench (State Attorneys) are on
strike, causing much headache for the system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is clear that recourse to
strikes by civil or public servants paid from the Consolidated Fund is so
attractive that it can easily be turned into a political tool to damage
government's interests and image. Dirty politics is done this way. Of course,
labour agitations and withdrawal of services are guaranteed, but in our part of
the world, they have become too fashionable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I blame the government for not
being proactive enough to forestall such agitations and labour unrests. I think
that the various officials at the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies could
have done better in hob-nobbing with organized labour as soon as any
contentious issue crops up so discussions at the formative stages could
pre-empt an escalation of the situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More often than not, though, such
officials harden their stance and either disregard the early warning signs or
seek to twist arms. They fail to nip the issues in the bud and they simmer to
boil over, leading to the withdrawal of services by organized labour. And when
that happens, the citizens suffer needlessly and push the blame to the
government of the day. And the government itself "suffers" all the
more!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Government officials appear to be
too "stiff", insensitive, and intemperate in dealing with organized
labour until the matter worsens when they seek to use ad hoc measures to solve
problems. Such desperate moves only worsen matters. We see so in the case of
the junior doctors!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Government alone shouldn't take
the blame, though. Organized labour, especially their leaders, are also
culpable for various reasons. It is true that service conditions aren't as good
as organized labour expect, but it doesn't mean that strike actions should be
used to get their pound of flesh. But that is the norm, not the exception.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no doubt in my mind that
some in organized labour have political interests and persuasions contrary and
hostile to the those of the government, and they quickly manipulate the labour front
to politicize issues in the hope that they can use strike actions to make the
government unpopular. Such elements are all over the place; but they are only
being mischievous because whatever negative backlash falls out from their
strike actions will affect the country as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using strike actions—as is the
case of the Ghana Medical Association—will not solve systemic problems unless a
miracle happens. In a democracy, better means should be used. No miracle will
happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is now clear that the Ghana
Medical Association's reasons for going on strike are likely to cast the
Association itself in a bad light, especially if we consider the demands made
(See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Exclusive-GMA-s-list-of-demands-for-doctors-372584).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Outrageous as these demands may
be regarded, they speak a lot about the flaws in our system. Just because those
doctors are being supported by the Consolidated Fund—and from how everyone sees
the politicians fleecing that Fund—isn't it a matter of course for the doctors
to demand more than the government can grant them? But they will go this way
because they have more to gain from their strike action than in remaining at
post, at least, if we consider the political implications and the fact that
some of the bigwigs in the GMA are politicians-in-disguise (just as it is in
the case of the so-called Men-of-God).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY REACTION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no need for the
government to continue "managing" the so-called hospitals where these
GMA members are employed. The government shouldn't continue to pay these
doctors or put itself and Ghanaians at their mercy now that we know how the situation
has been politicized by self-seeking members of such an association or any
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What should the government do,
then? Privatize these hospitals and end direct management (in terms of funding
and supply of equipment). The so-called government hospitals or polyclinics
should be turned over to consortiums that can do a better job in managing those
institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means that the other analogous
issues such as professional training and recruitment of doctors and paramedical
staff will not be the government's headache.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It also means that whoever seeks
to become a doctor or whatever in the medical field should not depend anymore
on "free tuition" or any other support net that depends on the
Consolidated Fund. Elsewhere, financial aid is provided to the needy and they
are required to repay such "student loans". In that sense, the
government doesn't encumber itself with the financial needs of students hoping
to become doctors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the government doesn't support
those seeking to become lawyers, teachers, diplomats, etc. why should it do so
for doctors? It should be the individual's own affair. Then, upon graduation,
the individual must go through the rigours of job search before being
recruited. In our case when everything seems to be automatically programmed to
absorb those doctors, the situation isn't working well. Too much leeway has
been given to these doctors, which is why they are over-extending themselves by
laying down their tools at the least prompting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In many countries that don't
behave the way we do in Ghana, the regimen regarding the medical sector is
rigid and strictly enforced. Why can't we do so in Ghana too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I insist that the current strike
action by the GMA should open the government's eyes to begin taking drastic
measures to clean the stables so that the public hospitals, polyclinics, etc.
can be better managed and the Consolidated Fund rescued.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those hospitals, polyclinics,
etc. should generate their own funds and pay staff thereby without recourse to
the Consolidated Fund. The medical field is guided by principles that go beyond
"incentives" and must be so appreciated. When self-acquisition and
self-interests undermine the Hippocratic Oath, chaos results. The government
has every opportunity to change the paradigm so those seeking conditions that
it cannot meet can find their way out to be on their own. The days of Father
Christmas are long gone!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-58696434878831342432015-07-23T07:00:00.004-07:002015-07-23T07:00:34.740-07:00Why has Ex-President Kufuor become a cry baby?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday,
July 23, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, it is becoming clear that
ex-President Kufuor is crying all over the place over anything that touches on
happenings related to him. And he is not able to explain sufficiently all those
happenings to disprove them or to give us anything more tangible with which to
conduct public discourse on national affairs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The latest in the series
involving him is the news report about a "secret" meeting that he
convened at his Airport West residential Area in Accra to attempt resolving the
internal crisis in the NPP. The news reports informed the public about what
transpired at the meeting and those who attended. All of a sudden, Kufuor is
wailing, blaming the newspapers that carried the reports and attributing malice
to them.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His ventriloquist (my good
"old" pal at the Ghana News Agency, Frank Agyekum) threw light on the
crying:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. The outcome of the
peace-brokering efforts had been leaked to the public, particularly through the
pro-NDC newspapers, to the embarrassment of the former President.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. The meeting wasn't a secret
one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Mr Kufuor decided to invite
heads of some religious denominations, as well as some other prominent citizens
in the country who are not known members of the party, to help broker peace and
brotherliness among the top hierarchy of the party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. The meeting was neither
"adversarial nor inquisitorial" and that "it was a very cordial
and fruitful one full of advice and exhortation to the hierarchy of the party
present." He therefore described as unfortunate that anybody would
describe it as “emotional.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many others (as you can see from
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Kufuor-responds-to-NPP-secret-meeting-report-370434)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY COMMENTS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't see anything wrong with
the news reports except that they took Kufuor by surprise, considering the fact
that those who attended the meeting were probably not expected to
"leak" anything to anybody, especially the media. In that sense,
then, the fear of moles within their own ranks (as confirmed by Mr. Agyekum's
statement) may be more of Kufuor's worry than the news reports themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If those who attended the meeting
were not trusted to keep and couldn't conscionably keep happenings at that
meeting particularly, and the party's secrets secret, then, the NPP is in deep
trouble. It tells me that there is more hounding the NPP camp than we already
know of. Mistrust and distrust will kill them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, if secret recordings could
be done at such a meeting and released to anti-NPP elements, then, the party is
not safe. At least, those not wishing it well on that score are within, not
without!! How come that those attending the meeting—and who are expected to
work in the party's interest—would quickly turn round to stab it and Kufuor in
the back this way? A lot to ponder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, to the other aspect. The involvement
of "the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of
Ghana, Rev Prof Emmanuel Martey, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Bishop
Charles Palmer Buckle, and Pastor Mensa Otabil, among others" as revealed
is not surprising to me at all, clearly because they are known NPP sympathizers
who are using their calling to do partisan politics disguised as
"missionary work".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have known them as the
"spiritual backers" of the NPP and aren't surprised that they would
participate in that meeting. Agyekum's claim that they did so because some of
the party members deeply involved in the internal wranglings are members of
their churches is puerile—extremely childish and unacceptable. He shouldn't
think that we are kids to be cajoled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How long haven't these so-called
Men-of-God done politics in the interest of the NPP for no one to be left in
the dark about their political stance and why they should also be worried that
the NPP's boat is adrift, heading toward disaster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In any case, couldn't the NPP
resolve its own internal crisis without turning to the Church? What role has
the Church played in it so far to warrant its being drawn into the kind of
mission that Kufuor has embarked on?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have not forgotten how a group
of Men-of-God (including the senile Rev. Samuel Asante Antwi and this very
Mensa Otabil) manipulated Kufuor into assembling them at the Osu Castle in
early 2001 to perform ceremonies aimed at "exorcising" the "evil
spirits" that they had accused Rawlings of communing with and, thereby,
desecrating the Osu Castle to make it uninhabitable for Kufuor. That was why
Kufuor chose to do government business from his private residence and would
cause hundreds of millions of Cedis to be spent refurbishing that house. Then,
he ate back his vomit and relocated at the Osu Castle, especially after the
Men-of-God had assured him of purifying it. How did that falsehood serve
Ghana's purposes?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, it is these same
Men-of-God who are running around in circles, gushing out false prophecies and
seeking to enter every nook and cranny in the NPP to create the impression that
all will be well with it at Election 2016. God cannot be mocked without
punishment!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the problems rocking the
NPP cannot be resolved through cosmetic measures of the sort that Kufuor is
using. The crisis involves Kufuor himself, especially if we consider how the
Akufo-Addo camp has branded him all these years. Then, if we turn to the fact
that the other faction in the NPP is the one attributed to Kufuor himself,
apparently roping in Alan Kyerematen as his protégé. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As things have been knocking
things all this while, could a move by the leader of one faction to bring heads
together succeed and not be viewed with suspicion?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is not Kufuor who can resolve
the internal crisis of the NPP. Those reinforcing the schism are in the
Akufo-Addo camp and should be the first to initiate moves, shake themselves off
their ugly political antics, and create room for a give-and-take instead of the
take-take-and-take approach that is threatening Akufo-Addo's third bid at
becoming Ghana's President "at all costs".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For now, I will advise Kufuor to
stop crying and look deeper into issues so he can be taken more seriously if
his peace-brokering manouevres should be accepted and enforced. Otherwise, it will
be the same "duka ndaya"—“the same old story" (as my hazy knowledge
of this Hausa phrase will have me believe). The NPP's internal crisis demand
more than a cry-baby approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-49799598310975479452015-07-23T06:58:00.004-07:002015-07-23T06:59:34.237-07:00Another indictment... and Kufuor goes wild too<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wednesday, July 9, 2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the Sole Judgement Debt Commission has really stepped on big toes; and they are hurting!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After putting Akufo-Addo on the spot, the Commission's leaked report has turned the searchlight on former President John Agyekum Kufuor, indicting him on a $2.64 million land compensation payment case involving a British Family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Judgment Debt Commission has questioned the appropriateness of a $2.64 million land compensation payment authorized by former President Kufuor to a British Family on his last day in office. (See <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Kufuor-accuses-Judgment-Debt-Commission-of-bias-367563" rel="nofollow" style="color: #990000; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.ghanaweb.com/…/Kufuor-accuses-Judgment-Debt-Comm…</a>).</span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a quick reaction from Kufuor—as released by my old-time Ghana News Agency colleague (Frank Agyekum, Spokesman for Kufuor)—accused the Commission of not being fair to him by failing to invite him to the Commission's sittings to have his say on the matter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You called the Land Valuation Board for their side of the story, but you failed to invite President Kufuor or any of his ministers for their side of the story,” Mr. Agyekum said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY COMMENTS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oyiwa, folks!! We have already damned the Commission for not hearing directly from those it has indicted but we have also been quick to note that the Commission was not duty-bound to do so, especially if it had no need for personal confrontations in addition to the documentary evidence in its custody about the issues being inquired into. Its terms of reference guided its work; not so?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some interesting aspects of the matter:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Which “British Family” is at issue in this case is not revealed; and why Kufuor would have a special interest in the land compensation payment is also not known to us. Which land is it, though? We want to know everything about this matter. Will Kufuor's spokesman shed more light on it for us?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· The fact that Kufuor's directive came on his last day in office itself raises eyebrows. Why at that time? We recall the haste with which Kufuor did things in the period, including freeing Tsatsu Tsikata from prison and stopping the trial of Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings. Did Kufuor not know that his rash actions on the last day in office would create doubts and spring back to cause problems for him (as is evident in this indictment)?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr. Agyekum's talk of the Kufuor camp's investigating the matter to know whether the land compensation was paid or not is bootless. It is neither here nor there. Even if it wasn't paid, was it morally (and economically) right for Kufuor to issue that directive on the last day in office? If the compensation was paid, will Kufuor retrieve the money from that British Family? So, what is the essence of such an investigation at all?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, do you see how easy it is to fall on one's own sword and complicate issues for nothing?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the focus was on Betty Mould Iddrissu, Barton Oduro, and others whose names were associated with judgement debt payments, the NPP camp mounted rooftops to shout loud in condemnation of the NDC administration. Now that their own involvement in impropriety is being exposed, they are hiding behind lame excuses of not being invited to attempt throwing dust into our eyes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The overarching questions for Kufuor are simple: Did he give any directive for land compensation payment to be made to any British Family? If he did, why did he do so? If he didn't, then, why did that matter appear before the Commission? Even if he appeared before the Commission to deny ever ordering such a payment to be made, would he erode the documentary evidence from the Land Valuation Board that the Commission had?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, do you see how these NPP people are? Not being heard doesn't mean that the act didn't occur. So, why the huffing and puffing at being indicted (understood here as "blamed" for the impropriety)?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px !important; margin-bottom: 18px !important; text-rendering: auto !important;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…</span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-47057118556203663512015-07-08T05:53:00.001-07:002015-07-08T05:53:02.619-07:00The NDC regains Talensi and deflates the NPP<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wednesday,
July 8, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the Talensi by-election is
over and victory belongs to B.T. Baba and the NDC. This victory underscores the
NDC’s strength in that area and others that it can clinch despite the dry,
irritating noise made by its opponents. Those rooting for the NDC do better in
political mobilization than their loud-mouthed opponents can ever do, which
explains why despite public outcry against existing conditions in the country,
reinforced by the NPP’s campaign of disdain, the party could still bounce back
to reclaim the Talensi Parliamentary seat. It can do so in other areas if need
be because it is connected to the people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not so for its opponents,
especially the NPP, which is still stuck in anachronistic political gimmicks
and self-righteous postulations on governance. And their reaction to their
electoral defeat? “NDC shared state money to Talensi voters to secure
Parliamentary seat” (See http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/NDC-shared-state-money-to-secure-BT-Baba-Talensi-seat-NPP-367202).
</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Circumstances surrounding
Tuesday’s balloting suggest a lot that the NPP should learn if it wants to do
anything good at Election 2016. I will attempt to outline some of the issues
that contributed to the NPP’s defeat in Talensi and suggest that the kind of
“booklong” and “rogue” politics that it is fixated on won’t put its Akufo-Addo
in power in my lifetime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The NPP approached the Talensi
by-election from a position of “heritage”, deceiving itself that once its
former MP had assumed the status of Talensi Paramount Chief, he would use his
influence to pave the way for its candidate’s victory. That explains why
Akufo-Addo visited the area to campaign for the candidate but failed to reach
out to the electorate. Instead, he over-stretched himself and the party’s
resources, narrowing his politicking to chiefs and prominent citizens of
Talensi. I wonder why he thought doing so would push the button for the NPP
candidate. Akufo-Addo and his team failed to reach out to the electorate and
concentrated efforts on persuading the prominent citizens of the area to do the
job for the party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beyond that narrow-minded
approach lies the controversy surrounding the visit to the shrine of the
Tindana, which portrayed the NPP in a bad light. Only immature politicians
would do what Wontumi and his followers did, showcasing it on social media and
drawing needless negative reaction. By that singular act, they created the
negative impression that they were seeking the spiritual powers of the Tindana
for their candidate. Everything backfired to doom them. Elections are won at
the polls, not at the shrines of spiritual leaders who themselves may turn out
to be political opponents!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Behind it all lies the fact that
the NPP people couldn’t do any intelligent analysis of the political climate in
Talensi to know how to do things. Indeed, the former MP had been known as a
strong NDC follower who became disgruntled because of manouevres by the
long-serving MP, John Akologo Tia, and camped with the NPP for Election 2012.
