Opinions, Features, Ghana news

In more than one way, Ghana is showing Nigeria superiority. In chronological age, the country once addressed as "Gold Coast" already comes first: she got her independence in 1957, three solid years ahead of Nigeria (1960).

To borrow the immortal quote from my favorite actor Al Pacino, from the Godfather, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”. I had vowed never to again waste any precious breath over the deeds of “Angel Obinim”. Here I am, blood boiling, heart racing and speechless.

I shall go straight to the point: It might have to fall upon you and other globally-competitive Ghanaians, such as Bishop Doug Heward-Mills, to save our homeland Ghana from the clutches of the ruthless and divisive political parties, which constitute the NDC/NPP duopoly.

When I first saw the video of “Bishop” Obinim, which went viral, assaulting two teenagers in the full glare of his fanatic congregation, I thought it was one of those technologically manipulated videos. So I disregarded it with the utmost alacrity.

The Ghanaian youth today belongs to a generation who feel that the implicit contract they signed with the government —work hard, and you can have a better life than your parents—has been fundamentally breached. There is no better prospect in sight under this government for the youth. The perilous graduate unemployment particularly is the mainstay of the spectacular collapse of morality and education in Ghana lately. The youth no longer feel inspired or motivated to work hard and stay good and out of trouble. Some even argue verily that spending ages and energies climbing up the educational ladder is unnecessary. Consequently they conjure up in their minds that formal education is a waste of time and resources. Youngsters felt inspired by the achievement of the graduate nurse or accountant who is gainfully employed in a properly run government such as the last NPP government. Today, their "role-models" are "sakawa" hitmen who cruise in fashionable cars and live very luxurious lifestyles. Their "mentors" are now the corrupt politicians who flagrantly rape the public purse to live in their opulent world of conspicuous consumptions. The best predictor of future unemployment is previous unemployment, research shows. Upcoming young people tend to adopt the criminal means of acquiring wealth than furthering their education only to still be a dependant after graduation. What future are we building for our homeland? In this article, I will examine the causes and effects of youth unemployment in Ghana and suggest solutions to slaying the monster. 

How did we get here?

Our elders say if you fall, look at where you stumbled not where you fell. In the same vein, a referee never justified the award of a penalty kick by pointing to where the player fell but where he was kicked or fouled. There has been youth unemployment in Ghana. But the situation at present is particularly horrendous. The figures have reached crisis level. The poor economic growth, widespread corruption scandals and the winding up of job-creating stimulus measures threaten further unemployment overall. 

In these difficult confusion, young people are suffer most. They are relatively inexperienced and low-skilled, and in many industries they are easier to fire than their elders. Yet the government gives the institutions plenty of points to write the lay-off letters. Much to the chagrin of the young citizens, our government imposes lots of iniquitous taxes on the private sector. Every existing tax is increased and still rising perniciously yet more weird and obnoxious taxes are introduced at substantial rates (increased taxes on corporate profits, income tax, utility bills, import and export duties, fuel, etc and new taxes on financial services, imports of inputs, ICT gadgets, health needs, etc). 

The youth is also bearing the brunt of austerity economic policies. The NDC government has collapsed the private sector, which is the engine of growth. Apart from the harsh taxes, government has been unproductive at solving the energy impasse and crowded private investors out of the domestic money market too. Businesses need credits (or loans) to expand its operations and engage more hands (likely the youth) in consequence. Sadly, government has dominated the money market with treasury bills reducing the available credits and causing interest rates to increase substantially. Businesses then either increase prices of goods and services or lay-off some workers (most likely the young) in order to operate within budget. In an attempt to reduce the unemployment, the government had renamed the inherited NYEP to GYEEDA, YES and now YEA. The NYEP, an NPP flagship policy was effeciently operated and correctly supervised and played a key role 8n addressing unemployment in our deprived communities. Today the youth employment program has been scandalised with corruption. 

The skills mismatch is a youth unemployment cause that affects young people in this country. There are millions of young graduates who are seeking jobs, but businesses need skills these young people never got from schools. The skillset of our graduates do not relate with the requisite skills needed by businesses. Similarly, young people who have advanced degrees find themselves overqualified for the ready jobs. In this regard, there is both economic and personal cost: their potentials are underutilised. While the root cause of the skills mismatch is difficult to finger, it's a combination of school curriculums neglecting vocational, entrepreneurial and employability training in favour of rigid theoretical academics, poor connections between industries and schools to promote training and work experience for the job market. The skills mismatch in present Ghana is worsened by the inaccessibility of ICT gadgets for training due to its unaffordability resulting from new taxes on ICT inputs. 

