The Akyem Sakawa continues – Akufo-Addo’s daughters caught in ‘chop chop’

I am a citizen

I am the son of a gong-gong beater.

Justice Vincent Cyril Richard Arthur Charles Crabbe, the late Justice of the Superior Court of Ghana (JSC), a Ghanaian jurist and law professor known for his expertise in legislative drafting, postulated that leadership is not about extrovertism nor is it about display of strength inspired by illegal substances but leadership is about conscious sobriety and exhibition of unique qualities which will automatically bring all on board the system.

What do we witness today as compared to John Dramani Mahama’s administration? In the current Akufo-Addo government, there are several appointments of core family members into juicy positions, blatant disregard for the rule of law, human rights abuses, media intimidation, arrogance and impunity against the average Ghanaian who voted them into power.

Nana Akufo-Addo is allegedly the King of Plagiarism as well as the world record holder currently for appointing over 50 members of his family members and friends into his government.

Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic said that, “One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised”. He also said that, “There is no story that is not true”. What do we also see today, double standards from an inept government.

Once upon a time in the 4th Republic, lies and gargantuan promises took the centre stage when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) realised that Ghanaians had become gullible and they took advantage of every opportunity during the campaign to promise things that could not be achieved.

Whatever they accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of doing when they were in opposition are exactly in ten-folds what they are doing, after they took power. It is unfortunate that Ghanaians fell for their lies and voted for the NPP.

Almost four years in government and just about 15% of their manifesto promises have been achieved and moreover they are now cutting sods to deceive Ghanaians when they have barely less than two months in office.

According to the National Communication Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the three sisters who are the daughters of the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo incorporated a company called “My Sister’s Keepers Foundation,” barely six months after their father became President and collected monies from several public institutions.

A GCB cheque was issued to my Sister’s Keepers Foundation dated 22nd May, 2018. The GCB cheque/donation of an amount of GHS227, 000 was given to My Sister’s Keepers at a time Ray Sowah, uncle of the President’s wife, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, was Managing Director of GCB.

Public institutions are unable to say no to their requests for funds because of who their father is. The fact that their father is President puts them in a position to extort monies from public institutions. This was a clear case of “create, loot and share” by the inept Akufo-Addo government by extension to his nuclear family.

Lest we forget, Mr Kofi Koomson, the Editor of the Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper and an intimate friend of President Akufo-Addo warned Ghanaians never to entrust our destiny into the hands of Akufo-Addo, when he wanted power in 2015 and went on further to say he can never sleep with his eyes closed if Akufo-Addo became President of this country.

Mr. Asuma Banda, another friend of Akufo-Addo and an accomplished business magnate also warned Ghanaians never to make a deadly mistake of voting for him to rule this country.

Dr Nyaho Tamakloe, a founding member of the NPP openly stated he will not vote for Akufo-Addo for the sake of peace in this country. He warned Ghanaians not to allow political extremism hide the reality from them. He admonished them to think first of our safety as a people.
Mr. Francis Poku, a former Director of National Security warned Ghanaians never to fix an albatross called Akufo-Addo on our necks.
Dr Ernest Nimako Mensah, a UN Special Representative in Somalia and a close confidant of Akufo-Addo also warned Ghanaians not to elect a leader who can’t control his own environment leading to acid baths, stabbing and show of disregard for elders in his party.

Former US Ambassador to Ghana, Bridgewater warned Ghanaians never to elect a leader whose attitude and activities are dangerous to the nation’s stability.

Angela Merkel also described Akufo-Addo as over ambitious but has little control over things around him.

President Kufour also predicted fragmentation in the NPP and serious tribal conflicts if Akufo-Addo became President.

Dr Tsumasi, a leading NPP member in the US described Akufo-Addo as an albatross fixed on the neck of NPP by few arrogant brats who used subtle tactics to suppress the true spirit of NPP delegates and members.

All these warning signs were on the wall but Ghanaians defied the odds and voted him into office. What are we seeing today? All these people I have mentioned above have become prophets because whatever they said has come to pass.

My question to those defending this shameful act is, if Lordina Mahama, wife of Ex-President John Mahama and her sons had engaged in this act between 2013 and 2016, what would they have said? Even when the Lordina Foundation was doing charity work with privately-sourced resources, what did they say about her?

If they had a passion for charity and know how to raise funds for same, why didn’t they incorporate this foundation when their father was not President? Do you know how many foundations have been struggling for financial sponsorship from public institutions in this country but to no avail?

They are the President’s daughters and they have no business soliciting monies from public entities because the likelihood of extortion is high!!

It’s unfortunate that despite all flags raised by meaningful Ghanaians, the President ignored calls against constituting a family and friends government, which will breed corruption as is happening today. Odious hypocrisy at its apogee.

Chinua Achebe said in a book entitled, “Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1) that, “If you don’t like my story, write your own”.

I remain the echoing voice of a village scribe and the son of a gong-gong beater.

TT Caternor
La Dadekotopon