He won, clearly because John Tia had lost favour with his own people Thus, the
former MP couldn’t be embraced as a hardcore NPP politician. He joined the NPP
only to punish the NDC. Of course, he was well-placed in the Talensi area,
which explains why he would become the Paramount chief. Relying on him was a
huge mistake. When chickens return home to roost, they know where to peck for
food. No genuine NDC member will turn coat to doom his/her political family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The NPP under Akufo-Addo couldn’t
do any proper homework to know that having dominated the hearts and minds of
the citizens of Talensi since the inception of this 4<sup>th</sup> Republic,
the NDC has deep tap roots there that mere negative propaganda by them can’t
uproot. Considering this fact and juxtaposing it with current happenings, one
can say that the NPP is the cause of its own undoing in the by-election. It
reposed too much trust in self-delusional impressions about voter sentiments.
If its leaders had sat back to do a diligent analysis of events, they would
have known that Talensi would revert to the NDC. All exhortations that the
electorate should vote for the NPP candidate as an honour to the former MP fell
on deaf ears because the NDC had already done its homework to plug holes. The
NPP couldn’t penetrate. It is now time to lick the gaping wounds. I’ll see how
they do so; but knowing their “Kwaku Ananse” tactics, they will seek to divert
attention to extraneous issues like bribing of voters, violence, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The arrogant manner in which the
NPP campaigners approached the by-election is another aspect. Nana Akomea,
sitting in the comfort of his home-base in Accra, was quick to say that the
electorate in Talensi would teach the NDC a bitter lesson. Akufo-Addo toured
the area to reinforce that noise and repeatedly irritated the voters with
criticisms of the Mahama-led administration without providing solutions. He
made promises that the people dismissed as a ploy. Winning elections goes
beyond such superficial and deceptive gimmicks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now comes the nub. The NPP is a
fractured party that needs a lot of tactical management to regain its momentum.
The internal wrangling that has virtually “emasculated” Paul Afoko and Kwabena
Agyei is one major flaw. From the list of those who campaigned in Talensi, we
can tell that Afoko and Agyei were not involved in any activity at all, meaning
that the coup d’état launched by the Akufo-Addo camp against them has
succeeded. That explains why Freddie Blay (a so-called Nkrumahist now parading
as a Danquah-Busiaist) would be in charge of affairs and surround himself with
characters like Gabby Otchere Darko (a nephew of Akufo-Addo) to campaign in
Talensi. (They should thank their stars that they survived the violence).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The electorate aren’t so stupid
as not to know that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Why, then,
should they go for the NPP when they have a stronger political home to
gravitate toward?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are saying here that the
Pyrrhic victory won by Akufo-Addo against his own party stalwarts has
manifested negatively in the humiliation suffered in Talensi. For the avoidance
of any doubt, let me say here that neither Afoko nor Agyepong played any role
in political mobilization in Talensi. How can a political party behaving this
way hope to draw public support?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More importantly, the turning of
the NPP into a militant organization by Akufo-Addo only scares the citizens. A
political party that is always issuing threats and using force rather than
persuasion won’t attract voters to its cause. Reports on the violence that
occurred in some parts of Talensi mentioned the Bolga Bull Dogs as an NPP
militant group that stood toe-to-toe with its NDC counterpart, the Azorka Boys
of Tamale. Shame unto all those forming such groups and manipulating the
unwitting youths to resort to violence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The creeping of militancy into
the NPP runs counter to the tenets of the Danquah-Busia ideology. In truth,
then, the seeds sown by Akufo-Addo are maturing dangerously to the NPP’s
disadvantage. The party doesn’t need this kind of misguided militancy to
succeed in its quests. Neither will this militancy ensure party unity. We saw
what happened when the Invisible (or is it Invincible?) Forces went into action
at the party’s national headquarters, kicking out Afoko and Agyepong just
because Akufo-Addo wanted them to be out of his way. Such misplaced militancy
will destroy the NPP itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We want to say at this point that
what has happened at Talensi should be properly analyzed by the NPP people so
they can find better means to strategize toward Election 2016. As President
Mahama has already said, Talensi will be a dress rehearsal for Election 2016.
The fact that the living situation in the country is challenging doesn’t mean
that the people will automatically reject the NDC and put Akufo-Addo in power.
This is a lesson that the NPP people need to learn; and they must re-orient
themselves as well so they don’t waste resources fighting the wind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The voters in Talensi know better
to push Mr. Baba into the corridors of power where he stands a better chance of
representing them in government than voting for someone who will be in
opposition and function only as part of the “Concert Party”. They would have
made a tragic mistake had they voted for the NPP candidate to join the
bandwagon of opposition MPs who are recognized only for the amount of empty
noise they make in criticizing everything done (or not done) by the Mahama-led
administration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Talensi has spoken and those who
have ears must hear. Welcome aboard, Mr. B.T. Baba. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-65258284642587983692015-07-08T05:51:00.006-07:002015-07-08T05:51:55.544-07:00The indictment of Akufo-Addo says a lot more<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday, July 6, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sole Judgement
Debt Commission’s indictment of the NPP’s Akufo-Addo over the controversial
circumstances in which the GNPC’s drill ship was disposed of and the money
handled during the Kufuor era is nothing to enthuse over even though it has
rattled and nettled the Akufo-Addo camp. It is no news after all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had known
directly the matter cropped up that something really went wrong. Responses from
K.T. Hammond and his handing over of the “huhudious” envelope containing
documents on the deal that he claimed to have received from a “Good Samaritan”
worsened matters. The fire set by his reference to Akufo-Addo in the matter
piqued much interest and we expected the Commission to invite Akufo-Addo for
grilling. It didn’t but came out with a report indicting him on the
transaction. That is the only reason why I will damn the Commission for not
being exhaustive in its inquiry. Everything else is no news.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proceedings were
held in the open and we monitored happenings regarding this drill ship to know
that something really fishy went on for which all those involved must answer
questions and stop crying for public sympathy to boost their political
interests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The indictment teaches
lessons on effective leadership to improve governance, and should not be
dismissed as any plot to vilify Akufo-Addo. Clearly, Ghana incurred the
judgement debts because of the shoddy work (or no work at all) done by the
Attorney-General’s Department in defence of national interests; and once
Akufo-Addo was in charge of that sector at the time that the GNPC’s drill ship
was sold to defray the cost to Societe Generale, he cannot escape blame. No one
is saying that he personally sold the ship or profited from the deal. It is all
about inefficiency in public office and the controversies that he has been
caught up in over the years to portray him from many angles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s cast the net
wider for Akufo-Addo, and we will see that his brush with the Sole Judgement
Debt Commission isn’t the first time that he’s been cited in controversial
happenings. Such citations remain in public conversation, especially if we
consider Akufo-Addo’s attitude to them. In most cases, his reaction has been
silence (implying that to him, silence is golden) or the use of loud-mouthed
and cowardly ventriloquists of lawyer Nana Bediatuo’s type. By choosing to
remain silent whenever put on the spot, Akufo-Addo might have avoided further
calumny but it hasn’t freed him yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our net has caught
the following instances involving Akufo-Addo:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alleged
fatal motor accident caused by him in the late 1960s, but his not being
tried (I remember reading about 5 years ago an opinion piece on Ghanaweb
by someone I can’t readily recollect who claimed that Akufo-Addo was
shielded by the mafia in the judiciary at the time);<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alleged
“vanishing” of diplomatic passports being kept in the vault of his office
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when he was in charge of that Ministry
under Kufuor (The fate of his brother-in-law Amankwaah, who was issued a
diplomatic passport at the time but is now doing jail time in Brazil for
drug trafficking, speaks volumes);<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drug
abuse (The Wikileaks report about diplomatic cables from the United States
Embassy and claims by Kwesi Pratt about Akufo-Addo’s smoking of “wee” come
to mind);<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Controversial
circumstances surrounding Akufo-Addo’s leaving Oxford University have been
discussed in public discourse about his shortcomings;<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
controversy surrounding his legal training at Middle Temple after he had
had 3<sup>rd</sup> Class in Economics at the University of Ghana won’t
evaporate just because the mafia in the Judiciary scuttled Justice
Kpegah’s suit against him. Indeed, the affidavit filed by his legal team,
led by Lawyer Dame, even exposed more about him: the claim that he made
about losing his law certificate and the use of entries from a dubious
source to attempt dousing the fire only went further to heighten suspicion
that he didn’t complete the training to be awarded any certificate. Where
he did his pupillage as required by the rigours of Middle Temple’s
professional training regimen is still a mystery. Certainly, what he did
at the French company (Coudert Freres) soon after his classroom work can’t
be considered as pupillage. Where is his law certificate?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
circumstances under which the General Legal Council admitted him to the
Bar still remain ridiculous, especially if we return to the document that
Akufo-Addo’s legal team produced in support of his affidavit in response
to Justice Kpegah’s suit.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
claim by Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings that Akufo-Addo wasn’t a “lawyer”,
which touched raw nerves but was swiftly dismissed before Justice Kpegah’s
suit. In fact, sources revealed that an earlier suit against Akufo-Addo on
that score had been filed in 1977 but not heard. When the mafia in the
Judiciary purpose in their hearts to defend one of their own, they do so
with much vigour, violence and determination.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There may be more of
such controversies involving Akufo-Addo, which suggests that he is not merely
the target of vilification by his political opponents as implied by the
interpretation being given his indictment by the Sole Judgement Debt
Commission. What manner of man is this who is caught up in such controversies?
No other Ghanaian politician is suffering so much. Why Akufo-Addo alone?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In choosing to rely
on his legal team to do damage control for him, Akufo-Addo has opened himself
to doubt and emerges as a weakling. Why can’t he take the bull by its large
horns in front of him instead of running behind it to grab its tail? Records
confirm that many political figures worldwide caught up in controversies
threatening their political career (especially those having to do with their
waywardness in abusing drugs or for being incontinent) have openly come clean
and earned credit for doing so. Why can’t Akufo-Addo follow suit to clean his
own slate?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Using Nana Bediatuo
and Co. to attempt intimidating people in the hope that such an action will cut
short the discourse won’t work. This is not the first time that Nana Bediatuo
would have threatened to go to court over Akufo-Addo’s public image. He loudly
threatened to sue anybody commenting on Akufo-Addo’s drug abuse; but he hasn’t
had the courage to do so. We want to tell him that the worms squirming in
Akufo-Addo’s can are restless. We urge him to go to court over this Sole
Judgement Debt Commission’s indictment so the worms can leap out into the open
and be free!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have read his
reaction to the indictment and laughed it off as a mere empty boast. So also
have I dismissed his use of emotive language to paint the Commission and
Justice Apau black. Even though I have condemned the Commission for not hearing
from Akufo-Addo before indicting him, I am of the strong opinion that taking a
court action against the Commission won’t redound to Akufo-Addo’s political
interests, intents and purposes. It will rather worsen his public standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not a lawyer to
know the intricacies of such a suit, but I can tell that it will be a
non-starter. What will be the charge? Defamation of character?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the reliefs? What
will the plaintiff be looking for? That the Commission’s report is skewed
against him and should, therefore, not be accepted and a government White Paper
issued on it? Or that the report should be rejected because the Commission
didn’t hear his evidence? Or that the Commission’s report indicting him should
be discarded just because the Commission failed to do a proper work? Or that
those accused of misapplying the proceeds shouldn’t be punished just because he
wasn’t heard?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will be
interesting to read the contents of such a suit for further comment. In any
case, I am certain that the hot air being blown by Akufo-Addo and his legal
team will soon evaporate and nothing will be done to sue the Commission. It is
just an impulsive reaction to the indictment that Akufo-Addo fears is harming
his political interests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, there is a
lot to talk about, which is why I don’t see the Commission’s indictment of
Akufo-Addo as anything to turn my crank in any different direction. I foresaw
it long before now. It is just a matter of the chips falling in place. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conclusion? Ghana
cannot be redeemed by weaklings who blow their own horns of incorruptibility
but fail to exert the required force to prevent those around them from being
corrupt and corruptible. On that score, two of Ghana’s leaders emerge for
comment. The Great Osagyefo didn’t steal Ghana’s assets; the late John Atta
Mills didn’t either. But it cannot be said of their appointees, especially when
the leaders couldn’t act decisively to plug the loopholes or when those crafty appointees
outwitted the system to loot the coffers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Akufo-Addo says he
won’t be in power to steal Ghana’s money; but can he protect that money against
being stolen by those around him? A good leader does so. And that is what Ghana
deserves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To me, then,
Akufo-Addo stands indicted (whether heard or not heard by the Commission) for
being incompetent or criminally involved in the conspiracy leading to the
disposal of the drill ship to the blind side of the other arms of government
and Ghanaians, generally. State property shouldn’t be disposed of that way. He
can proceed to court, but it won’t change our impressions about him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We see his posturing
of being incorruptible as paradoxical; it is a mere hot air, a nonsensical
ruse. What will Ghana gain if the leader doesn’t steal money/national assets
(or is not corrupt) but his appointees do so because that leader is a weakling?
It takes more than the ongoing posturing by Akufo-Addo to prove that he is not
culpable in the matter concerning the drill ship, which is why the hollow noise
from his apologists against his indictment is not only ill-advised but is also
ridiculous in its vulgarity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-32867471237582718562015-07-05T17:34:00.003-07:002015-07-05T17:34:14.681-07:00Is the future of the NPP truly in “safe hands”?<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday,
July 5, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the NPP’s third-time flagbearer, Akufo-Addo, is
reported to have said that the future of the NPP is in safe hands. His reason?