Young people who want to venture into entrepreneurship by starting their own businesses often struggle to have access to affordable loans, or loans in general. This in part is due to a lack of collateral. Another worrying constraint is high interest rates. The straining interest rates charged on loans hampers access to capital. And government looks on haplessly.

What are its effects? 

Youth unemployment has direct costs in much the same way as all unemployment: increased benefit payments; lost income-tax revenues; wasted capacity. Government loses much in income tax revenues because young people are not working. Productivity slows down too. The effects are both economic and personal. 

Some indirect costs of unemployment, though, is compounded when the jobless are young. Take emigration for one: ambitious young citizens facing bleak future in Ghana often seek opportunities elsewhere more readily than their elders with dependent families. In Ghana, where the youth unemployment rate pegs at 48%, some young professionals like graduate nurses, teachers and doctors may consider emigrating for employment reasons. Meanwhile, a constant brain-drain is one more depressing symptom of a stagnant economy. It slows the performance of the economy and stagnates it. 

High crime rate is another cost. Attempts to attribute the recent rise in crimes to youth unemployment is overhasty. But to conclude there is no link between crime and youth unemployment more generally looks unduly optimistic. Young men are already more prone to break the law than most; having more idle time, more motive and less to lose hardly discourages them. Leaders cannot continue to let the youth down, living in opulence while expecting the youth to look on. At some point, they will get frustrated and try to take you out. Remember, most young men neither have properties nor direct dependent families to worry about in case of riots. Some researchers even claim that a causal link exists between increased youth unemployment and increases in crime, specifically property crime (robbery, burglary, theft and damage) and drug offences. No such link is identified however for overall unemployment. We must realize that future employment prospects fall off a cliff if the crime leads to prison. A labour economist at the London School of Economics, Jonathan Wadsworth says young people are hit especially hard by the economic and emotional effects of unemployment. 

How do we resolve these challenges?

Ghanaians go to polls on December 7 and it is a day to decide who in turn decide for us. Leaders must understand that the decisions they take for and on our behalf have repercussions. And Ghanaians must appreciate that to change the decisions is to change the leaders who make them. The Mahama government has no credibility to change the current situation. That is beyond doubt! The IMF deal that will rationalize (euphemism for lay-off) the public sector labour beyond 2017 is one that may be renegotiated, but cannot be by NDC again. 

The next government should priorotise reduction of corporate taxes. Reducing corporate taxes on businesses will enable them to expand and in turn employ more of the youth. Government must scrap taxes imposed on imports of inputs so as to increase productivity and consequently employment. The new taxes on financial services must be repealed too. This should increase bank savings and make credits readily available than now. It will lessen the cost of capital for businesses and cause more entrepreneurial ventures to spring up. Tax incentives must be encouraged for those businesses who employ more youth and graduates. It is not to suggest that tax revenues are completely immaterial to government. But attention is given to the benefits of foregoing tax revenues in the sense that jobs are created, productivity is increased, tax net widens and income-tax revenue increases and maybe crimes reduce drastically. 

Government must engage other stakeholders to sign a Public-Private Partnership agreement with the private sector to provide practical training to vocational students especially. For example, the German's employer-based apprenticeship scheme could be considered. In Germany, a quarter of employers (in the private sector especially) provide formal apprenticeship schemes and nearly two-thirds of students undertake apprenticeships. Vocational students spend around three days a week as part-time salaried apprentices of companies for two to four years. The cost is shared by the company and the government. And we know the possibility of apprenticeships turning into full-time jobs at the end of the training.

Ghana's educational system needs revision to resolve the skills mismatch. Government must involve the private sector in planning the educational curricular so that the skills required by the sector is considered. This will inculcate in the students the needed skills to work in the private sector. 

The next government must, finally, exit with urgency from the domestic money market causing interest rates to reduce and boom business operations and expansion. 

In the words of Mr. Carl Wilson, a prominent member of the governing NDC: "... I know Ghanaians are not satisfied with the governance they are being [served] today, especially the unemployed youth ... You see the propaganda is too much and so it has clouded the indicators by which we can properly gauge the mood and judge how the polls will go. If you take away the propaganda and you face the real issues, they themselves [NDC] know that it will be difficult for them.". We must change the decision makers at the opportune moment in December. Nana-Bawumia ticket will truly transform the economy and create jobs for the teeming youth of Ghana. 

God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong!

