The Ugliness of John Boadu’s Pride, Lies and Arrogance

Mr John Boadu,

I just watched/listened to the interview you granted the Joynews/Multimedia journalist and must say, you have behaved in a most irresponsible manner by downplaying the former President’s support for the Covid-19 fight and the lies you comfortably peddled throughout the interview. Instead of raving and ranting against the former President and his administration, you should have used the opportunity to explain to Ghanaians why your government has placed Ghanaians in this horrible situation.

This is not the time for cheap politics but to serve the nation unitedly. We have to fight the covid-19 war together and win it. Your reckless statement, brazen lies and arrogant posturing will only weaken our base. The entire country is today fighting concertedly and unitedly against the pandemic under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo. Your insensitive, indecent and irresponsible outburst is not what we need at this critical point.

The unplanned lockdown and the other restriction measures caused or are causing chaos and pain in the lives of millions of Ghanaians hence the decision by the former president and other well meaning Ghanaians to support our communities with those relief items. It seems that some of you have vowed to become enemies of your own government and the country. Instead of supporting the covid-19 fight and placing the interest of the citizenry above all other matters, people like you have taken to the covid-19 pandemic as if elections are going on and have to make sure the NPP wins. Stop this childish behaviour, primitive and petty politicking and start playing the role of a General Secretary of a ruling party in this difficult time.

You said President Mahama ruled for eight years? Where can we find that record? And we experienced power crisis (dumsor) for eight years? A General Secretary of the ruling party peddling such brazen lies? It is unfortunate the journalist spared you the space to peddle those lies. Because of your vindictiveness, these young journalists bury all the fire in them when they meet you. I am one of the admirers of that young journalist, very smart and intelligent. But suddenly, lost all these enviable traits because of the nature of your politics.

Sure, President Mahama will not wait for campaign seasons before he visit the vulnerable, sit behind balls of kenkey with them just for the cameras. Has the President visited the people he was seen enjoying Kenkey with ever since he became President?

Now, let me touch on your amazing lies. Your government is spending state resources recklessly because of the wealth you inherited from the Mahama administration. Check the oil revenue under the Mahama administration and compare that to what your government has received since it took over the administration of this country. These are documented facts and cheap propaganda bites and theories cannot wipe them off our books. I have my personal issue with this “President Kufour discovered our oil” but let me accept that assertion for now. How much revenue was Ghana making from the oil sector before Mahama took over? We saw significant achievements in both the upstream and downstream sub sectors under the Mahama administration. The achievement include the biggest gas investments in recent times and the described as the first of its scale in West Africa. That $7 billion investment in the Sankofa Gye Nyame Fields, is what changed the economic architecture of Ghana. The IMF, the world bank and other institutions projected a 7-8 percent growth in the economy from 2017 because of these strategic investments.

John, see your sector minister for more briefing on all the fields, the sankofa gye nyame, the Tweneboa, Enyenra Ntomme (TEN) fields and the construction of the FPSOs. Ask him to educate you on the enactment of the Petroleum Regulation on Local Participation Act which took effect on February 1, 2014 and the opportunity and local employment it created. Out of the total value of $6.27 billion contracts awarded from 2010 to the third quarter of 2015 in the Petroleum industry, over $1 billion went to local companies. 41 percent of investment in the Petroleum industry for 2015 which amounted to $201 million of the total of $792 million for that year, was awarded to Ghanaian companies which were in the business of manufacturing module stools, jumpers, sanction piles, sleepers etc. Mahama did not fill the oil industry with friends and family members and oil contracts were not signed by his siblings and cronies.

John, kindly contact your sector minister for briefing on the Bolgatanga Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation depot in the Upper East capital, which has enhanced the movement of Petroleum products from southern Ghana to northern Ghana, including export to Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. The Bolga storage terminal which was commissioned on October 15, 2015, has the capacity to handle 46 million litres of refined products.

John, have you cared to find out from your President and the Finance Minister how and why the heritage and stabilisation funds were established, and the support these two funds is giving the administration in the covid-19 fight?. As for revenue the state has accrued from the oil sector since you took over, the mismanagement and stealing going on, I will leave that to Dr Steve Manteaw and his ISODEC to handle. I know that soon, Ghanaians will demand for full scale investigation into how you’ve handled our oil revenue and the prosecution of some state officials.

John, can you mention one major investment made in the industry by your administration?

Are you aware your government has started exporting Mahama’s excess power to some West African countries? Your government’s three months azar free electricity wouldn’t have been possible if Mahama didn’t make that strategic investment in the power sector.

Did I hear you mention Ebola? Ask your Affairs Minister why Ghana, in recent years is enjoying that huge international respect and commendation. Find out from your aviation minister when the temperature testing devices at our international airport was fixed. It will help you understand why the whole world continue to celebrate Mahama for the way he personally handled the Ebola menace, and why Ghana didn’t record Ebola case.

John, the real strength of our democracy is the wisdom of the voters. Ghanaians know what is in their interest. The Ghanaian voter has become more discerning and decisive. The voter has huge potential to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Truth holds. Falsehood falls apart. Your arrogance and over confidence is sinking your ship.

Source: Ohenenana Obonti Krow