“T<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">he
emergence of young, intelligent men and women who have been elected in the
ongoing parliamentary primaries of the party”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According
to him, the courage exhibited by delegates in the constituencies that have seen
young candidates being elected is a clear sign that delegates of the party have
faith in their abilities, and are confident that they can also deliver victory
for the party in the 2016 elections. (See <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/NPP-s-future-in-safe-hands-Akufo-Addo-365435"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/NPP-s-future-in-safe-hands-Akufo-Addo-365435</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My
reaction? A long yawn…..; then, questions to prove him wrong!!!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is it the “young age” that now holds good for the NPP? If so,
why is Akufo-Addo not giving way to a younger and more intelligent candidate to
lead the NPP? We know how he twisted arms to become the third-time flagbearer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is Akufo-Addo so hollow as not to know the rancour, enmity,
and underhand means by which some of those “young and intelligent men and
women” were elected in most constituencies to deepen the party’s internal
crisis? Why are the defeated candidates so embittered at the malpractices that
shot them down? All because of Akufo-Addo’s own machinations in many of the
constituencies? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These defeated candidates (24 MPs among them, be they old or
young) have cited reasons other than age or intelligence quotient as the
negative factors that doomed them at the June 13 primaries. Monetization of the
process and Akufo-Addo’s own orchestrations rank high among the reasons. The
disgruntled losers know what to do (having already formed an association), which
scares Akufo-Addo for him to accuse the NDC of seeking to use such disaffected
people to dim his light. What a sorry claim to make! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can the NPP’s future be in Akufo-Addo’s “safe hands” when he
has orchestrated the repudiation and overthrow of the party’s National Chair
(Paul Afoko) and General Secretary (Kwabena Agyepong)? Did Afoko and Agyepong
join the team to campaign in the Talensi by-election? Isn't it Freddie Blay
(First Vice Chair, an Akufo-Addo lackey) who is coordinating everything? Should
the NPP retain the seat, the obvious boasts will be that even without Afoko and
Agyepong, everything went well. Their future, then, becomes irrelevant. Get rid
of them!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">There are more questions than answers.</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Truth
be told upfront, the NPP is even not in safe hands now nor will it be in the
future, especially with Akufo-Addo at its helm. He is a captain with no
leadership acumen to steer the NPP ship to a safe harbour. Happenings in the
party suggest that all is not well and the NPP faces a bleak future if those
happenings persist. There may be some misplaced optimism of victory at Election
2016, probably because of the challenges facing the Mahama administration; but
it is not certain that the government’s downside will become the NPP’s
political capital. Ghanaians know better and will resign themselves to fate,
guided by the fact that they have to endure the pain for the sake of the rose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Akufo-Addo’s
negative influence on the NPP is easy to establish: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Since 1996 when he lost the bid to Kufuor, he has remained
divisive;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Winning the slot for the 2008 elections and the hostility
toward Alan Kyerematen camp (which has magnified into open confrontations and
established factionalism in the NPP) is negative;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Losing Election 2008 and its aftermath has proved him to be a
bad player (as Dr. Arthur Kennedy and Co. have criticized him of);</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">His persistent demand and manipulation of forces to lead the
NPP (even after losing Election 2012 and the subsequent useless petition
hearing) is negative;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Creeping in of personality cult, which is at variance with
the tenets of Danquah-Busia ideology— whatever that ideology is, especially as
militancy and intransigence dominate the party’s affairs under Akufo-Addo—is
negative; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">With Akufo-Addo in place, the spirit of give-and-take in
determining the internal affairs of the party is virtually gone. The
threatening and sidelining of anybody considered to be anti-Akufo-Addo says it
all;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">His manipulation of the “old” national executives (Jake
Obetsebi-Lamptey, etc.) to return to glory is obvious;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">He considers Afoko and Agyepong as a threat to be fought
tooth-and-nail, which accounts for his mobilization of internal forces against both;</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Faint-hearted and deceptive peace-making efforts by him
expose him as cunning.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The future of the NPP cannot be safe under such a cunning and
manipulative person, especially as he continues to turn the party into a tool
for achieving his personal childhood ambition of becoming Ghana’s President “at
all costs” without doing what will grow the party at the grassroots level. Its
structures weaken by the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Akufo-Addo’s information, here are some highlights of
what his own political front looked like before he injected his unbridled personal
quests into it to destabilize it:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ex-President Kufuor led the NPP
to Election 2000 and won the support of the mushroom political parties to
clinch victory in the run-off. But for his being trusted and regarded as a
unifier, none would have supported him. Election 2004 went in his favour
despite the NDC’s claims of rigging. For Akufo-Addo at Elections 2008 and
2012, it wasn't so. Had those mushroom parties supported him, he would
have won. He alienated them instead and hasn't changed in any way for
Election 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kufuor handed over a united NPP
to Akufo-Addo but he lost it and set the stage for the internal wrangling
that has torn the party apart—a clear reminder of the post-Progress Party
developments when the United Party (UP) front lost traction and fractured
into political camps representing petty personal political ambitions and narrow
ethnic interests (Paa Willie’s United National Convention to fly the Akyem
ethnic flag; Joe Appiah’s All People’s Republican Party and Victor Owusu’s
Popular Front Party to float the flag of Asante ethnic supremacy; and many
others).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To the Danquah-Busia ideological stance, personality cult is
anathema!! The fracturing of the UP front in those days is nothing near what is
happening now. What Akufo-Addo is re-enacting is solely aimed at turning the
NPP into a personal tool for use in achieving personal ambitions. What for, I
don’t know. But what I know is that at 72 years for Election 2016 and offering
no cogent programme of action to rule Ghana better than others have done so
far, he is setting the NPP up for woe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The NPP has definitely been hijacked by Akufo-Addo and his
followers. Danger, not safety or security, looms for the party. In the hands of
Akufo-Addo, the NPP will totter. I am not in the least surprised that the
voices of reason in that political cabal are silent, not because they are
cowards but because they have the foresight to do better than shoot their
mouths and be attacked. Of course, all these voices of reason are old and not
young. They know what Akufo-Addo doesn’t; and when they pass on, they will take
along with them a better picture of the Danquah-Busia ideology, leaving behind
them the chaff that will immortalize Akufo-Addo’s agenda.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, when he loses Election 2016, he will leave the scene,
having succeeded in turning the NPP into a militant group and not an attractive,
united political force that will reach out to the electorate with better
campaign messages and win their hearts. Wherein, then, lies his justification
for the gaseous claim that with him in control of affairs, the NPP’s future is
in safe hands?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-9539474989520704032015-07-03T22:42:00.004-07:002015-07-03T22:42:55.091-07:00The Ghana Bar Association and its wild goose errand<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday, July 2, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the suit filed at the
Supreme Court by the National Council of the Ghana Bar Association (as a
corporate entity) and four members (as individuals, be they the executive
officers of the GBA) against the appointment of Justices Apau and Pwamang to
the Supreme Court by President Mahama implies a lot. For purposes of unpacking
the suit, let us begin by saying that the suit has come after the fact—when the
two justices have already been nominated (and not questioned by anybody or
institution), vetted, confirmed and approved by Parliament, and sworn into
office by President Mahama with a call on the Judiciary to help the government
fight corruption, even if he blamed the Judiciary for not being active enough
for that purpose.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The proceedings leading to the
vetting and swearing in of both Justice Apau and Pwamang were conducted in the
open for all to know what the entailments were. After satisfying itself of the
integrity and professional competence of both, Parliament approved their
nomination by the Executive, paving the way for their being sworn into office.
Now come the National Council of the GBA and its executive officers to attempt
throwing everything into disrepute. Where have they been all this while?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before we proceed any further,
let us consider the specifics of the suit. The plaintiffs are asking for four
reliefs, their main argument being that “the <span style="background: white; color: #262626;">appointing authority may have breached Article 144 clause 2
which stipulates that, “The other Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by
the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation
with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament". These
briefs are</span>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">A declaration that upon true and proper
construction of Article 114 clauses<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(2)
and (3) of the 1992 Constitution, all appointments made by the President of the
Republic of Ghana to the Superior Courts are valid only to the extent that such
appointments are made in strict accordance with the advice of the 2nd defendant
herein, the Judicial Council.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">A declaration that upon true and proper
interpretation of Article 144 (2) and (3) of the 1992 Constitution, a
constitutional trust is created in the 2nd defendant herein, the Judicial
Council, to make nominations of the person(s) best qualified to serve as
Justices of the Superior Courts of Judicature and the 2nd Defendant is required
to ensure that such nominations are actually submitted by the President to
Parliament for approval after due consultations with the Council of State<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #262626;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">A declaration that accordingly, upon true and
proper construction of the Article 144 clauses (2) and (3) of the 1992
Constitution the Judicial Council of the Republic of Ghana has a constitutional
obligation to specifically advise the President of the Republic of Ghana as to
which specific person(s) is/are suitable for appointment to serve as Justice(s)
of the Superior Courts of Judicature in accordance with which advice the
President is mandatorily required to exercise his powers of appointment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #262626;">A declaration that an appointment or
non-appointment by the President of the Republic of Ghana of a Justice of the
Superior Court in a manner out of accord with the advice of the Judicial
Council is unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect.</span><span style="color: #373e4d;"><br />
Clear reliefs being sought!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #373e4d;">My analysis of the contents of the suit reveal
that a</span> probable
motivation for the suit can be found in another argument being raised by the
plaintiffs: <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #262626;">three persons were
recommended for appointment to the Supreme Court but one was left out. Also,
out of seven justices for the Appeals Court, the president appointed five. Who
are those sidelined, and why should it be the concern of the plaintiffs? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fair
enough for us that the plaintiffs have given reasons for their legal action,
claiming to be seeking “reliefs” and not necessarily targeting to humiliate
Pr5esident Mahama and the two appointees. The law may not be an ass, after all.
Specific motives (mostly politically motivated) render it questionable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
have the background information, the substance of the four briefs, and the
underlying motivation for this truth. And we appreciate the explanation by Tony
Forson (spokesperson for the plaintiffs) that the decision by the National
Council of the Bar was to seek clarification on a provision in the constitution
bordering on the appointment of judges to the Superior Courts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
note also Mr. Forson’s claim that the Bar’s action is “not retrogressive but
prospective” and therefore has no bearing on the appointments. As he put it,
“Nowhere in the petition did we say the appointment is null and void,” he
maintained, stressing that the reliefs were not targeted at President Mahama”.
And he was quick to add that if the plaintiffs had targeted the appointees,
they would have filed for an injunction against them, even at the initial;
stages of the process. (See <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Justice-Apau-Pwamang-not-our-targets-GBA-366067">http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Justice-Apau-Pwamang-not-our-targets-GBA-366067</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good
grounds stated by the plaintiffs, but which I challenge for many reasons.
First, considering the underlying motivation for their suit (that not all those
recommended for appointment were indeed given the nod), I smell foul play on
the part of the plaintiffs. Do they know why not all the recommended judges
could be appointed? Or is the President bound by the constitution to appoint
all those recommended?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again,
considering the fact that this appointment of Justices Apau and Pwamang are not
the first ever to have been done by the President of Ghana, are the plaintiffs
saying that something specifically went wrong in this case of Justices Apau and
Pwamang that they alone know of and should pursue through this suit?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
think that the plaintiffs are behaving as if the President owes them an
explanation or that he is bound to do as they wish. Are they aggrieved and in
court because their favourites were sidelined?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Viewed
from a wider angle, one may ask whether the process involved input from the
Judicial Council and the Council of State. If it didn’t, then, there would be
good grounds to challenge it to prove to President Mahama that he cannot act
ultra vires. More so, it will be a good move to hold him in check so he doesn’t
abuse his executive powers. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After
all, our democracy needs a strong and independent judiciary to counter-balance
any move by the Executive and Parliament. Thus, if this suit is framed around
lapses in the appointment process—and not merely framed and portrayed as
questioning why the President didn’t appoint all those nominated—it should
serve non-partisan political purposes. Otherwise, it will end up as a mere ruse
to score political points.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What
will the granting of the briefs mean? That President Mahama will reverse what
he has already done? If not so, what? Then, what is the benefit of this suit,
after all? A lesson for future Presidents? Phew!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beyond
this perspective, it will be good to note that by waiting for everything to be
wrapped up before challenging it in court, the plaintiffs seem to be creating a
misleading impression, which explains why their suit is dismissed by the
government as absurd and preposterous. Could they not have risen up directly it
came to light that there were issues as raised in the petition? They waited for
the dust to settle before crying wolf. Too bad for people expected to reason
more cogently and act decisively to uphold the law.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #141823;">Has
the Judicial Council said that it didn't nominate Justices Apau and Pwamang and
the Council of State also said that it wasn't consulted before President Mahama
appointed them? Would President Mahama be so naive as not to know what to do in
accordance with the Directive Principles of State Policy? I doubt!!</span><span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
now, whatever the Supreme Court decides will open a new chapter in the
appointment process of justices of the superior courts but it will also cast
ugly shadows on antecedents. Why didn’t the GBA or any lawyer of repute go to
court when previous President appointed justices to the Supreme and Appeals
Courts as they are doing now? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If
the Supreme Court rules in favour of the plaintiffs, what will be the fate of
justices of the Supreme Court still in service appointed by previous Presidents
(granted that the line wasn’t straight, after all, in their appointment)? Their
appointments revoked? Will such a ruling of the Court have a retroactive effect
or be limited to what is happening under President Mahama? What will be the
justification for it? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
recall that When Kufuor packed the Supreme Court after Tsatsu Tsikata had
humiliated its legal team headed by Akufo-Addo in terms of the Fast Track
Courts (Are they still in existence?), where was the National Council of the
Ghana Bar Association to help us know what it wants us to know now about the
procedures for the appointment of justices to the Supreme Court?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
aren’t lawyers, but we know that law is grounded in commonsense, logic, and
rhetoric. Its main bastion, though is commonsense (which is an amalgam of all
others, including logic). Without commonsense, law is hollow, empty, and
stupid. Commonsense is natural and dictates that anything initiated in the name
of law must be grounded in it. Commonsense dictates that proactive action be
taken to eliminate abuses in the administration of justice (including the
appointment of those to do the administration as it is in the case of Justices
Apau and Pwamang). And it goes against commonsense to run after horses only after
they have broken out of the stables in which they have been contained.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">Once
the dust settles on such appointments, any reactive move is nothing but a
nuisance to be pooh-poohed. That is why I consider this suit as a mere academic
exercise that won’t serve any useful purpose other than colouring impressions that
the appointment of Justices Apau and Pwamang have an admixture of political
overtones and undertones. Ghana’s judiciary can do better with proactiveness
than reactionary legal suits of this sort.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-66930136645199996512015-06-28T13:17:00.005-07:002015-06-28T13:17:33.003-07:00These NPP-oriented Men-of-God again?<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday,
June 28, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, all those so-called Men-of-God doing anti-Mahama
politics in diverse ways and prophesying electoral victory for Akufo-Addo know
that they are fast becoming a public nuisance, especially after the barrage of
prophecies from them prior to Elections 2008 and 2012 ended in smoke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We heard a lot from them in the pre-election season; but
when reality struck, they changed the rhythm and began striking ugly discordant
chords to create the impression that supported the useless petition before the
Supreme Court. The loudest and most pitiable of them all—Rev. Owusu Bempah—even
prophesied death for President Mahama and went ahead to make subversive
utterances that Ghana would burn if the Supreme Court didn't declare Akufo-Addo
the winner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What happened? </span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He rather heightened his inanities by turning
his searchlight on the Asantehene (Otumfuo Osei Tutu II) and generated rumours
about his death. Much happened to prove that this Owusu Bempah is nothing but
an unrepentant rabble-rouser in Christendom. I am surprised that Asanteman
hasn't pursued the matter to teach him the bitter lesson that he needs to learn
and shape up. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many others made similar ugly noises regarding the electoral
humiliation of Akufo-Addo, but Ghana has remained intact ever since. Complaints
from them about their dwindling fortunes in terms of low tithes and offertory
from their church members—because of the harsh economic realities in the
country—suggest that they see President Mahama as an easy bull's eye to hit
with their political rhetoric disguised as prophesy. And they are so
shortsighted as not to know that their pronouncements betray them as
politicians in cassock (or any attire that they wear to pursue their vocation).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These NPP-oriented Men-of-God have become irrelevant to some
of us. They have lost their bearings and are worth nothing but concentrated
scorn and contempt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As if they haven't caused enough nuisance already, they are
still abroad, torturing our ears with more vain prophecies---and being haunted
by the ghosts of their own lies. They are looking over their shoulders and
seeking public sympathy. Here is one of them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Leader and Founder of Church of Rabbi Prophet Kwabena
Tawiah says his life is under threat for speaking the truth. According to him,
he has been receiving threatening messages from anonymous people after he
prophesied that Nana Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic
Party (NPP) would win the 2016 elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an interview with Adom News, Prophet Tawiah disclosed the
“faceless” individuals have also set what he described as “spiritual traps” to
terminate his life after his prophesy." (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Prophet-fears-for-his-life-after-Akufo-Addo-prophesy-365126).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, these so-called Men-of-God constantly bothering us
with prophesies abo9ut Akufo-Addo’s electoral fortunes are on a fool’s errand,
which runs counter to their own Biblical precepts (Deuteronomy 18:22—“If what a
prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true,
that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken
presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. If only they find themselves in Jerusalem
one day, they appreciate what it takes to be their type of prophets” (New
International Version). Thanks to my friend, Apau Walter Prosper, for this
insightful reference).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will continue to laugh these charlatans to scorn for as
long as they give us cause to do so. With all that "gift" of
prophesy, why couldn't they foretell the June 3 flood-and-fire disaster that
has thrown the country into sorrow? Or is their "gift" of prophesy
limited to only an electoral victory for Akufo-Addo? And who cares about such
bogus prophecies to intend harming them in consequence? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beefing up personal security? What did the Elijahs,
Jeremiahs, Elishas, and the many God-inspired prophets do whenever their
prophecies sank deep to rattle and nettle kings and the Establishment? Beef up
their "personal security" or draw nigh to the God who empowered them
in their mission and took care of their earthly needs to survive and continue
their ministry? Not so for the Ghanaian Men-of-God!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">True Men-of-God don't fear their fellow human beings,
especially if they believe that their prophecies are genuine and divinely
inspired. They look up to the God whom they serve to provide for and protect
them. Why are the Ghanaian ones so weak and loose? Where is their God to
protect them? Has he deserted them all too soon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaa to them and their
trickery, chicanery, and treachery!! Their kind of politically motivated
prophesy is more than ridiculous. It is sickening!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-81279080019347276212015-06-19T23:16:00.001-07:002015-06-19T23:16:14.811-07:00In what capacity are Afoko and Agyepong acting now? (Part II)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday, June 18, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even before Afoko and Agyei were voted into
office by the party’s delegates, back-handed measures had been used against
them. Afoko was manhandled at the party’s conference to choose the flagbearer
for Election 2008. He and Agyei have been accused of being unalloyed supporters
of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen (a so-called protégé of former President Kufuor,
allegedly the prop of the Kufuor or Asante faction in the party), meaning that
they were automatically opposed to Akufo-Addo. Therein lies the rivalry between
the Asante-Akyem factions in the NPP. Their winning of the national delegates’
confidence and trust at the party’s conference nearly two years ago hasn’t
stopped the campaign of calumny against them. Their detractors continue to make
efforts at undercutting them; but they have prevailed and settled in office to
do what they have up their sleeves.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have made certain moves to “clean” the
administrative setup at the NPP national headquarters, removing from office
certain officials and bringing in others. Such moves have met stiff-necked
opposition from the Akufo-Addo camp and further strained relationships. Several
happenings have culminated in Afoko and Agyepong being branded as architects of
an “Agenda 2020” being pursued to dim Akufo-Addo’s light for the benefit of
Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, another target of calumny within the party and
denigrated as belonging to the Kufuor (Ashanti) faction. In effect, Afoko and
Agyei seem to have dug their own graves by taking actions they felt would
enhance the party’s electoral chances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pursuing that agenda, Afoko and Agyei
continued making moves that ended up in the fracas at the Bolgatanga meeting
that they had wanted to hold with the party’s officials in the Upper East
Region. We know the repercussion—the acid-bathing of Alhaji Adam Mahama, which
has turned out to be the death knell for Afoko and Agyepong. Spontaneous
reaction to the incident pinned both to the wall to be crucified. They have
ever since been trying to spring back but emerge as underdogs fighting the
whirlwind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Something ominous is happening in this cabal.