The Bible gives an account of how this earth was created. At the beginning of creation, the earth was devoid of light and was full of darkness. So God said, “Let there be light; and there was light.” He made two great lights (sun and moon) and the stars. The sun to provide light during the day and the moon and stars to provide light in the night. Just as God called forth light unto the earth, so must developing countries facing power crisis put on the light. 

According to the IMF, about 30 out of the 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have suffered acute energy crisis in recent years. Ghana for instance has experienced 5 major periods of power crises since 1980s. Ghana is said to be among the top 10 countries in the world that have experienced and continue to experience crippling load shedding. South Africa, which produces electricity more than the rest of the entire Africa put together, has also been suffering from power crisis since 2006. Power crisis is adversely affecting the economies of several developing economies such as Ghana and South Africa. 

Let there be light in developing countries! Available, affordable, quality, reliable and sustainable electricity supply in developing countries will enhance economic growth and development. This can be achieved by drawing some key lessons from how God solved the maiden power crisis. 

Firstly, God identified the problem and took decisive steps to solve it permanently. Secondly, God prioritised solving the first power crisis before creating anything else. Lastly, God created different sources of power (sun, moon and stars) and put them to optimum use at different times (day and night); sun for the day, moon and stars for the night. 

The lessons to draw are the following: there is a need to recognise that the erratic supply of power in developing countries is indeed problematic. Further, leaders in developing countries ought to prioritize the solving of power crisis over all other things since energy is central to the effective functioning of every sector of an economy. Lastly, all sources of energy must be utilised for optimal results. Let there be light!

“The Electoral Commission (EC) has begun a 40-day exercise to accept application for proxy voting by eligible voters during general elections on December 7”.

“The exercise, which starts Wednesday August 17 and ends on September 26, 2016, will enable an eligible voter to delegate someone to vote on his/her behalf when he/she is unable to be present during the Presidential and Parliamentary polls”.

“The CI75-backed process will ensure that when a voter assigns a proxy, that individual’s data is retrieved, reviewed and verified for the proxy to vote, after which the proxy would go to his own polling station to cast his own individual vote”.

“Head of Communications at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu, said eligible voters who may want to assign a proxy can visit the Commission headquarters in Accra or the district offices to pick a special proxy form”.

“The proxy’s identity will be captured on a proxy list and assigned to a polling station where the voter is registered, he explained” (see: EC opens application for proxy voting -myjoyonline.com; ghanaweb.com; modernghana.com, 17/08/2016).

Apparently, the preceding explanation differs slightly from what I heard from the same head of communications at EC explained on OKY FM on Thursday 18 August 2016.

The head of EC communications stated categorically that in some cases, the prospective proxy voter alone can pick up application form on behalf of the applicant.

This is where I have serious problem. As a matter of fact, there could be serious breaches if we allow a prospective proxy voter to pick up application form in the absence of the principal applicant. 

I am afraid we may have multitudinous ghosts voting on that day. For some conspiratorial plotters could scheme a fiendish plot to take advantage of the loopholes and ‘proxy’ for ghosts applicants. 

It is absolutely true that a number of countries allow proxy voting in their elections, but the fact of the matter is it is commonly used by active-duty soldiers and other citizens who know they will not be present at election time, to vote in person.

Interestingly, however, critics of proxy voting claim that proxy voting may be susceptible to abuse. For instance, some critics fret that delegated relatives and minions may choose to vote for their own preferred candidates and thereby ‘robbing’ the applicants of their voting rights.

In view of the fraudulent and unfairness nature of the proxy voting, some countries have ceased its application, or have modified the system. 

Though various jurisdictions in the United States have historically allowed proxy voting, it is currently outlawed under federal law. “A similar but fundamentally different procedure, called absentee voting, is allowed”.

Absentee Voting allows registered voters of active-duty members of the Armed Forces, Merchant Marine, Public Health Service and their family members; and other United States citizens who are living outside the U.S. for work, school or other reasons to exercise their voting rights.

Actually, the foreign based U.S registered voters would simply fill a form and request for absentee ballot. The voted ballots can be posted, emailed or faxed (see: www.fvap.gov).

Ironically, proxy voting was adopted by the parliament of Ghana, in the same vein as the ROPAL (the Representation of People’s Amendment Law). Strangely, however, the Electoral Commission has refused to implement the ROPAL since it was adopted in 2006. How bizarre?

To put it bluntly, it is quite ironic when one comes to think about the Electoral Commission’s double standard in carrying out its duties as obliged by the constitution of Ghana.

Actually, Act 699 of the Representation of the People's Amendment Law (ROPAL), which replaced the PNDC Law 284, directed the EC to register all Ghanaians who are qualified to vote.

