Like a tree stump in water, Justice Kpegah fears no cold

Monday, March 25, 2013

Folks, once Justice Kpegah’s suit against the NPP’s Akufo-Addo remains topical, we won’t stop discussing it. Whether the suit is good or bad is not my bother.

But I have an interest in how the situation unfolds. Justice Kpegah’s suit is the latest of the irritating moves against Akufo-Addo by his detractors. Is that what he needs at this time that he is losing sleep, praying and fasting so God will help the 9 Supreme Court judges nullify over 4 million votes to put him in office as Ghana’s President?

Akufo-Addo should blame himself

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Now that we are deep into discussing the suit brought against the NPP’s Akufo-Addo by retired Supreme Court Judge Francis Kpegah and its entailments, we can’t discontinue just because our comments hurt some people. We will continue to look far afield to seek answers to pertinent questions.

After all, Akufo-Addo is fighting to be Ghana’s President and we all know how the leadership crisis facing our country has negatively affected its development efforts. We must know what sort of leader he might be—and character counts a lot, doesn’t it?

I begin with this observation, which is my main beef: Despite all that he is suffering from his detractors, Akufo-Addo hasn’t been bold to sue anybody defaming his character all these years. Why?

That he is happy to be constantly defamed by all manner of people? That he is a peace-lover and, therefore, won’t take action against those defaming his character? Or simply that he is not interested in litigation on that score, even though the allegations continue to paint him black and damage his political interests? My inference is simple: he is a victim of his own miscalculation.

The General Legal Council can’t save Akufo-Addo!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

My good friends, here is the latest insider information for you to know how Justice Kpegah’s lawsuit has shaken the Akufo-Addo camp and his supporters in the ranks of the Ghanaian legal system despite their outward show of empty bravado.

Very reliable information indicates that the General Legal Council has met on the Kpegah versus Akufo-Addo case. The main agenda was to resolve the anomaly—the very substance of Justice Kpegah’s suit against Akufo-Addo.

During deliberations, it became clear that the General Legal Council members were divided. A group worked for the issue to be decided in favour of Akufo-Addo but the other group opposed it. The members could, therefore, not come to a consensus and adjourned the meeting. We don’t know when they will reconvene.

Instead of insulting Justice Kpegah… (Part II)

Friday, March 22, 2013

Of course, those NPP officials who have risen to Akufo-Addo’s defence may claim that because he is their flagbearer (and leader?) of the party, they have every right to defend him. But are their public pronouncements and insults against Justice Kpegah the defence?

They are wasting their breath, I daresay, because the suit will not be determined at the bar of public opinion. It is the High Court that will do so and all these people making this noise in Akufo-Addo’s stead will probably not be invited to testify. So, what is the real motivation for their jumping on Justice Kpegah?

Instead of insulting Justice Kpegah… (Part I)

Friday, March 22, 2013

Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice Francis Kpegah, has sued the NPP flagbearer (Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo) for holding himself out as a lawyer when evidence available to him from sources such as the General Legal Council proves otherwise. And he is surely reaping a harvest of hate, insults, and what-have-you!

The questions underlying his suit are:

• Is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo a qualified lawyer, although he has practised law in Ghana for nearly 30 years and succeeded as such?
• Is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the same as W.E.D. Akuffo Addo or W.A.D. Akuffo Addo who was registered in 1975 by the Ghana Bar Association with number 1190?
• Is the person called Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo registered by the Ghana Bar Association, and what is his registration number under that name?

Let me place on record what a friend did when Justice Kpegah filed his suit. I reproduce below his findings:

“… But you know this is a serious problem. I have had the chance to see the book of roll of lawyers... one W.A.D. Akufo-Addo was called on 8th July 1975. He was the only person without any colleague of his called on that date. It is strange..... No one has been called alone on the call to roll of lawyers..... The book too was not signed. Furthermore, we all officially know Nana Addo as nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, not William Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo. Those two names are very different.

“… Beyond that date of birth, thumb print, parents’ names, passport picture, signature; and if that was a change in name why did he not swear affidavit and gazetted same as the law requires? We surely live to see.”

Has the Supreme Court abolished “Contempt of Court”?

Thursday, March 21, 2013

When I consider how the NPP’s lawsuit is being “tried” at the bar of public opinion, I can’t help but ask whether anybody fears the Ghanaian courts anymore. Or whether the Supreme Court has abolished the “contempt of court” injunction.

Everywhere in the world, courts of competent jurisdiction exercise their power to curb wanton interference in their work. One of the mechanisms by which they do so is the injunction captured under the phrase “contempt of court”. They do so irrespective of the citizens’ right to freedom of expression.

No pilgrimage by pastors will save the government

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Folks, it is time to take on the government for what I consider to be the worst “misplaced priority” that it has come out with less than 100 days in office. And I will be very blunt and brazen about it.

When the news broke out that the government was making feverish preparations to send 200 Ghanaian pastors from various denominations (even including the non-denominational sections) on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in Israel at the cost of 2 million Dollars, I didn’t immediately respond. I decided to monitor the situation to know more and see things for myself.

Comments from pastors who blew the lid on this sponsorship, especially what came from the Catholic Church, gave good hints on what the pilgrimage entailed. Then, attempts by spokespeople for the government seeking to either clarify matters of fend off criticism added more to those hints.

I have now seen and heard enough to confirm that indeed, the government did make moves to sponsor pastors on such a pilgrimage. This confirmation warrants my jumping in at this time with one purpose in mind: to condemn the government over this issue.

Election 2012: NPP to compromise with its adversaries?

Tuesday, March 15, 2013

The Supreme Court has adjourned 'sine die' the NPP’s lawsuit, and instructed the parties to the case (that is, the three NPP petitioners led by the Akufo-Addo, on the one hand, and President Mahama (first respondent), the Electoral Commission (2^nd Respondent), and the NDC (joinder)), on the other hand, to decide on the memorandum of issues they want the court to determine.

Consequently, the Court has ordered the parties involved to ensure within 7 days that they agree on the issues to be determined by the court or inform the registry of the court if they fail to reach an agreement for the Court itself to determine the memorandum of issues.

Several intriguing issues stand out in this directive by the Supreme Court that tells me clearly the direction in which the lawsuit is moving.

Reshuffling Regional Ministers all too soon is impolitic

Monday, March 11, 2013

President John Mahama has announced his first ministerial reshuffle barely a month after appointing them into office. Here is the change:

Will the NPP boycott Ghana’s independence anniversary celebration too?

Monday, March 4, 2013

Folks, the NPP leaders and their followers have once again come face-to-face with their own ghosts on the political terrain—and are scared stiff by what they see. Will they join President Mahama on Wednesday to celebrate the 56^th anniversary of Ghana’s independence—a national event of too much significance to toy with?

Right-away, we can tell that they are stuck in the mud: Will they or will they not? With what implications for them?

True to their nature, they’ve chosen to use the classical Greek rhetorical strategy of sophistry to attempt throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. Here is why:

Mr. President, can you see the abandoned development projects?

Friday, March 1, 2013

In his “State of the Nation Address,” President Mahama gave us to understand that his government would implement policies and programmes to grow the economy despite the pressure being imposed on it by such factors as high wage bill, crude oil imports, and others. The economy is not as vibrant as expected because expenditure has outstripped revenue.

We’ve heard all the counter arguments raised by the opposition, especially the NPP, which has also presented its version of the situation, calling it the “True State of the Nation Address” and blamed the government for what it calls a high budget deficit.