While Akufo-Addo has been quick to use events in the Upper East to stamp his
authority on that strand of the party’s make-up, announcing a 100,000 Cedi fund
for Alhaji Mahama and meeting the Upper East Regional executives of the party
to patch differences (at least, as reported in the news), he hasn’t done
anything concrete to prove that he is on the same page with Afoko and Agyepong.
His appeal to the militant group (“Invisible” or “Invincible” Forces—that
physically prevented Afoko and Agyepong from using their offices at the
national headquarters) to allow Afoko and Agyepong to have access to their
offices and work as such is a mere face-saving and deceptive manouevre. Those
“Forces” withdrew from the premises of the national headquarters; but have
Afoko and Agyepong been able to enter their offices to function as they had
been doing hitherto? No!!<br />
<br />
So, the reality is that Afoko and Agyepong are still not in the good books of
the Akufo-Addo camp. Having dug in and refused to resign, they are coasting
around as the NPP’s administrators. None of those intimidating them has
challenged the public utterances so far made by them, even in their status as
“persona non grata”. After all, the National Executive Committee, the Council
of Elders, the national officers, Regional and Constituency executives haven’t
come out with any follow-up statement rescinding their objection to their
continued holding of office as National Chairman and General Secretary. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means that Afoko and Agyepong have no locus
in the NPP. Are they acting ultra vires, then? Or are they truly doing things
as the substantive National Chairman and General Secretary, respectively,
despite the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads? Who in the NPP will
clarify issues for us to know whether Afoko and Agyepong have any capacity to
act as they are doing? Or are we to assume that they are still the “persona non
grata” that the agitations and machinations have made them but are acting in
the interest of the party all the same? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have Afoko and Agyei been given enough of the
“acid test” and cleansed of their alleged anti-Akufo-Addo element to now
function in wholehearted adulation of Akufo-Addo so they will do his bidding
for Election 2016? Is that the basis for their being accepted and allowed to
function as the party’s administrators? Otherwise, what is the basis for their
continued stay in office despite all the “tsunami” against them? Have they now
repented and been forgiven as such? Something is not adding up well here. Who
will shed light on the issue for us?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the NPP is not tattered and dysfunctional
at this point, then, it is more than dangerous for our kind of democracy. Is
there anybody in the NPP to clarify the issue for us? How can Afoko and
Agyepong continue to hold sway in the party after all that has happened to
prove to the whole world that they are “traitors” within and no more needed to
steer the affairs of the cabal? Are the NPP people accepting them as such and
hoping to win the hearts of Ghanaians? Do they think that this dangerous
ambivalence is good for their cause and that of Ghana? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In truth, one can draw a simple conclusion
from happenings in this NPP cabal. And the conclusion is best presented in
questions: Is there any more credibility for the NPP? Can these NPP people ever
solve any specific problem to prove that they have the acumen to rule Ghana?
What a comedy of errors to pooh-pooh!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-67430502469668447182015-06-19T23:13:00.005-07:002015-06-19T23:13:42.312-07:00In what capacity are Afoko and Agyepong acting now? (Part I)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday, June 18, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, let’s be blunt to say upfront that happenings
in the NPP regarding the status of Paul Afoko (National Chairman) and Kwabena
Agyei Agyepong (General Secretary) give us a comedy of errors to fear and not
enjoy. Here are two high-ranking party administrators declared as “enemies” and
chased out of office; yet, they are still doing things and making public
statements being followed by the party’s functionaries without question. The
NPP is grinding to a point of disrepute.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The rumpus rocking it, caused by agitations
against Afoko and Agyepong and their continued stay in office, portrays an
ambivalent picture of the entire NPP setup. It is a litmus test that the
leaders of the NPP, the Akufo-Addo camp instigating the agitations, and the
unwitting elements being used against Afoko and Agyepong have woefully failed.
And it portrays the NPP as a laughable political entity to be watched lest it
plunges the country into chaos if put in office. In politics, ambivalence
portends danger!!</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afoko and Agyepong are still at post. Despite
all the machinations against them, culminating in their being stained as the
masterminds behind the acid-bathing of Alhaji Adam Mahama and consequently
declared as “persona non grata” unfit to administer the affairs of the NPP,
their being physically debarred from entering their offices at the NPP’s
national headquarters to perform their legitimate duties, and their being ostracized,
Afoko and Agyepong are still standing tall in the workings of the NPP. By
digging in and refusing to resign as demanded by their detractors, they have
proved that they are no putty at all to be cajoled into submission. They have
stood their grounds and are standing tall to make statements that no one in the
NPP has dared to counteract.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kwabena Agyei gave instructions on how the
recent primaries to choose Parliamentary candidates should be conducted and
followed up to issue a stern warning to defeated aspirants, poking them in the
eye that any among them who chose to go independent would be dismissed from the
NPP. None of those butting heads with him and Afoko has reacted to his
authoritative moves as the General Secretary of the NPP. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He has also said that the 4% rise in the
prices of petroleum products is a confirmation (to him) of the Mahama-led
administration’s incompetence. I dismiss this utterance as balderdash aimed at
regaining lost grounds in the NPP camp. This kind of statement is characteristic
of rogue politicians. No more. But he chose this moment to spring back and be
accepted as the substantive General Secretary of the NPP. On the other hand, Paul
Afoko hasn’t been so loquacious; but he still stands tall as the party’s
National Chairman. On the flip side, all those bad-mouthing them and calling
for their heads have recoiled into their shells.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The National Executive Committee of the NPP,
the Council of Elders, the NPP MPs, National Officers, Regional Chairmen, Constituency
Executives, and ordinary members haven’t had the audacity to question Agyepong
on why he is still upholding himself as the General Secretary of the party and
performing functions that he might have been regarded as divested of. The
ambivalence is thick.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have Agyepong and Afoko been re-admitted into
confidence to perform their functions? Have they been cowed into submission
after the “baptism of fire” so they will work assiduously for Akufo-Addo? Or
have their detractors lost the fight, after all? The ambivalence is really puzzling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Against this background, I want to analyze
happenings in the NPP regarding the recent uproar and series of physical
actions against Afoko and Agyepong that have portrayed them as undesirables;
but that has also reflected negatively on the NPP itself as a divided front.
Such a broken home is not fit to rule Ghana, one might claim. I want to use the
rumpus concerning Afoko and Agyepong to question the problem-solving abilities
of the NPP’s leaders, seeking to prove that they are better at crying wolf and
damaging their own political interests than their political opponents can ever
do. The fault is within the NPP and its own leaders. I premise my analysis on two
questions: What is the status of Afoko and Agyepong in the NPP today? What
authority do they have to continue doing and saying things in the name of the
party after all that has been done to deflate them and make them unattractive
as administrators charged with mobilizing forces to put Akufo-Addo in power at
Election 2016?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is the context for my analysis. The
machinations leading to the declaration of Afoko and Agyepong as dangerous to
the Akufo-Addo agenda began many years ago when they were perceived as working
against the interest of William Nana Addo Danquah (Dankwa) Akufo-Addo, the
party’s third-time flagbearer. Without even providing any evidence to
substantiate the allegations against Afoko and Agyepong, their
detractors—easily identifiable as Akufo-Addo’s lackeys—did many things and splashed
much mud to soil their public image. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-79333693949080130642015-06-19T23:11:00.005-07:002015-06-19T23:11:27.718-07:00It is long past time to abolish the West African Examinations Council (WAEC)<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday, June 20, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the prevalence of malpractices in
examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is
nothing strange. It is perennial. In the era of the "O" and
"A" level exams, leakages occurred and students suffered the negative
backlash. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the tide changed for the basic level
(beginning with the Junior Secondary School part to be fused into the BECE at
the SSS level because of the continuous assessment process to determine
students' fate in the end), the malpractices haven't vanished. Instead, they
have calcified and turned the entire examination system into an
"auction", where those who know how to bid always win. And such
people are those with the means to influence those who have access to
examination papers/questions.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is happening today, resulting in the
cancellation of 5 papers may come across as "unprecedented" as the
NPP's Akufo-Addo has termed it (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/BECE-cancellation-unprecedented-Akufo-Addo-363483);
but it is nothing new. The leakage of exam papers in educational institutions
in our part of the world is legendary. It is part of the endemic system of
bribery and corruption.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can say with all certainty that it is more
the norm/rule than the exception. It is perpetrated by unscrupulous characters
in charge of conducting the examinations and lazy students who use the
influences of their lousy money-bag parents to buy their way through. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed, the problem has become intractable
because of its systemic nature. It exposes the WAEC as either an accomplice or
a helpless institution bedevilled. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are now being told stories about how the
leakage occurred; but we don't believe those stories, especially if we honestly
assess issues to conclude that those bent on exploiting the loopholes in the
system have tap roots in the system and fear no repercussions. They always have
access to the exam questions well in advance and establish networks to leak
them for personal gains. Such gains are shared across the chain of command!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The manner in which the WAEC organizes such
mass exams is itself questionable. It is anachronistic and unproductive in this
21st century. Right from those recruited to set the exam questions to the
printing presses that produce the exam papers to those who store those exam
papers for release to heads of institutions or security agencies that are
engaged to secure the papers for release on the day of the exams, a lot goes on
to irritate us. There is no single honest person to keep his or her mouth shut,
especially in difficult economic times when cheap means to make money through
orchestrated channels for leakage of those exam questions exist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why should it be difficult for the individual
countries to organize internal exams for their students? Is the WAEC anymore
relevant? I daresay here that the entire WAEC set-up is moribund and must be
scrapped at this point. The days when it was expedient to have a centralized
authority to examine students across English-speaking West Africa are long
gone, which invalidates the WAEC. Are we really moving with the times?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is that each member-country of the
WAEC has its own peculiarities in terms of human and material resources for the
education sector, not to talk about policies and human attitudes toward
education. What Ghanaians expect their wards to be exposed to at school will
not necessarily be the same for their counterparts in member-countries of the
WAEC. Of course, cultural factors and the overall experiences of the citizens
(granted that colonialism affected the various countries in different ways and
shaped national aspirations at independence and beyond) come to play here. Let’s
not forget the economic potential of the various countries too. What Nigeria
has, others lack. So, why should the field be equalized as if all is well
everywhere in the member-countries constituting the WAEC?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We take Nigeria as an example. Being the
regional superpower (even if degraded and humiliated by the home-grown Boko
Haram, which is against Western education and is devastating the country in
consequence), it is regarded as better-endowed than all the other
member-countries put together. But its system of education can’t be praised.
Remember the exodus of Ghanaian teachers in the late 1970s to boost that system
and you should be hitting a home run. Times have changed, which is why there
shouldn’t be any need for WAEC at all to continue frustrating efforts at
teaching, learning, and a genuine assessment/evaluation of students.<br />
<br />
We bring in also the economic burden, especially considering the huge fees that
students pay. By the end of the period, if these students cannot be supported
to give a good account of themselves just because unscrupulous people closely
connected to the WAEC itself have leaked exam questions/papers, we should be
the first to admit that a lot is going on wrong in our system. Nowhere in the
world have countries with varied and diverse experiences come together to
determine the Fate of students the way the WAEC is doing. What is preventing each
country from doing things to suit its own aspirations for development? Have we
even paused to assess what is happening in our neighbouring French-speaking
countries that have a common currency (the Franc) but aren’t enthusing over a
common strand to bind them in terms of education? How lazy haven’t we been all
these years? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point, I can say categorically that I
don’t see any need for a WAEC. Instead, there is need for every country to
fashion out its own system for examining its students at all the levels so that
teaching and learning can be customized to suit specific country needs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this approach, Ghana should have its own
mechanism for teaching and testing its students just as the other so-called
English-speaking countries constituting the WAEC (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The
Gambia, and Liberia) should. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In effect, I am asking for the abolition of
the WAEC. It is an empty shell that is gradually gathering nothing but moss to
worsen problems. If we consider how the overarching economic umbrella (ECOWAS)
has failed to ensure economic integration and progress in our sub-region, we
should be the first to fight for the abolition of the WAEC. It is dysfunctional
and must not continue to be supported to create problems of the sort that now
endanger the future of our students. The WAEC has lost its relevance and must
be scrapped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-56636312296206466842015-06-16T08:38:00.004-07:002015-06-16T08:38:46.174-07:00The NPP’s own flawed voters register undermines its credibility<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday, June 15, 2015</span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the NPP’s main beef against the electoral system in place
is that the voters register is bloated and shouldn’t be used in general elections.