So, why is the Electoral Commission mulishly sticking to the Pndc Law 284 which had been repealed and amended, and therefore does not exist?

In fact, the EC is in a state of ambivalence, in the sense that it is the same ROPAL which allowed the EC to carry out the registration of prisoners including homicidal scumbags such as armed robbers and murderers.

On the other hand, EC is refusing to apply Act 699 of the ‘ROPAL which allows the registration of our brothers and sisters in Diaspora whose remittances help boost our economy.

But, in bizarre circumstances, we are aware that the Electoral Commission has chosen to register a few individuals abroad-including all government appointees and students on government scholarships.

I daresay it is unfair on the rest of Ghanaians who were not sponsored by the government, but chose to live away from home due to multifaceted reasons.

The inquiring minds would like to know from the EC: Why some Ghanaians should be treated as second class citizen just because they have chosen to live thousands of miles across the Atlantic?

As a matter of fact, it is absolutely wrong for the EC to register a section of Ghanaians abroad and shamefully discriminating against the others.

In fact, the EC is discriminating against those of us who are not government appointees, but have decided to travail abroad to meliorate our lives and in the process supporting the economy back home.

So, what is the sense in alienating the ‘gargantuan boosters’ of the economy and ridiculously including armed robbers and murderers in jail? .

I would like to think by leaving out thousands of eligible Ghanaian diaspora and registering prisoners, government appointees and selected students on government scholarships, EC may be flouting Article 296 which states: “Where in this Constitution or any other law discretionary power is vested in any power or authority, that discretionary power is deemed to imply a duty to be fair and candid”.

I daresay that the continuous application of the proxy voting would be seen as an excoriation on the progress made so far in our democratic dispensation. In other words, it would be seen as “poison in honey”.

If I may ask: What is the essence of the introduction of the Biometric registration and verification?

It is important that we move forward in valence and refrain from any act of impishness which may jeopardise the national ambiance.

 

I've had a lot on my hand and mind these days. Hence, the luxury of time and to some extent a 'fertile mindset' to produce opinion pieces and articles pertaining to matters of national discourse has entirely eluded me. However, even when restricted by the most demanding and inescapable schedules and circumstances, my pen cannot be left idle upon listening to Koku Anyidoho(Deputy Gen. Sec, NDC) and Bernard Mornah(Nat.Chair, PNC) on disgraced pro NDC radio station- Muntie Fm yesterday(August 19, 2016.)

Firstly, claims by Koku Anyidoho to the effect that no Ghanaian; whether a private businessman, civil servant or royal could have bought and owned a Hummer Vehicle during the reign of Kuffour as president(2001-2008) and as such any Ghanaian who owned a Hammer Vehicle during that period was either a COCAINE DEALER or a beneficiary of the drug trade. Yes, we have people like Anyidoho and the entire NDC believing that no Ghanaian should be able to own a Hummer Vehicle. But l ask, in any thriving country, why can't successful businessmen afford Hummer Vehicles when the 2016 brands of latest Hummer Vehicles are hovering around 32,000 US dollars? No wonder the NDC as a party abhors entrepreneurship and intimidates successful private businessmen anytime they are in power. From the inhumane treatment meted to Appiah Menkah and his "Apino Soap" franchise, the illegal confiscation of his assets, arrests and intimidation attests to the NDC's abhorrence for entrepreneurship. The late Mr. Ofori Yeboah, a Ghanaian who had studied electronics in the Netherlands and worked with global electronics giant Philips returned to Ghana in the 70's to set up a huge electronics company at Kotobaabi in Accra. His Ofori Electronics franchise employed hundreds of Ghanaians and made the best television, hi-fi equipment and transistor radios for the Ghanaian and entire sub-Saharan African market. Not only was his Ofori Electronics company confiscated but Mr Ofori was arrested by the P/NDC regime, jailed without a proper trial and returned from prison a broke !!!

Kwabena Darko of the renowned Darko Farms, Mr. Appenteng of Panbros Salt Industry, Dr. Kwame Safo Adu, a mogul in the pharmaceutical industry back then, Mr. B. A Mensah (father of Mr. Herbert Amponsah Mensah- ex CEO of Asante Kotoko FC) and a host of Ghanaian businessmen had their lifetime businesses destroyed by Rawlings and his P/NDC surrogates. Painfully, these businessmen were not targeted for refusing to pay taxes or any bad industrial practice. Contrary, the mere fact that one came from a certain part of the country, spoke a certain language or belonged to a specific tribe was a reason good enough to make him and his business the subject of a political witch-hunt. 