It has accused the EC of incompetence on that score and made all kinds of ugly
noises all over the place, threatening to move heaven and hell for a credible
voters register to be put in place for Election 2016. As to what they will do
if their demand is not met, they know that they have only two options: go to
court or boycott the general elections. Either course of action has dire
consequences for it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being led by their pride and self-righteous acclamations that
they are “legal luminaries” and the cream of Ghana’s “interrectuals”, they will
snatch at the first option, which is to go to court to compel the EC to do
their bidding. They trust their friends in the Judiciary to fight that cause
for them; but it won’t be an easy choice. The court will need a lot more before
it before compelling the EC to clean up the existing register.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We saw what happened during the NPP’s useless petition hearing
and are well-informed about the technicalities involved, which will probably
disrupt the process. Any verdict by the court compelling the EC to do anything
about the register won’t be implemented as soon as given. It involves money and
other resources that aren’t available to the EC. It can’t even organize the
district-level elections for lack of such resources. So, why add more to its
burden? The court will have an uphill task if the NPP approaches it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On another note, what can anybody do if the EC fails or refuses
to do the court’s bidding? The snag is in sight, which makes any recourse to
the courts a mere formality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Option number two for the NPP is to boycott Election 2016 in
protest against the “flawed” register (in their own conception of issues). But
can they? Having invested so much in Election 2016 as the
be-it-all-and-end-it-all for them, can they boycott the elections just because
of concerns about a so-called faulty voters register? You, be the judge!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now comes the grand contradiction, emerging from their own camp
as revealed by their just-held primaries to choose Parliamentary candidates in
245 constituencies. Voting couldn’t take place in 30 others because of legal or
technical hitches. The ousting of 24 incumbent MPs from the list may raise some
people’s eyebrows but not mine. And I have good reasons to tear apart much of
what happened.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Defeated candidates attributed their loss to the very substance
underlying the NPP’s campaign of calumny against the Electoral Commission’s
handling of affairs: flawed voters register; malpractices during voting; plain
cheating; and the buying of voters’ conscience with inducements such as money,
material gifts, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a resounding chorus against the manipulation of the
voters register used for the primaries. Here are some instances:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. ASHAIMAN: Thomas Adongo
alleged the tampering of voters' register and claimed that the voters’ register
handed down from the regional party to the constituency was doctored. He
said deceased members of the party was replaced by certain persons at the
constituency working to ensure his defeat. He decried the lack of “principles”
and vowed to teach the NPP a lesson by going independent for Election 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. WEIJA GBAWE CONSTITUENCY:<span style="background: rgb(244, 244, 243);"> </span> The MP, Rosemond Comfort Abrah, has alleged a
grand conspiracy at the highest levels of the party to get her out of
parliament. She insisted that she has uncovered a plot to doctor the voters'
register to ensure her defeat. She said a copy of the register available to her
was the same as what was used in selecting the 2016 flagbearer back in October
2014. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ms. Abrah revealed that she
“suspected foul play” after realizing her picture on the register was removed
and replaced with that of a coordinator in the party. But on voting day, she
was shocked to discover that “they used a completely different album. What they
used was different.” “You could see that it was printed and implanted. It
lacked my picture anyway.” She has not called the winner to congratulate her
because “as for this one, it was clear…she hasn’t won”. (See
http://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/2015/June-15th/i-will-teach-them-a-lesson-failed-npp-mp-threatens.php#sthash.yvH8bAGj.dpuf)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">Let’s
hear her: “They have stolen it, they used a different album. Thieves, thieves…”
she shouted. “I’m not accepting the results, Tina Mensah hasn’t won. They have
used a different album for the voting,” she fumed. (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/politics/artikel.php?ID=362613)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.
NHYIASO CONSTITUENCY: Dr. Richard Anane insisted that the Electoral Commission
(EC) revealed some electoral fraud (over-voting and so many other things). As
reported, Dr. Anane confirmed claims that power in the NPP is being sought on
factional grounds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another
defeated candidate (Stephen Amoah) said the circumstances under which he lost
his bid in the Saturday election was a “dent on democracy”. According to him,
the balloting and counting of the votes was marred by flaws and obvious
inaccuracies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. <span style="background: white; color: #262626;">OFOASE-AYIREBI<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>CONSTITUENCY:
Irate youth resorted to violence in protest against the choice of Kojo
Oppong-Nkrumah and not their pre4ferred incumbent MP (John Obiri Yeboah)<span class="apple-converted-space">. They </span>accused the Benkumhene of the
traditional area Nana Acquah Frempong and another sub chief, Nana Asabro, of
taking bribes from<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Oppong-Nkrumah.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. ASOKWA CONSTITUENCY: <span style="background: white; color: #262626;">Maxwell Kofi Jumah’s vandalizing of the
voters register and other electoral materials may be immediately explained away
with his dissatisfaction at the open bias shown his rival (the incumbent MP) by
the delegates; but there is a lot more behind it all. He said he doubted the
credibility of the voters register being used.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The NPP Communications Director
Nana Akomea called on aggrieved aspirants to gather evidence and proceed to the
appropriate committee of the party for further investigations. But Mr. Adongo
rebuffed that urge, saying that using party structures is “useless”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The big picture
emerging from these isolated instances is clear: that the voters register is at
the heart of the problems that characterized the primaries. In that context, it
is fair and proper to wonder why after making so much ugly noise about such an
issue at the national level and focusing on it as its main political tool the
NPP cannot set a good example in-house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it cannot produce
and use a credible and reliable voters register in its own elections (for
reasons best known to its handlers), how can it go about condemning the EC and
setting it up for needless attack by its unwitting followers? Can the NPP
leaders tell us what the constraints are? Or are we to be left alone to assume
that the faulty voters register was purposefully used to sabotage the defeated
candidates? Why so?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We can infer from all
that has happened in the NPP camp that those complaining about the voters
register are doing so mainly as a political gimmick, having already realized
that they are not getting the traction they need to succeed in political mobilization
efforts. They are harping on the national voters register and blaming the EC as
part of their grand scheme to cast its work in doubt and prepare conditions for
howling and mischief if they lose again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Electoral victory is
won at the polls, not in court or through the boycott of elections. That is my
message for these desperate NPP “rogue” and “book” politicians. Democracy
demands a better and responsible behaviour than what they are putting up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that their own
lapses regarding the voters register have been exposed, what moral
justification do they have to continue painting the EC black? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-20722133235872218442015-06-16T08:36:00.002-07:002015-06-16T09:33:24.555-07:00Dr. Amoako-Baah sustains the NPP’s “Concert Party” shows<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tuesday, June 16, 2015</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, we are still waiting to hear from
President Mahama who will head the Electoral Commission when Dr. Kwadwo Afari
Gyan retires (His 70th birthday falls June 18 and staff of the EC have already
held a befitting durbar to honour him.).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have so far heard loud noises of protestation
from the NPP camp about the replacement and from so-called academics and others
doing politics disguised as civil or social work. The clergy haven't left
themselves out either. So have our traditional rulers.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In all the public utterances, only the
mainstream NPP members (be they the bigwigs or activists of any hue) have
issued warnings here and there on who should be the next EC Chair, behaving as
if they are already certain on who their choice should be and what they will do
in protest if their expectations are not met. They are behaving as if they
wield the clout. I laugh them to scorn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A so-called journalist has also rushed to the
Supreme Court, asking it to divest President Mahama of the constitutional
prerogative of appointing the EC Chair in consultation with the Council of
State. His suit is ridiculous in its intents and purposes, creating the
misguided impression that it is rather the Council of State and not the President
of the Republic of Ghana that has the prerogative to choose the EC Chair. This
kind of warped reasoning is laughable too.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then comes Dr. Richard Amoako-Baah whose
effusions aimed at boosting the NPP's electoral fortune rather end up exposing
him and the party to public scorn. We know him for his anti-Mahama stance. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the latest of his series of inane public
comments on Ghana's democracy, he is reported to have urged President
Mahama and members of the Council of State not to replace Dr. Afari-Gyan with
any of his deputies. His reason?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"... due to the disappointing performance
of officials of the electoral commission in the 2012 elections, which he said
was fraught with errors, none of his deputies deserves to be given the nod to
replace Afari-Gyan".<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is also reported to have said that “I hope
a new person comes in and I hope we get a new person and we don’t get somebody
already with the Commission because every institution has a culture and if
Afari-Gyan and his deputies have been there for a long time it is not likely
they are going to depart too far away from the way he did things.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I think somebody from outside should be
brought in with new ideas, new foresight, imagination and peculiar ways of
solving the electoral problems of Ghana.” (See
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=362821)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY REACTION<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(a) "...The disappointing performance of
officials of the electoral commission in the 2012 elections..."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The disappointing performance of officials of
the electoral commission in the 2012 elections? Is this man really worth his
career as a political thinker? Where was he when Dr. Afari Gyan and his team
organized Elections 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008? Did he see any fault at
such elections?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Citing Election 2012 as the basis for his
outright damnation of Dr. Afari Gyan and his team is so hollow as to make me
wonder how this Amoako-Baah really thinks. It also reveals his prejudiced and
jaundiced NPP stance, which tells me how he is chafing and losing sleep at the
outcome of Election 2012, which is likely to be repeated at Election 2016
because the NPP has changed for the better to warrant its being preferred by
the electorate. Can he not see how that political house of cards is falling on
itself?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(b) "... every institution has a culture
and if Afari-Gyan and his deputies have been there for a long time it is not
likely they are going to depart too far away from the way he did
things..."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does this Amoako-Baah not know that the
organizational culture of the institution is not shaped and shaved by the head
of that organization and his team alone and that the organization itself is
controlled by the constitutional provisions establishing it and detailing its
responsibilities? That the culture prevailing at the EC is the making of the
1992 Constitution?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or that all human beings constituting the
livewire of that institution bring their experiences together to shape the
culture of the institution? Or that the culture of the EC isn't the making of
its EC Chair alone? Or that the human beings working in the EC cannot overnight
change the culture of the institution just to serve the purposes of a
particular political party? Warped thinking again on Amoako-Baah's part.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(c) "... I think somebody from outside
should be brought in with new ideas, new foresight, imagination and peculiar
ways of solving the electoral problems of Ghana..."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Will that "somebody from outside"
work alone or with subordinates duly appointed to serve the country at the EC?
Or will that "somebody from outside" be a dictator who will know more
than everybody else does about how the EC should function? Or will that
"somebody from outside" claim to be more Ghanaian than everybody else
to do miraculous things to boost Ghana's democracy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, Amoako-Baah has failed to know that
team-work is what the EC needs, not the whims and caprices of any individual at
the helm of its affairs. The EC operates within the ambit of the 1992
Constitution, which clearly stipulates its responsibilities. Be it a
Constitutional Instrument or a Legislative Instrument to facilitate its work,
the EC functions as prescribed by the Constitution. It doesn't really need a
"One-man-show" type of administration to serve Ghana's interests.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me say at this point that much of what is
coming from these desperate NPP politicians and their apologists in academia,
the clergy, chieftaincy institution, or anywhere else, easily betrays their
desperation. No matter what they think and say, when it comes to the crunch,
President Mahama will appoint whoever comes up as capable of steering the
affairs of the EC. If they don't like it, they can dive into the Atlantic Ocean
and end it all there. Ghana will move on without them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On another note, what will they do if
President Mahama decides to retain Dr. Afari Gyan while still looking around
for his replacement? Use it as evidence to support their claim that both are
colluding to the NDC's advantage? Take to the streets? Vandalize anything in
sight? Acid-bath Dr. Afari Gyan too?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What kind of desperation is making these NPP
people so "mad"? To me, the real issue is not the EC Chair but the
kind of political outreach that the NPP is expected to do to prevail over the
electorate. With all the transparency that we see guiding the electoral process
(especially before, during, and after voting when the ballots are openly
counted and the results tallied and announced), any fixation on the EC Chair is
misplaced. Elections are won at the polls, not in the closet of the EC Chair!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #373e4d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The emphasis should rather be on how to do
politics to win over the electorate. I don't think that the NPP people know
what to do, which is why they are wasting time and energy diverting attention.
They are really pitiable at this stage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #141823;">I am surprised that this Dr. Amoako-Baah and his NPP cohorts
are not asking for the Deputies at the EC to be replaced with new ones so the
existing culture at the EC will vanish with them when Dr. Afari Gyan leaves. In
that sense, then, we will have a new team at the EC (the Chair and Deputies)
for a new culture to be cultivated to suit him and his NPP cabal.</span><span style="color: #373e4d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-52258148283942912902015-06-15T14:27:00.004-07:002015-06-15T14:27:29.952-07:00Did Sudan's Omar Bashir flee from arrest In South Africa or...?<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday, June 15, 2015</span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, those of us who have been critical about the one-sided
activities of the International Criminal Court (ICC) haven't hidden our
concerns about its fixation on only African leaders or politicians and their
prominent backers in its hunt for so-called war criminals. We have made our
voices heard and accused the UN itself of being at the beck-and-call of those
funding it to turn a blind eye to the horrendous happenings involving them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any talk of war crimes will not be complete without the
inclusion of happenings in Libya, Iraq, and many others for which the real war
criminals are known but remain untouchable. The UN's blind eyes don't see them
nor do its deaf ears hear the cries of living victims or the relatives of the
perished. Whole countries and systems not working in favour of the paymasters
of the UN have been devastated and turned into breeding grounds for terrorism
(Libya on my mind now!!); yet, the UN is so narrowly focused on pursuing
African leaders as to make itself irrelevant to Africa in our time.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The focus is on Sudan's Omar Bashir, who left Khartoum for the
Africa Union conference in South Africa and was given a rousing welcome there.
On the flip side, the ICC and the UN's ever-sleeping-on-the-job Ban Ki-Moon
called for his arrest and a Pretoria Court went ahead to issue an order
restraining him from leaving the country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the time the Court gave its verdict for his arrest and
consequent transfer to the custody of the ICC, Omar Bashir had left the country
and returned to his safe haven in Khartoum. How he left confounded the South
Africans; but information revealed that the plane took off from a military base
in South Africa. An earlier manifest on passengers leaving didn't have Bashir's
name.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know if the AU conference is still going on; but I know
that it was the AU that invited Bashir to the conference. Was it a trap set for
him so he would be arrested and handed over to the ICC? Not at all, clearly
because the AU itself is strongly opposed to the manner in which the ICC does
things as if Africa is its sole purview. Although many African countries
(including South Africa) are signatories to the ICC charter on war crimes,
their stiff opposition to the modus operandi and purview of the ICC makes me
believe that the AU wasn't in any position to entrap Bashir. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His departure from South Africa is said to be poised to create a
constitutional problem for the country. Whatever the consequence may be, Bashir
is back home. But did he cut short his stay in South Africa to evade arrest? A
clever move or a cowardly one?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What would have been the implications for Sudan and South Africa
had Bashir been arrested and handed over to the ICC as being demanded? And by
slipping out of the country, has Bashir put South Africa in a bad light to
attract sanctions from the international community?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether the South African government is bracing up for any
sanctions or not, the fact that Bashir wasn’t arrested by it on its soil speaks
volumes to ginger up action against the ICC’s narrow focus on Africa. In a
world torn apart by the bellicose posturing and flexing of military muscles by
leaders using their countries’ military, political, ideological, and economic
capabilities to torment others in the name of an elusive democracy, any
fixation on happenings in Africa (as has been the case all these years despite
persistent protestations) renders the UN and its ICC mere lackeys of the real war
criminals who are being shielded by their powerful systems and allies. It is
awfully glaring!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #141823;">African governments/leaders must not just condemn the ICC over
its biased attention toward them (or at least, those among them targeted for
arrest and prosecution as war criminals). They must not indulge in the kind of
dry rhetoric that won’t change the focus of the ICC. They need to come together
to take concerted actions for a drastic change so the ICC can operate globally,
not only against them in Africa. Only then will their complaints against the
ICC and refusal to do what Bashir has run away from be meaningfully registered
and felt. Only then will the UN and its backers re-consider the tactical
manouevres of the ICC against war criminals. Anything short of that will not
bring about the change that African leaders expect to see in the ICC. Truly,
Bashir has given us something to ponder.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-69207202606858696782015-06-10T20:53:00.005-07:002015-06-10T20:53:42.301-07:00Is it really nobler to be a chief than a politician in Ghana?<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wednesday, June 10, 2015</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the
controversy surrounding the status of Robert Nachinab Doameng Mosore, NPP MP
for Talensi, seems to be coming to an end with his choice to be a Paramount
Chief of Talensi and not a politician (MP). (See<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myjoyonline.com%2Fnews%2F2015%2FJune-9th%2Fit-is-nobler-to-be-chief-than-a-politician-mp-turned-chief-confesses.php&h=KAQG0usS8&enc=AZNAqQl8LddnUecMBEkgSRtnm6p1Fg2-V3wkI9rtDY_DxCOXzMppaNIK-27o20H0zbWIMsDW6qv2TcUnvTETxkwQqMsOTUWCczgFY2cZSM8-wIwzW5Q0ALAxzyftpoKHHmsb1_YnVUHBRyz9u8VaLj3xPHnHC1_ekHoKt-84rOKv29Ld4vy3PqGs-4ZFadPhgqQ&s=1" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3b5998; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">http://www.myjoyonline.com/…/it-is-nobler-to-be-chief-than-…</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1992
Constitution is clear on why a traditional ruler shouldn't be involved in
partisan politics and why some chiefs seeking to be politicians have quickly
relinquished their chiefly status to engage in partisan politics for weal or
woe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even though the
late Dr. Hilla Limann of Gwolu was our President in the Third Republic, we
didn't bat our eyelids when he doubled as a chief and a politician before being
kicked out of office in the Rawlings-led putsch. Many others in the PNDC era
come to mind: Nana Akuoko Sarpong of Asante Agogo; Nana Obuadom (Mr. E.G.
Tandoh); former Nandom Naa Konku Polku Chiiri; and many others actively
participated in politics for good or bad.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1992
Constitution draws the line between what a chief/queenmother should be in terms
of partisan politics and his/her status as a traditional ruler. The records
have the late Paul Nkensen Arkaah, Nenyi of an area in the Winneba Traditional
Area, relinquishing his chiefly status to do active politics, becoming the Vice
President of Ghana. When he lost favour in politics, he regained it in
chieftaincy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The former CEO
of the National Sports Council (Alhaji Nurudeen Jawula) did same but lost the
game. Miscalculations can be disastrous in the turbulent waters of Ghanaian
politics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some
chiefs/queenmothers have done their best to outwit the system, doing partisan
politics all over the place but being cunning not to vie for political office.
They are known for showing their political colours yet denying everything on
that score. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This dichotomy
of partisan politics and chieftaincy leaves one wondering whether being a
"professional" politician or a chief/queenmother means anything noble
at all. Just as politicians attract uncomplimentary public comments so do the
chiefs/queenmothers too. Records show how unscrupulous some chiefs/queenmothers
can be; and some of our politicians have turned out to be criminals. What makes
the difference is difficult to determine. The chieftaincy institution in our
time is riddled with impropriety; and politics in Ghana is muddy because of the
shadiness surrounding it. So, who determines what is noble about either?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, we
know that in the strict conceptualization and practices of chieftaincy in
Ghana, the chief is regarded as an embodiment of everything—political,
economic, spiritual, moral, social, cultural, ideological—everything that
constitutes, shapes and shaves the identity of the people represented by that
chiefly authority. In that sense, then, it is difficult to separate the
chief/queenmother as a traditional ruler from anything with a political tinge.
The chief is already a politician-in-disguise and no one should be fooled that
they are not.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The introduction
of western-style political administration may have endangered the Ghanaian
chieftaincy institution and whittled away the powers of the
chiefs/queenmothers; but the truth is that the institution is still heavily
invested with politics. That is why all the politicians seek the favour of traditional
rulers to remain in contention. Who can, then, say that the chiefs/queenmothers
don't matter when it comes to partisan politics?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether they
personally indulge in politics or use their ventriloquists in many fields of
human endeavour (pastors, teachers, herbalists, etc.), their influence is felt.
No one in his/her proper frame of mind can under-rate the influence of the
traditional rulers and hope to make it in Ghanaian politics. Do the politicians
not owe allegiance to their respective chiefs in their hometowns? In effect,
then, the chiefs/queenmothers are difficult to take down in partisan politics.
Their influence is everywhere<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But to the main
issue now: Is it more beneficial to the traditional ruler to abstain from
politics or to shed off the traditional ruler coat and become a professional
politician? What can a chief do alone without recourse to the MP for his area?
Can a chief make the desired impact without falling back on the politicians in
a symbiotic relationship of sorts? Why isn't chieftaincy mixing with partisan
politics? Do we have an oil-and-water paradox here to untangle?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The case of
Robert Nachinab Doameng Mosore, NPP MP for Talensi (who is now relishing his
new status as the Paramount Chief of Talensi) brings to sharp focus the
implications of the dichotomy. He is saying that it is nobler to be a chief
than a politician. What has he seen, felt, or heard to make him think this way?
Is he confirming long-held negative opinions that Ghanaian politics is full of
nonsense? Why now? I wonder, especially because of the controversy surrounding
this MP’s about-turn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the NDC
Majority side in Parliament questioned happenings regarding his metamorphosis
from a politician to a traditional ruler and asked that he be removed from
Parliament, the NPP Minority cried wolf. It has taken him a long time to come
to this decision to leave Parliament and his seat has been declared vacant.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, in
our Fourth Republic, politics has become a never-ending series of mudslinging;
and our Legislature has particularly drawn attention to itself as a weak link
in the chain of democracy. Records show the sordid things done by MPs and the
uselessness of Parliament itself in helping solve pertinent problems. Yet, many
are abandoning their chosen careers to do politics!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Should we agree
with the Talensi chief that being a paramount chief is nobler than being a
politician in Ghana? What is that NOBILITY at all? Folks, here is an MP turning
round to cast such a huge slur on Ghanaian politicians. His swipe at Parliament
itself is gripping. But over all, what can a chief and a politician do to
improve living standards of the people? After all, the essence of leadership—be
it in the sense of a chief or a politician—is to use the resources of the land
for the good of the people. As the situation is now, neither the chief nor the
politician can claim to have succeeded. So, wherein lies nobility? Enough food
for thought already?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Eptember4" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-49952447872210855442015-06-09T07:35:00.002-07:002015-06-09T07:35:20.657-07:00No Ghanaian should be a guinea pig for Ebola experiments<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tuesday, June 9, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, you must
already have heard the news report about the trial of a vaccine for the deadly
Ebola that is either already being done in Ghana or is about to be done. When I
first heard about this experiment, I cringed seriously for many reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. When Ebola struck
Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea (the three worst affected in the West African
sub-region), Ghanaians panicked and prayed hard that the disease shouldn't
spread to the country. Indeed, many measures were taken, especially in
connection with citizens of the affected countries travelling to Ghana or in
terms of Liberians living in the Buduburam camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. The Ghanaian
government rallied all agencies under the Ministry of Health to prepare for any
case occurring in Ghana, especially after some alleged "victims" had
been taken through diagnosis and proved negative. The panic mode persisted for
long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. President Mahama
personally participated in relief efforts and visited Sierra Leone (refusing to
shake hands with that country's President at the time---fear of contracting
Ebola?).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. At the
government's initiative, Ghana became the command and control centre for the
Ebola relief efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Ghanaian health
officials physically participated in efforts to solve the Ebola problem in the
affected countries. None contracted Ebola.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the end of the
day, no Ghanaian contracted Ebola; no Ghanaian is on record as having died from
Ebola. As the United Nations declared the affected countries as being free of
Ebola, the world heaved a huge sigh of relief. The disease came from
no-one-knows-where and left in its trail massive devastation. The affected
countries are still counting the cost, even as the rest of the world prays that
Ebola shouldn't recur.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, here is the main
issue. At the time that Ebola was destroying lives in those countries, Ghana's
main health problem was cholera, which killed many in the Greater-Accra Region
and some parts of the country. The government did its best but the problem
persisted. The threat of recurrence is high now, especially following the
massive flooding that is compounding environmental problems all over the
country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of a sudden, we
are confronted with an experiment on Ebola in Ghana, which makes me wonder
whether Ghanaians and their leaders are really thinking right. The news report
is that "clandestine attempts are being made by health authorities in the
country to experiment the vaccines at Hohoe in the Volta region of Ghana".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">StarrFMonline.com
sources revealed that the Hohoe midwifery training school has been selected for
the project. As part of an enticement package, students who will allow
themselves to be used as ‘guinea pigs’ for the exercise , according to the
highly placed source, will be given GHc 200 and a cell phone as reward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Medical sources have
told StarrFMonline.com that the exercise could be catastrophic on its host if
not handled well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Ghana Academy of
Arts and Sciences, Coalition for Ghana’s Independence Now (CGIN) and the Volta
regional branch of the ruling NDC have all spoken against the exercise and
called on government to step in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the Food and
Drugs Authority (FDA) has refuted claims that the impending Ebola vaccine trial
in Ghana will harm persons who will be used as subjects for the exercise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(See it all here:
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=361484).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY COMMENTS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only one overarching
question: Why should the vaccines on Ebola be experimented on people in Ghana
instead of countries that Ebola attacked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clearly, using
Ghanaians as guinea pigs for this Ebola vaccine experiment is insulting and
misguided. It is unethical, immoral, and despicable, especially if we consider
what is being used as an inducement for participants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If no Ghanaian
suffered from Ebola and if the government's assurance that the country is not
prone to an Ebola attack should be believed, what is the justification for
conducting such an experiment on Ghanaians in Ghana?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, do you see how
stupid our people and their leaders can be? I am being blunt here and won't
apologize for using "harsh language". The truth is that someone is
positioned to exploit the situation, using Ghanaians as specimens. Why should
it be so?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the heat of the
Ebola attack, we heard rumours about the cause and saw why citizens of the
United States, Britain, and Spain attacked by Ebola were flown home and taken
care of while Africans died. We heard all kinds of theories and allegations
that Ebola was man-made---an experiment by the "whiteman" gone wrong.
If it were so, can anybody in his/her right frame of mind agree that Ghanaians
be used as guinea pigs for experimenting an Ebola vaccine, even when no Ebola
threat is imminent or evident in Ghana? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why not send the
Ebola vaccines for experimentation in countries ravaged by Ebola and still
prone to its resurgence, not where Ebola is not felt? Experimental or not, this
exercise is misplaced and must not be allowed to take place in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the government is
looking on unconcerned or tacitly supporting it? Aoooooooooo, my people!!! What
is happening? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is not for lack of
knowledge that you will perish; it is for lack of commonsense, propriety,
decency, and responsible behaviour on the part of those managing affairs and
blindly leading you into the ditch. Why are Ghanaians and their leaders so easy
to outwit---to initiative self-created problems only to turn round to blame
others for the unbearable consequences? It is really sickening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-76573687621284090922015-06-01T06:53:00.006-07:002015-06-01T06:53:46.207-07:00Why is the government setting such a bad example?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday,
June 1, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks,
much has been said about the government’s handling of the country’s finances,
which speaks volumes. There is much concern that things are not being done
properly, which is why the government is either borrowing funds from sources
and not accounting for such funds. We have heard about the government’s
inability or failure to sustain the GETFUND, to pay workers’ contributions to
SSNIT, to release funds to the NHIS, to provide funds for the Schools Feeding
Programme, and many more. It is more than alarming. Why should it be so?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today,
we are being told that the “government has defaulted in the payment of workers
contribution to the Tier 2 pension scheme, to the tune of GH¢1billion—plunging
the state into a nonpayment crisis”. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Employment and
Labour said so.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According
to the news report, this liability adds to the GH¢288 million owed the Social
Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) as the Tier-1 operator while the
government continues to borrow from salaried workers by running arrears. Mr.
Iddrisu told Parliament that the debts will be cleared by cash and bond
issuance at an unspecified future.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“It
is true that the state owes SSNIT and the second-tier contribution. Government
owes SSNIT GH¢288million as at April 2015, but it has honoured its obligations
from 2010 up to April this year. In respect of the second tier, there is an
outstanding of not less than GH¢1billion and the Ministry of Finance through
cash and bond issuance is working to honour the obligations,” he said. (See <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=360414">http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=360414</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY
COMMENTS<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What
is wrong with the government? Managing public funds so those shedding their sweat,
blood, and tears to feed the national coffers can get their money’s worth and
be assured that they are not being undermined is a major responsibility in a
democracy. From what has been reported so far, there seems to be something
seriously wrong with the government’s handling of funds, which is dampening the
spirits of the tax payers and fuelling dangerous speculation that “a
create-and-loot” agenda is being implemented.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At
no other time in our 4<sup>th</sup> Republic have we heard so much about the
government’s liability regarding borrowing of funds from such non-traditional
sectors or being unable to provide funds to statutory institutions to function.
And the government’s failure to explain issues in a timely manner is not only
irritating but it also feeds the rumour machine and its opponents to do dirty
politics. What at all is happening? We are seriously apprehensive and are
sitting on thorns. What again will we be told about such liabilities in other
sectors? The government isn’t giving a good account of itself on this score.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What
have the funds borrowed from those sectors been used for? Development projects?
Which of them? How were the development projects determined and initiated
without any prior planning regarding the sources of funding? Or what else could
have forced the government to do what it has done so far to raise eyebrows? To
pay workers’ salaries because of shortfalls in earnings (meaning robbing Peter
to pay Paul)? Someone in government has a lot of explaining to do here and now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
is mandatory for employers to send workers’ social security contributions to
SSNIT; and the government—being the largest employer of workers in Ghana—has
the responsibility to set a good example. If it fails to do so, what moral or
legal justification will there be for the State to prosecute other employers
who fail to do so? (I have the example of Mr. Aggudey of Goldcrest in mind. No
wonder that he was set free for weird reasons!!). Who will go to court to
compel the government to come clean?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I emphasize here that the government is being grossly
irresponsible and must bow its head in shame. This kind of attitude doesn’t
cultivate a good public image for it nor will it grab any political capital for
it. It demoralizes the citizens and carves a very bad name for it. Immediate
steps must be taken to reverse this trend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mr.
Iddrisu’s opinion that “the Ministry of Finance through cash and bond issuance
is working to honour the obligations” is equally annoying just for the fact
that issuing cash and bonds won’t serve any long-term purpose as far as
management of the economy is concerned. It is just like the negative practice
by some unscrupulous District/Municipal/Metropolitan Chief Executives to invest
public funds allocated to their Assemblies by the District Assemblies Common
Fund Administration in treasury bills and then turn out to reap the profits. It
is a rip off to be condemned. Such a practice amounts to outright stealing and
shouldn’t be tolerated in a democracy like ours. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clearly,
the government has a lot of explaining to do to assuage doubts, fears, and
concerns about its style of managing public funds. It is expected to take
practical action to solve such problems if it wants to retain whatever public
goodwill there is left for it. As soon as issues of this sort crop up, they set
tongues wagging in all directions and erode public confidence in the
government. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
have said it several times already that a democracy thrives on a sound economy
because democracy is expensive to operate. And if the government doesn’t handle
public funds properly to assure the citizens that their sacrifices and
contributions are protected and being used for the right cause, it creates the
fertile ground for sabotage. We have come a long way to become resilient and
don’t want to be pushed to the wall, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If workers' pension issues are not responsibly
handled, there is no way anybody can expect productivity to be raised. After
all, why does one "kill" oneself to work? Not for a secure future on
retirement because one expects to enjoy the fruit of one's labour over many
years of dedicated service to country and people?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Ghana, those due for pension are always
wary of their post-office lives because of the sordid manner in which pension
issues are handled. The administrators of the pension scheme make matters worse
when they frustrate the would-be pensione(e)rs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through subterfuge and plain sabotage, files
get missing, negative tactics are used to extort money from those poor would-be
pensione(e)rs before documents are processed for them to be paid the peanuts
due them, and many other nasty techniques are used to frustrate them. Some die
in consequence without enjoying the fruit of their labour while some covert
schemes exist for unscrupulous people to siphon away their benefits. In Ghana,
then, reaching the point of retirement is more than nightmarish. It is a death
sentence passed on the individual by the system. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The government must not add to the woes of
such people. Doing so is the height of heartlessness; it is more than
demoralizing; it is criminal. And someone must be taken to task. Mr. Iddrisu
must tell us what we need to know: Who gave the directive for such funds to be
misappropriated? What exactly were such funds used for? How are they to be
reimbursed? Many more questions will be raised for the government to respond
to. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one should
under-estimate the enormity of this liability. It is a disincentive to the
workers and must be condemned outright. Such a practice must stop forthwith.