In the end, most Ghanaian businessmen fled or relocated their businesses to the Ivory Coast, Sierra-Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. 

Koku Anyidoho should and must be told that in any thriving economy, you don't need to be a deputy minister of education before setting up fuel stations, suddenly cruising in range rovers and V-8 vehicles. He should tell us how previously bald headed malnourished student politicians who now find themselves in the corridors of power as deputy ministers can suddenly be owning fuel stations in Accra and across Ghana, mansions in London and afford weekly flights to attend lectures in London for their postgraduate studies. Are they also cocaine dealers or part of the syndicate Rawlings described as 'greedy bastards' now swimming in 'ill gotten wealth' as asserted by the NDC's own Murtala Mohammed? 

Governments who implement prudent economic measures can only boast about the success and bask on the glory of its citizens who can afford building moderate houses, own vehicles and earn decent living for their families. It is only a clueless and an incompetent government, knowing very well how poorly it has mismanaged the economy and rendered its masses unemployed with throat-cutting IMF policies that shouts in utter disbelief at the mere acquisition of vehicles and properties by the very masses it claims to be changing and transforming their lives. Mark Zuckerberg now worth 44.26 billion US dollars was only nineteen when he launched Facebook with his Harvard course and room mates. Facebook is now worth billions of dollars and used by 1.6 billion people monthly as well as employing 13,598 people globally. Provided Ghanaians are provided with the best of business environment and their "start-ups" nurtchered and supported to reach the might of Facebook, You-Tube or Alibaba, why can't they be as rich as Zuckerberg and own Hummer Vehicles ? How can Ghanaians own Hummer Vehicles when our system easily allows illiterate Chinese migrants to cross our boarders and enrich themselves on 'galamsey' while the unemployed graduate trying to register his tiny business would have to spend over 9 months at the offices of the Registrar Generals Department ? How can we buy homes and own cars when our own system is killing businesses with cut-throat taxes, insane electricity tariffs and profligate use of state resources to brand buses and rare Akonfem that flew to Burkina and never returned? How can we live a descent life when unemployed graduates are still being fed by their parents and NDC foolsoldiers and rented media bootlickers are on government payroll?

The mere fact that Koku Anyidoho and the NDC believes no Ghanaian should be able to buy Hummer Vehicles sums up the level Of shallow-mindedness, small-thinking, lack of vision and the inability to think and dream big in the NDC. Afterall, these are people who said National Health Insurance wasn't feasible, Free SHS wasn't practicable, Ghana,wasn't going to last for 2 weeks under Kuffour because there had left no money in January 2001 and even ridiculed Kuffour and Ghana's discovery of oil at the cape three points, labeling the discovered oil as 'adwe ngo'(palm kernel oil.) Yet we have these same people using Ghana's oil billions to enrich themselves. Hypocrisy, naked thievery, shallow-mindedness, small-thinking,and refusal to dream big, that's the stock in trade of Koku Anyidoho and the NDC.

I may have to attend to Bernard Mornah at some appropriate time. May God bless our homeland Ghana and give our voters the discernment to reject shallow-thinking politicians.

 

It is a habit of the human mind. We usually expose ourselves to information that agrees with our biases. Ask Professor Kwame Karikari. He will give you a lecture on the theory of reinforcement in communication.

Ghanaians believe and with some measure of justification that we are a bastion of democracy and this has given rise to a sense of bravado when we compare ourselves with other countries on this part of the globe.

We think we are not like those weak democracies or failed states or dictatorships in other parts of Africa. Having successfully conducted party democratic elections for more than two decades without any upheaval, that has made us the beacon that Ghanaians all boast about.

Just like a new vehicle on a well-tarred road over speeding could lead to an accident when least expected if such over speeding turns to recklessness in handling the steer and failing to observe road signs, relying only on the smoothness of the road.

At any one time, there are various topical issues that have occupied the concern of journalists, social commentators and the ordinary citizenry to the extent that the current topical issues about the Muntie trio, the Electoral Register exhibition or even a presidential gift of a Benz car are not very special in a sense. They have come at their time and will pass into oblivion.

My concern is with the growing attitude that is gradually engulfing all of us immersing ourselves in the discussion of those topics sometimes with a visible predilection to provoking others. Gradually, the other side of the Ghanaian, that good-natured and patient citizen, making positive contributions to discussions whether on radio or television or at a seminar or business forum is giving way to a negative self-assertiveness that is made worse by some who would like to score political points at every turn.