Our Parliament should have taken up this matter long before now; but because it
is a deadwood, it cannot. Its inability to do so is our bane in this kind of
lame democracy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-31978940884225311072015-06-01T06:52:00.001-07:002015-06-01T06:52:49.487-07:00The NPP’s “Invisible Forces” must be tackled immediately<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday,
May 30, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Events culminating
in the nastiness tearing the NPP apart have been long in the offing. They have
been fuelled by deep-seated self-seeking manouevres, self-righteousness
portrayals, and self-serving manipulations. I lay the blame at the doorstep of
Akufo-Addo whose persistence to have things done as he wishes has deepened
factionalism in the party and resulted in his followers’ bitter opposition to
the tenure of Paul Afoko (National Chairman) and Kwabena Agyepong (General
Secretary). The remote causes of this open show of hatred for Afoko and
Agyepong can be traced to their supposed dislike for Akufo-Addo and a so-called
covert “Agenda 2020” to botch his attempts at winning Election 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the immediate cause is the
acid-bathing of Alhaji Adam Mahama, which is now spelling their doom, even
though nothing has emerged so far to prove their complicity in a crime
committed by people other than Afoko and Agyepong. Solving this problem is an
uphill task; and as is being suggested, no one in the NPP seems ready or
capable of dousing the fire that is consuming both its setters and their
opponents. After all, who among the so-called NPP bigwigs is not either an
Akufo-Addo follower or what?</span></div>
<a name='more'></a> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no neutral person in
this case. And who says that those digging deep into their factions will listen
to a neutral voice? So, the internal crisis will deepen, more so when the
flagbearer has chosen to sideline the embattled Afoko and Agyepong (as we saw during
his press conference) and is pretending to know nothing about why they are
being chased out of office. In any case, Akufo-Addo’s approach to the internal
crisis won’t be the solution because he is a prime-mover of this very crisis.
Let’s leave him to stew in his own mischief, then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But we won’t lose sight of one
very important fallout from this crisis. Apart from endangering our democracy,
if the crisis in this opposition camp intensifies, it will call into question
many other developments that have a serious national security interest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until the physical acts against
Afoko and Agyepong began, none in the public knew of the existence of any
“private security group” formed by the NPP to act as we’ve seen. The “Invisible
Forces” (otherwise called “Invincible Forces”) is that security setup, which
quickly seized the NPP’s national headquarters and vowed to prevent Afoko and
Agyepong from entering their offices therein to do assignments. We heard <span style="background: white; color: #262626;">the threats coming from Dennis Ahmed
(Vice Chairman of the group) and cringed for several reasons. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
heard also the official comments from the constitutionally established national
security apparatus, especially the Ghana Police Service, on how they were
handling the security situation surrounding the rumpus in the NPP. Fortunately,
the Ghana Police Service chose not to cross any line by physically inserting
its personnel in the situation. Thus, no awkward event occurred between the
police and personnel of the NPP’s “Invisible Forces”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today,
we have been told that members of the “Invisible Forces” have heeded
Akufo-Addo’s call and deserted the NPP headquarters to allow Afoko and Agyepong
to enter their offices to work for the party. Huh?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How
can Afoko and Agyepong return to their offices after all that has happened?
After 8 of the 10 regional branches of the NPP have “dismissed” them from
office and the NPP’s Council of Elders has written to them to step aside so
peace could prevail in the party? After they have already been declared unfit
to work for the party? Are they being entrapped? Another acid-bathing in the
making? We wait to see what happens.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But
while we wait, we won’t lose sight of the activities of the “Invisible Forces”.
Since when has this private security group being in existence? Who formed it
and who finances it may not be difficult to ascertain, especially if we see it
as an NPP militant group to fight its cause.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where
is this group located? Where does it do its recruitment and training? Who are
the trainers? What logistics/resources does the group have and how are these
resources procured and stored?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
are asking these questions because we know what such groups constitute. They
are nothing but cells that incubate noxious characters available for use by
political malcontents. They are characters who are easily bought and used to
terrorize systems.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
am not surprised that the NPP has such a group, clearly because I recall very
well in the late 1990’s when the late Major Courage Quashigah made moves to
establish “a private army” for the NPP. Those who don’t know it need to know it
rightaway that such a move was very dangerous for the country because it sought
to create a parallel security organization with the sole purpose of defending
the interests of the NPP, although Ghana already has the appropriate security
institutions to handle any situation in the country demanding security
measures. I lost track of the Quashigah-inspired intention and haven’t been in
Ghana that much to know how it ended.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But
the emergence of this “Invisible Forces” reignites my interest in that
development. Of course, there are many private security organizations operating
in Ghana, providing security for installations and institutions at the behest
of the owners of such structures. I believe that the owners of such private
security organizations went through laid-down processes to register their
groups and that their employees have been vetted and given the green-light to
function as such. They are not aligned to political parties nor have they been
mobilized to do what the NPP’s “Invisible Forces” have just done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #262626;">That
is why the case of the NPP’s “Invisible Forces” reveals something disturbing</span>. I know full well that militancy
is the main motivation for such a group and that misfits kicked out from the
mainstream national security apparatus are easy targets for recruitment. Disaffected
retired military personnel embittered against the NDC administration over the
years won’t be left out either. Unsuccessful applicants to the national
security system are also easy targets. There are many other avenues for
recruitment of characters to feed this “Invisible Forces”, which we should
know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In effect, my beef is that the
“Invisible Forces” has already established itself as the NPP’s militant arm and
must be closely monitored by the authorities. It must be thoroughly
investigated and the appropriate actions taken to neutralize it if, indeed,
facts reveal its true intents and purposes—to serve as the military wing of the
NPP. Who doesn’t know how militancy is used by desperate politicians to cause
trouble at election time or thereafter? Ghana doesn’t need this kind of
militancy. It is the ballot box that must determine electoral Fate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am seriously urging the
government to take immediate steps to do the right thing. Intriguing enough,
the so-called security experts (especially Kwasi Anning of the Kofi Annan
Peacekeeping Institute, or whatever it is) haven’t said anything on this
development. They appear not to know the implications of the existence and operations
of such a group (“Invisible Forces”) but will be the first to condemn anything
done by the mainstream security apparatus that they think has political
implications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We shouldn’t wait for groups of
this sort to become entrenched before acting to eradicate them. The factors
promoting the terrorist groups in Africa (especially Boko Haram) are known. In
our case in Ghana, religion may not be a motivation. It is political discontent
and murderous intolerance that will engender such militant groups. From what
has happened so far, I can say with all certainty that there is a lot happening
that the government must sit up to address. I call for immediate action to dig
into the existence of the “Invisible Forces” and to ensure that anything it
does is monitored and exposed, especially in the interest of national security.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the time for the Bureau
of National Investigation and other official security institutions capable of
doing intelligence work to go to the field. They should move away from their
desktop activities and activate their agent networks. In civilized democracies,
institutions of their ilk are depended on and funded to do what national
security and intelligence work entails. Their personnel distinguish themselves
through pinpointed intelligence gathering, not competing with half-baked
journalists for press releases to be able to write public reaction reports to
the government. They distinguish themselves by being poles ahead of nation
wreckers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the necessary groundwork is
not done to set things right, we shouldn’t complain when nasty events happen
during the main electioneering campaign season. We shouldn’t blame anybody if
Election 2016 is characterized by violence. We shouldn’t appeal to the United
Nations for help to solve security problems if, after the general elections,
everything goes haywire if the defeated power-hungry candidate turns to
militant groups to do his bidding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that the NPP people are
saying that unlike what they did after Election 2012, they won’t go to court
after Election 2016. Not to impute an ill-motive to them, though, let me ask
them where they intend to go. From what is unfolding, I have a hunch that they
know what they have up their sleeves. If the implosion threatening their camp
is anything to go by, I can foresee doom for them at Election 2016. What will
they do? This is the time for action, folks!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-58769300202944405192015-05-28T19:14:00.003-07:002015-05-28T19:14:49.073-07:00Prof. H. Kwesi Prempeh exposes the NPP as incapable of governing Ghana<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday, May 28, 2015</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks,
the rampaging going on in the NPP won’t end anytime soon because it has a
deep-seated genesis, fuelled by many factors at the emergence of the NPP from
the ashes of the Danquah-Busia Club, and nurtured by the political philosophy
woven around the Asante/Akyem/Brong-Ahafo origins of its Godfathers (J.B.
Danquah and K.A. Busia).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That
political philosophy revolved around the two personalities until adroit means
were found by their latter-day adherents to add a “Dombo” afterthought to it in
a vain attempt to entice our compatriots of Northern Ghana extraction who might
bite the bait to create the impression that they are an integral part of the “Kabonga”
NPP. Of course, S.D. Dombo did his best to advance the cause of the United
Party but hasn’t been given as much prominence as the Akyem Danquah and
Brong-Ahafo Busia.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly
enough, political developments in parts of the Brong-Ahafo Region (especially
Wenchi) of late prove that support for Busia is fast declining. We can’t say
that the name “Dombo” has in any way added any political capital to the NPP
either. That of Danquah is only being sustained because of the emergence of Akufo-Addo;
but even then, that has turned out to be a mere political fluff. Thus,
exploiting the names behind the “Danquah-Busia-Dombo” political philosophy in
itself is valueless. Unfortunately, the main players in the NPP’s political
game don’t see it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They
are fast tearing their party apart and creating the impression that they are a
national security threat and not characters to be relied on to take over from
the NDC administration. From what has happened so far—and will continue to
happen and expose them as opportunists—I believe strongly that Ghanaians will
not want to jump from the frying pan right into the searing fire that the NPP
constitutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That
is why the ongoing internal crisis has attracted much concern from the party’s
own front and outside it. No one really knows how this crisis can be resolved;
but many know that the crisis will deepen, especially as the trading of
accusations and physical confrontations intensifies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Against
this background, Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh (someone who hasn’t openly declared his
membership of the NPP but whom some of us have known as a pure NPP buff—based
on his own writings and public utterances at forums outside the mainline
political domain) has given some “unsolicited” pieces of advice on how to
resolve the NPP crisis. In doing so, he has done more than he set out to do by
exposing all the more the underbelly of the NPP. A careful analysis of his “unsolicited”
advice and the background against which he gave that advice paints a sordid
picture of the NPP, which should alert Ghanaians whenever they assess issues
and make political/electoral decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For
the records, some salient aspects of Prof. Prempeh’s observation include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--> The current turmoil in the party is nothing
short of an existential threat. This is not your normal internal wrangling that
happens, from time to time, in every political party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->This
is a party in mortal danger… the current factionalism in the party, which has
been allowed recklessly to simmer and fester for far too long, has finally
reached breaking point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->The
party will have to take another look at its corporate governance structures and
arrangements and make appropriate changes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->This
crisis is not just an NPP problem. It is a national crisis, because the very
health of Ghana's democracy is at stake. A strong and effective opposition
party, one that takes seriously its job of keeping an eye on government and is
itself capable of replacing the governing party at the polls, offers the only
credible prospect of "checks and balances" in our already
poorly-balanced, winner-takes-all political system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->We
cannot afford to have a mortally fractured opposition and, for that matter, de
facto one-party rule. We have come too far along this as-yet unfinished journey
to reverse course and start all over again. (See more at: <a href="http://www.myjoyonline.com/opinion/2015/May-28th/prof-h-kwasi-prempeh-my-unsolicited-advice-to-the-npp.php#sthash.wOyiV0LZ.dpuf"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">http://www.myjoyonline.com/opinion/2015/May-28th/prof-h-kwasi-prempeh-my-unsolicited-advice-to-the-npp.php#sthash.wOyiV0LZ.dpuf</span></a>) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MY
COMMENTS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks
to Prof. Prempeh for dissecting the NPP for us. We appreciate his insights and admit
that his dissection has truly revealed to us what the NPP constitutes: a direct
threat to Ghana’s democracy at this stage. His take on factionalism in the party and the fact that instead of using
political means to resolve it, the various elements fuelling it are using “legalism”
and “constitutionalism” says it all. The NPP is a “book-long” party that
cherishes “raw interrectualism” and is enhanced by how much elitism its leaders
display wherever they are. To such “interrectuals”, using legalism and quoting
copiously from constitutions should be the trump-card to play. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed,
we can tell from the quick reference to their background as lawyers,
especially, to conclude that they can’t function in their party without falling
back on their profession of “legalism” and “constitutionalism”. That is why
Prof. Prempeh’s advice to them to use the political means to resolve the crisis
won’t be heeded. Once they have become fixated on “legalism” and “constitutionalism”,
so be it for them. Nothing else will make sense to them; and the more they
resort to such sterile means, the more they deepen the crisis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And
Prof. Prempeh bared it all too: “With honest brokers in short supply, it would
be best if party insiders and rank and file did not worsen matters by
continuing to give life to this internecine feud.” Honest brokers are in short
supply because the party has not had any “broker” all these years. One may be
tempted to consider the Council of Elders as such brokers; but judging from the
manner in which they jumped on Afoko and Agyepong to push them aside (even
without unanimity in their own ranks), one can simply conclude that they are jokers
and jerks, not brokers of peace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Former
President Kufuor can’t solve this problem either because he is not trusted by
the Akufo-Addo camp. Mere public posturing and half-hearted attempts to
exchange pleasantries in public, backed by claims of being cordial to each
other, won’t change the situation. Indeed, Kufuor appears to the Akufo-Addo
camp as a backer of the faction now baring its teeth fully to intensify the
factionalism and plain hooliganism in the NPP camp. Who else can be seen as a
broker? The loud-mouthed pastors toeing
the NPP’s line (Owusu-Bempah and Co. on my mind)? Or the chiefs vowing to ditch
the NDC? Who else? The Lord himself whom they claim is fighting their battle
for them, even though they are looking over their shoulders to complain of and
fear “spiritual bombs” being thrown at them <span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span><span style="background: white;">by their political opponents</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white;"> </span></span>(Otiko
Djaba, are you there)?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All
levels of the NPP are controlled by those who use brawn and not brains to
resolve crisis. That is why the show of force continues to the extent that a
so-called militant wing (private security setup) of the party (called “Invincible
Forces”) is acting physically to keep Afoko and Agyepong under constant threat.
They can’t go to the party’s national headquarters. Akufo-Addo was there to see
things for himself and be reassured that the orchestrations that he has put in
place to hound Afoko and Agyepong out of office are yielding “positive” results
for him to be assured of having things done his way in the party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Akufo-Addo
isn’t a broker but a misguided and calculating troublemaker. Otherwise, what
has he done to reach out to the embattled Afoko and Agyepong? As the
flagbearer, he has long been expected to lead efforts at resolving the crisis.
After all, resolving the crisis will create cordiality among those tasked with
the responsibility to mobilize support for him. The onus lies on him more than
it does anybody else. But because of his own bellicose and intransigent nature,
he has chosen to hide behind empty and mischievous political rhetoric to deny
his role in the impasse <span style="background: white; color: #333333;">while stoking it in honesty and zeal</span>.
Such a character can’t succeed in his endeavours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
NPP stands to suffer more, especially now that the Prudential Bank has revealed
the transaction involving 2.2 million Cedis for the 2012 elections and is
threatening to take away the party’s national headquarters, which was used as
the collateral security by Ken Ofori-Atta. How could an individual transact
such a business on behalf of a political party? Very dangerous people in this
NPP not to be entrusted with Ghana’s destiny. Prof. Prempeh has given us a new
angle from which to continue discussing the rumpus in the NPP and we will use
it to do so. Thanks to him and others thinking like him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-2709110385971589462015-05-25T18:11:00.003-07:002015-05-25T18:11:30.741-07:00Can’t Akufo-Addo win political power without sacrificing Afoko and Agyepong?<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday,
May 25, 2015</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, I have
been pondering the trouble shaking the NPP out of joint and wondering why there
is so much venom against Paul Afoko (National Chairman) and Kwabena Agyepong
(General Secretary) and why backhanded moves are being made to remove them from
office—as if kicking them out will be the solution to the problems hindering
Akufo-Addo from becoming Ghana’s President at general elections.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My conclusion is
straight-forward. To win political power, the NPP doesn’t have to eat its own
babies. It is not a party born out of a revolution to do so. Only revolutions
end up eating their own babies. For the NPP, eating up its own children is a sure
way to grab political power in our time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is
that putting Akufo-Addo in power needs more than side-swiping Afoko and
Agyepong. They are not the stumbling blocks. They are just people caught in
unfortunate circumstances wrought for them by their own overzealousness in
pursuing a political cause that they barely know how to relate to.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, a
brief look into the circumstances that shot Afoko and Agyepong into the NPP’s
kind of politics will serve a good purpose. I will attempt doing so now, even
if minimally, to prove that they are mere victims of circumstance, suffering
the kind of sad fate that awaits those who don’t stop to look and listen before
leaping in the turbulent waters of Ghanaian politics.. They are not threats to
Akufo-Addo. It is the Ghanaian electorate that is threatening Akufo-Addo
because he isn’t who they think will solve their problems.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winning
political power shouldn’t have been so difficult for Akufo-Addo. After all, he
has done all he could to establish himself as a force to reckon within Ghanaian
politics, even though the forces arrayed against his quest for power are
unyielding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The results of
opinion polls organized by different bodies (most of which have turned out to
be his own ventriloquists) indicate that he is “the most influential” Ghanaian
politician in our time. So, why is it difficult for that acclamation to
translate into his ascending to the Presidency to consummate his long-held
ambition of becoming Ghana’s President “at all costs”? For the records, his own
father accomplished it all—being one of the famous “Big Six” in Ghanaian
political parlance, becoming Ghana’s Chief Justice and titular President before
the Acheampong-led coup threw the Danquah-Busia political crop into disarray.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We acknowledge
here the conspiracy of the anti-Nkrumah military/police toads in the rise of
the Danquah-Busia cabal to the ultimate status; but we admit also that Edward
Akufo-Addo really distinguished himself in all that he set out to do in life.
He was principally endowed with the brains and personal attributes/composure to
be a successful lawyer and politician. For the records, let’s admit that he,
Peter Ala Adjetey and Francis Akpaloo made Ghana proud as the first crop of
lawyers to be trained at the Middle Temple in London. They earned their
bragging rights as such and distinguished themselves in their service to Mother
Ghana. Both Justices Akufo-Addo and Akpaloo ended up as Chief Justices of Ghana
while Peter Ala Adjetey excelled in law and politics, becoming the National Chairman
of the NPP and leaving behind a rich legacy to be admired.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of all, though,
only Edward Akufo-Addo used his influence to pave the way for his son (caught
up in inexplicable circumstances of erratic behaviour) to enter Middle Temple
with a 3<sup>rd</sup> class under-graduate degree. Middle Temple doesn’t admit
such candidates. The rest of the story can be uncovered in the ill-fated suit
filed against Akufo-Addo by Justice Francis Kpegah, which the mafia in the
Ghanaian judiciary scuttled.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly,
the use of the “mafia” network by Akufo-Addo isn’t limited to the judiciary. It
transcends all other sectors of national life, wherever he has a high stake
that is threatened by better-qualified material.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happenings in
the NPP that have culminated in the fracas now tearing apart the party take
their root from that groundswell. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #141823;">Flashback:</span></b><span style="color: #141823;"> The Alliance for Change and its series
of street demonstrations (beginning with the “Kume Preko” one and ending with
the Wie me Preko” version) that Akufo-Addo joined hands with Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe
and others to mastermind ended up filling him with the vain expectation that he
could become Ghana’s President. His insistence on having the last laugh has
torn him away from those who would otherwise have made it easy for him to
realize his childhood ambition. Akufo-Addo lacks traction today because of his
own miscalculations, leading to the point where sacrificing his own party’s
National Chairman and General Secretary has become the most attractive option.
Read this report here if you are in doubt: <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=359553">http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=359553</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #141823;">Here and now:</span></b><span style="color: #141823;"> Picking on Afoko and Agyepong is the
last desperat34 kick in Akufo-Addo’s political death throes. As the
manipulation of the situation continues, he is wont to reap the whirlwind
produced by the wind of political intolerance that he has sown in his own
party. How does he hope to achieve his ambition by dividing his own house
against himself?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Afoko and
Agyepong have turned out to be easy targets (sitt9ing ducks to be picked at
will) for those expecting nothing but a Pyrrhic victory in their own political
camp. Such a Pyrrhic victory won’t lead to the seat of government. It is designed
to be local and will remain so. Stifling Afoko and Agyepong will ensure such a
Pyrrhic victory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #141823;">Flash forward:</span></b><span style="color: #141823;"> Many questions, then, arise: Isa
Akufo-Addo really more interested in such a Pyrrhic victory? Why? More
questions than answers here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to tell
him that there are better and more conducive ways to chalk electoral victory
toward the Presidency than what he is using to kick out Afoko and Agyepong,
officers of the NPP duly elected by the party’s delegates. Can Akufo-Addo not
think of better ways to win Election 2016 than sacrificing Afoko and Agyepong?
Of course, he cannot because he doesn’t know what it takes to win the
Presidential elections. The fault is in him, not in Afoko and Agyepong!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-9965092422605426482015-05-25T06:09:00.001-07:002015-05-25T06:09:11.544-07:00Rawlings descends into the gutter again and fades<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Monday,
May 25, 2015</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, the
inability of former President Rawlings to put his past behind him and move on
into the future to be respected as a statesman of high repute is assuming ugly
dimensions. He is known for daring the devil and thriving thereby; but as is
known too, if you keep saliva for far too long in your mouth, it turns into
water. And that water isn't pleasant; it is dirt to be spat out in disgust.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rawlings is
known for making outrageous utterances and going away with them, unscathed,
even if his opponents tongue-lash him in an attempt to paint him as uncouth and
a nuisance. He has survived worse circumstances than such a verbal abuse.
Indeed, he has been protected by the "system" to live his life the
way he does. And his wife and children also benefit from that protection.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But truth be
told, Rawlings' anachronistic prescriptions for solving Ghana's contemporary
problems have remained worrisome. His recourse to harsh words against those who
succeeded him in handling the NDC's affairs is one particular point of
reference. We know how he uplifted the late President Mills from obscurity to
become his successor only to turn round to "crucify" him with scathing
verbal attacks, name-calling for mischief, and many others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sudden death
of Mills seemed to have given a new fillip to Rawlings' lambasting of him as if
he was the cause of anything bad for Rawlings and his political career (or that
of his wife, Nana Konadu). We have heard damaging utterances from Rawlings and
brushed them aside for what they are: an expression of frustration by a man who
can't come to terms with the reality eroding his kind of personality-cult and
abrasive politics. Rawlings is still unable to adjust to his post-office
situation and sees everything happening that doesn't suit his desires, needs,
and aspirations as a threat, which is why he reacts acridly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the records,
let us acknowledge the fact that Mills passed on and was honoured as the
"Asomdwehene" of Ghanaian politics. At the time, his own brother (Dr.
Cadman Mills) assuaged all concerns and fears when he announced that his
brother died from a natural cause. His family didn't revolt or ask for any
autopsy, even though dangerous speculation by political opponents attributed
his death to mischief or underhand manipulations by those seeking to replace
him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, Rawlings
won't let him be. He has continued to disparage him and thereby created a nasty
impression about himself and trouble for the government. The Mills family is
now using Rawlings' utterances as a political bait and threatening reprisal
actions against the government at Election 2016. No wonder, the fire that
Rawlings has stoked is now flaring to burn him. And that fire has the potential
to damage the government's interests too, especially given the circumstances
surrounding it in the light of accusations by members of Mills' family that the
Mahama-led administration hasn't fulfilled any of the promises that it had made
at the time of Mills' demise. In Ghana, anything can assume a political
dimension.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Threats from the
Mills' family to disgrace Rawlings if he shows up to participate in activities
commemorating the third anniversary of Mills' passing away say it all. Then,
the open one by Allotey-Jacobs (Central Regional Chairman of the NDC) to
embarrass him buttresses the point that Rawlings has lost favour all the more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one needs to
struggle for any pointer to all these issues, especially given the fact that
Rawlings' denigration of Mills is unarguable. He is worse in denigrating Mills
than Mills' political opponents are known for doing. Why it should be Rawlings
doing so is a major issue to probe into by political scientists.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After all, Mills
was not a career politician. he was an academic lecturing in law for decades
until Rawlings roped him in and placed him at the Central Revenue Authority
that Mills rebuilt into the Internal Revenue Service. It was from there that
Rawlings got him into the mainst4ream of hardcore politics as his Vice
President and positioned him to contest the 2000 elections on his own merit
after the infamous "Swedru Declaration" that would even tear the NDC
apart (Remember Goozie Tanoh and his National Reform Party or all other cadres
of the Rawlings revolution who turned coat?).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the
intrigues, Mills did his best to serve the Rawlings cause and earned the
unenviable tag as a "poodle" (by the estimation of Kofi Coomson and
his _Ghanaian Chronicle_ establishment). He did all he could to sustain the Rawlings
phenomenon but refused to be cajoled by Rawlings when he came into his own,
which turned out to be his undoing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By persistently
raking up the past about Mills and making utterances to shoot himself back into
relevance in contemporary politics, Rawlings has unfortunately bitten off more
than he can chew. He has now offered his opponents the hook, line and sinker
that they will use to snap him. Why is Rawlings so much of a skunk cabbage at
this time that he should have been doing something better to retain whatever
respect he deserves?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have said it
several times over and over again that his failure to find something better to
do with all the time and resources he has at disposal will lead him to salute
his nemesis. He could be using the time and resources to write his memoir or to
initiate a project to perpetuate his image and give a good reason for his
political legacy. But he isn't.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The US' Barack
Obama has just made a huge stride, choosing a spot in Chicago to establish his
Presidential Library. All former US Presidents have something monumental to
their image. Ghana's John Agyekum Kufuor has a Foundation to tell the world
what he is worth. Rawlings has nothing except the cache of provocative
utterances and dare-devil happenings that characterize his personal and
political life. Is that how he wants to be remembered? I don't think it should
be so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We will wait to
see whether he will attend the ceremonies against the warnings being given or
whether he will find something to deflect attention from himself. All the same,
he has continued to come across as a bad nut, which isn't good for the cause
that he has fought all these decades. Does he still have any adviser at all?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Putting
everything together, then, we can say that Rawlings is still adamantly
destroying the foundation of his own legacy and creating credibility problems
for the NDC and its government. I don't know whether such a treacherous move is
to serve the cause of his wife's jaded National Democratic Party (which he
claims not to belong to, anyway) or to simply mess up the NDC cause. What for?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #141823;">Thank God that
Rawlings has issued a statement that “</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #262626;">the reaction from the family is understandable
and that he would respect their decision.</span>” (See <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=359548">http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=359548</a>)
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #262626;">Understanding
the reaction of the Mills family and agreeing to respect their decision should
mean much to him so he can abstain from rubbing salt into wounds.</span><span style="color: #141823;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067222340785916733.post-20134523256987492362015-05-23T14:43:00.003-07:002015-05-23T14:43:22.670-07:00The rumpus in the NPP: A wake-up call to the NDC and President Mahama<div class="Eptember4" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday,
May 23, 2015</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Folks, no reason
exists for anybody to under-estimate the ramifications of the rumpus tearing
the NPP apart, especially in the wake of the gruesome and barbaric chemical
warfare that has killed Alhaji Adam Mahama, the party's Upper East Regional
Chairman.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In truth, the
NPP is reeling terribly and will continue to do so for as long as inflammatory
utterances continue to be made by those in it vested with some kind of
authority and power to open their mouths anyhow. And there are many of such
people, led by the imbecile called Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a daft charlatan and
upstart previously supported by the Kufuor system to be what he is but turning
round to bite the finger that fed him before the fall of the NPP government.</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed, those
who know the history behind Kennedy Agyapong's rise to what he is today
(someone who was down in the dumps in The Bronx in New York as a taxi driver
but who turned out to be crafty or cunning enough to exploit the benefits of
the immigration stream involving Ghanaians) will not give him any credit for
all the rabble that he is rousing in his own NPP and outside it. His wealth is
the unfortunate consequences of the systemic lapses that he exploited and got
shielded by the very Kufuor and Mpiani that he is cutting to size today for the
good of the drug junky called Akufo-Addo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kennedy Agyapong
has touched raw nerves with his latest show of notoriety, accusing former
President Kufuor and Kwadwo Mpiani of being instrumental in the acid-bathing of
Alhaji Mahama and leading the pack of aggressive and ill-informed (if not
ill-bred) NPP youths to overturn the norm of party behaviour to oust Afoko and
Agyepong from the legitimate office that the party's delegates voted them into.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Putting the
rumpus in the NPP in its proper focus, we can say that the party's Fate for the
future is being determined right in front of our eyes. The truth, then, is that
the NPP is in total disarray and the searchlight is on Akufo-Addo as a weak
leader. Will Ghanaians want such a weakling to be in charge of national affairs
to tear their ranks apart? I will stick my neck out to say a loud and
resounding "No"!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am more than
thrilled to follow the goings-on in the NPP and to use them as a pointer to the
fact that the Mahama-led administration can capitalize on the situation to
redeem itself if it moves fast to solve pertinent problems that the NPP people
have hitherto harped on to undermine it, but which are now being pushed to the
back burner because of the traitorous behaviour of these Pharisees of Ghanaian
politics..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am convinced
that if the government addresses these problems sooner than later, it will seal
the seamy fate of the NPP for Election 2016. In effect, the government
should act expeditiously to tackle the problems that the NPP people have been
sounding out as their election trump-card (the fall in the Cedi and the
"Dumsor" crisis, especially).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As soon as it
addresses these problems and many others already known, it will take the sail
out of the NPP's political gimmicks. Then, attention will remain on the
internal crisis of the Asante-Akyem cabal that the NPP is. They are known for
eating each other and will be punished as such by voters who want peace and not
"all-die-be-die" to put the shrimp in office.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Action time, Mr.
Mahama. Political expediency calls for something concrete to nip the NPP's
negative politics in the bud.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Akufo-Addo's
nonsensical clarion call, which leads to destruction only, must be proved as a
threat to Ghana's future. As Shakespeare puts it, the best time to corrupt a
man's wife is when she has fallen out with the husband. Now, the NPP has fallen
out with itself and must be damaged. The government can do so now it solves
pertinent problems without hesitation to make good that effort, Mr. Mahama. If
you do so, the NPP's sail will flag because it will then have no message for
the electorate to undo the NDC. No wind to drive it at a time when its own
internal turbulence will attract the attention of the voters and alienate them.
Such a party is belly-up for the final onslaught to demolish it. Mr. President,
go for the kill.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The iron is hot
now and must be hit hard. That's the best way to move so the NPP can be cut to
size. While its so-called bigwigs jump at each other's throat, they provide the
wide leeway for the NDC to pass through. As my friend puts it, when two dogs
fight over a bone, the third one that passes by simply goes for the bone and
walks away to enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 6pt;">
<span style="color: #141823;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fallouts
from the rumpus in the NPP spell glory for the NDC and must be exploited. No
doubt, Ghana will do better under the NDC than the NPP for as long as this
Fourth Republic endures. The truth is that this Fourth Republic has more input
from the pro-NDC camp than it does the anachronistic Danquah-Busia political
trash. Folks, I am really in my element!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I shall return…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael Jarvis Kwadzo Bokorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11534412304923509561noreply@blogger.com0