It will not be in anybody’s interest if we should score political points or even win an election in an atmosphere of acrimony that could plunge the nation into chaos after the election has been conducted and completed. Elections have usually been successfully conducted and completed and yet nations have erupted in violence and anarchy, leading to civil wars. Thus the scoring of political points without any heed to the peace and sanity of the nation is a selfish and short-sighted approach to the political game.

The Muntie trio

Legal brains have exhausted all the issues surrounding the custodial sentence of the three panellists but whether we agree with such legal arguments or not, our attitude ought to be measured in our reactions. Some people have blamed the Supreme Court for fomenting an atmosphere of discord by the custodial sentence, with some arguing that four months is too long and others rejecting the idea of a custodial sentence.

In all this, it is a pity that some have even gone as far as to suggest that the Court merely acted in its own interest to protect the lives of its members and some lawyers feel that another court in the hierarchy of the superior courts should have dealt with the contempt charge against the three. It should not be forgotten, however, that the Supreme Court has that power legitimately to cite for contempt, any one they consider acting in any manner that scandalises the Court. Vide Article 126 (2). In the wake of the scandals that hit the bench, especially the High Court last year, it will be a great pity for Ghanaians to use this contempt issue to condemn the Supreme Court and make derogatory remarks about it and its members because Ghana has only one judiciary. It is all the more because of the unfortunate reports and revelations that hit the High Court that we should collectively support the Supreme Court but not spite them. 

The separation of powers must be maintained and the judiciary is that bulwark that can guarantee the safety of the individual citizen since both the executive and the legislature are clearly often motivated by partisan interest. Even the fourth estate of the realm has sometimes been actuated by those partisan interests.

Presidential gift

The President is currently before the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to answer petitions concerning the gift of a vehicle at a time that some Ghanaian citizens are collecting signatures and want the President to issue a Presidential pardon to absolve the Muntie trio. The President is being heckled. Heckling per se is not bad or wrong and all manner of persons, including the Chinese or American President are heckled. It, however, depends on the manner of the heckling and the circumstances. I would wish the President is spared this relentless push by those collecting names to show the massive support they have which justifies the call for the Presidential pardon. 

I believe the President will resist the call because his precipitate action in these volatile times could trigger the slide down the precipice at a rate of no return.

I want to reiterate my opposition to the call and campaign to close down witch camps in the North of Ghana. I am appealing to all state and non-state actors who are behind this program to rethink their position and review this project. I am registering my opposition to this project once again following the recent call by the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Jon Benjamin, that these places be shut down.

Those who did not follow his brief career as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the Atta-Mills administration tend to envisage Mr. Martin Amidu as a legal genius. Which, of course, is not in any way to imply that the man is not adequately equipped where the practice of the law is concerned. Rather, it is to observe that the field of legal practice and scholarship is far too broad for any single legally trained mind to cavalierly presume to fully appreciate. 

I was happy to read on the Ghana Web of 18th August 2016 expressions of disagreement by two lawyers, Messrs. George Loh and Ayikoi Otoo with portions of my case commentary on the Owners of the Station – Montie FM criminal contempt case, which I published on my web site at dawn on Wednesday, 17th August 2016, and which was also carried by the Citi News of the same day.

Back in the 90’s, even as a little girl, I experienced the full glimpse of dumsor. The lights would go off every now and then but would be back on after a couple of hours. Today however, the story is different.

I read with incredulity the darkest attempt by a self described Pastor and chairman of the New Patriotic Party’s legal and constitutional committee Professor Mike Ocquaye, to whitewash the demagogue (Akufo-Addo) he keenly worships and adore, from his inherent REIGN OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR as captured on the front pages of the Informer Newspaper “Afoko is the Source of Violence in the NPP”.

It is sad that, the grown dishonest Mike Ocquaye will hide behind his Professorial title to make exploits in Lying just to please the originator of “All Die Be Die”, Akufo-Addo. I have no qualms whatsoever with Mike Ocquaye if he worships and sings praises to the father of “All Die Be Die” at the Nima fortress like he’s always done, however, I am deeply saddened about the fact that, Mike Ocquaye has chosen to abandon his profession for the peddling of spurious lies and slander, which rather embarrasses his own conscience and dignity of his family.

He is a self-style baptist pastor and he should know better.

For where Professor Mike Ocquaye is traversing in recent times, if I don’t awake him from his sycophantic venture, he will end up not only as a DISHONEST HISTORIAN , but his Maker will tell him, ” YOU WERE AN IRRELEVANT AND A WORTHLESS PASTOR” on the day of judgement.

Before I start, I want Mike Ocquaye to put his hand on his heart to say again the lies that “Haruna Esseku was suspended as a Chairman” between 1994 and 2007 where Candidate JA Kufour took over from Candidate Professor Albert Adu Boahene, the NPP has never witnessed any form of violence and thuggery.

Candidate Kufour even when he was left to carry his own cross by proponents of the dreadful G-15 Led by Akufo-Addo, Ala Adjetey , Kwabena Agyepong, Victor Newman, and Co, he steered affairs of the party with remarkable tolerance, genuine heart and mind , and a crave for Unity in diversity.

Irrefutably, President JA Kufour is the most successful Presidential candidate and flagbearer the NPP tradition has ever had. He remains the Most successful leader and elder, the NPP has ever had. In terms of government, his sterling leadership, his unique desire for tolerance, genuine unity, transparency, accountability and Peace has earned him the accolade in a gold plate “THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CIVILIAN TO HAVE RULED GHANA PEACEFULLY AND HANDED OVER PEACEFULLY”.

SOURCE OF VIOLENCE IN THE NPP IS AKUFO-ADDO; HE IS THE FATHER OF “ALL BE DIE” *KUME PREKO VIOLENCE AND KILLINGS.

Akufo-Addo who, has, for propaganda value, embellished himself as the convener of the “Kume Preko” demonstration in his overly contrived CV strewn on Google and other places, albeit he was a member, abandoned the victims and families of violent killing in the demonstration.

Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe a joint organizer of the event said and added that Kwesi Pratt Jnr could corroborate the claim, captured it as ” Out of Kumi Preko we lost about eight people and up until this very day nothing has been done for the families of these fallen ones.

Believe me or not, through Kumi Preko, a young man of thirteen years, Ahunu was shot in front of the Adabraka Primary School so you can imagine if he was alive today what his age would be. But when we came to power under President J.A Kufuor, we had then promised to help these people but we did nothing for them. They are there at Adabraka as I talk now. This same family approached Nana Addo but he did nothing for them when we were in power”.

2007 legon violence 

The NPP after shortlisting the numerous candidates for the flagbearership position to 17 of which Professor Ocquaye was part, ended up in University of Ghana, Legon to elect the next Presidential candidate of the Party who will take over from President JA Kufour. Prior to Legon, Akufo-Addo’s campaign was characterized with insults and verbal abuses from his hirelings and cousins against leading contenders such as Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Alan Kyerematen, Papa Owusu Ankomah, etc.

This was succinctly captured in an article in the Daily Graphic by one Kwasi okai “The stain that marred the beautiful but heated campaign to elect the next successor to President Kufour was that of Akufo-Addo. His surrogates such as Ursula Owusu, Gabby Okyere-Darko, and Co never missed chance in lashing verbal abuses at the Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and Alan Kyerematen.

Akufo-Addo as I have known him is full of agitation and Violence, he is taking this contest as a life and death one with his unpopular campaign message “Y3 Nim Me Fre Tete.

I wouldn’t be surprised if his highly incensed supporters cause mayhem in Legon.” In Legon, when it dawn on Akufo-Addo’s gangs that, Alan Kyerematen was winning, they devise a cruel, heinous and violent orchestration to disrupt the process of harmonious Voting. What happened was captured on several media platforms as “AKUFO-ADDO SUPPORTERS MARS LEGON CONGRESS WITH VIOLENCE”.

National Chairman of the NPP Paul Afoko was captured in pages 35 of the New York based African Watch Magazine as saying” Indeed what happened at that congress at Legon was outright thuggery!

I went to the Legon congress – and the pictures are there – wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with NPP colors embroided around the neck. How could I have carried half a million US dollars in the pockets of my jeans? And to go into the conference hall, we all went through a metal detector and a body search. I didn’t have a single penny on me. Not a penny! I had left the cash I had on me in my car parked in front of Volta Hall, locked. The congress was held in the Great Hall. I had no cash on me.

When the Akufo-Addo team realized that the voting trend was going firmly in favor of Alan Kyeremateng, they orchestrated this whole thing that Afoko was distributing money to delegates to vote for Kyeremateng, to create confusion and an immediate disaf- fection for the man and to change the trend.

I had gone to the washroom, and when I came back I walked towards where the delegates were. The Northern Region had finished voting and they had left, so the whole of that area was empty. Empty seats! I have got the TV footage because I tried to go to court over this matter.

It was in the middle of those empty seats that a group of people just rushed up and grabbed me and said I was giving out money. They pushed and kicked at me. In the middle of empty seats! I wonder whether I was giving money to empty seats. Seriously!

So the whole attention of the congress now turned to me. Somebody then took the micro- phone and started working the emotions of the delegates. “Paul Afoko is sharing money over there. Is this party for sale?” That sort of thing. For the first time I tasted the rough end of politics internally within my own party.

Immediately it was all over for me. I told myself, “Disengage, you don’t want anymore of this, focus on your business.”

After the Counting of ballots and everything has been done, Akufo-Addo never had the 50%+1 threshold which the constitution of the party demands. Hence, the need for a rerun between the two leading contenders, Alan Kyerematen and Akufo-Addo.

For the sake of peace and unity, Alan Kyerematen on his own volition with no condition, gave up the contest and announced that, he was going to support Akufo-Addo as the Presidential candidate of the NPP.

Insatiable in his thirst for violence and thuggery, Nana Akufo-Addo established a reign of terror in the NPP right after assuming the Flagbearership position of the New Patriotic Party in 2007.

Akufo-Addo began to impose his Inherent Intolerant beliefson the party such that today when he says he wants something, no INDEPENDENT MIND should attempt to disagree with his position. Akufo-Addo and his hirelings assume their first responsibility, which was a show of vindictiveness and attacking of any NPP member who supported Alan.

One Alan loyalist who was at party’s Asylum Down Headquarters, identified as Nana Kwame is a victim of Akufo-Addo’s thuggery and Violence addiction.

Nana Kwame was trapped in a dark room at the party’s headquarters by hirelings of Akufo-Addo, they punched Nana Kwame in the face, knocking him to the ground; bloodied by bludgeoning the side of his head with cutlass and a sledgehammer;leaving him paralysed. Nana Kwame underwent a Brain surgery at the Korlebu Teaching Hospital.

Today, he is paralyzed and walks with an aiding material. Quite apart from that, Aspirants for the Parliamentary candidate Positions in 2008 who were known supporters of Alan Kyerematen tasted open persecution, bias, and ostracism from Akufo-Addo. A clear case in point was the Asante Bekwai Parliamentary contest.

Because Joseph OWusu Alias “Joe Wise” never supported Akufo-Addo in the 2007 primaries, Akufo-Addo told party executives in the constituency just as others in Akan parlance, “Men Tumi Ne No Ny3 Adwuma” to wit “I can’t work with him”.

Joseph Owusu contested as an independent candidate and he won the seat against the all the odds of the naked emperor Akufo-Addo.

2010 trade fair violence 

Akufo-Addo as part of his inordinate desire to take over the party, in connivance with the scoundrel Peter Mc Manu who was then party chairman, amended the party’s constitution. Something Akufo-Addo and his Kyebi mafias plan of doing after the 2016 elections, against the backdrop as having been denied of that request by the duly elected Independent minded and fair minded National Chairman of our time, Paul Afoko.

The trade fair Congress was again stain with Violence abuse from Akufo-Addo and his hirelings against supporters of Alan Kyerematen. Isn’t it curious that, Professor Mike Ocquaye, for fear of been denied his malnourished body from elevated sycophancy , will reluctantly decide not to remember all these reign of chaos and awkward mannerism of his tinpot, Akufo-Addo?

By the start of 2012 calender year, Akufo-Addo has absolutely metamorphosed the good NPP left to him in 2007 by President Kufour into a home grown entity, synonymous with dark violence, vindictiveness, thuggery chaos and intolerance. The Washington Based Centre for Strategic And International Studies, Page 16 of its Africa Report in June 2011, authored by David W. Throup captured the inherently Violence addiction of the toxic Flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo as “The role of the NPP leader and expected presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, will be crucial, and early signals suggest reason for worry.

Akufo-Addo is desperate to mobilize support, and He has played the ethnic cards, referring to the NPP as “We the Akans,” urging his supporters to “all die be die”–that is, they should be willing to die to ensure the NPP’s victory”

Beyond 2012, Akufo-ADDO'S Flirtation with violence 

Undeniably, Akufo-Addo is the only Ghanaian politician ever to have an incessant flirtation with violence words. Terrifyingly, anytime Akufo-Addo travels outside Ghana, violence befalls the NPP, making Akufo-Addo’s travel to become of national Security concern. His fiercest loyalist and family members have not been left out of this craze.

Addressing gatherings of his newly created Polling station ie the UK Branch, Akufo-Addo said “The judge’s told us that whatever happens at the Polling stations, whether good or bad, whether it is in accordance with the law or not, once it has been recorded at the polling stations, they the judge’s can do nothing about it… We have learned our lessons and we are going to take our fight to the polling stations.”

Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Bosiako, A fiercest loyalist of Akufo-Addo who slapped MP for Manhyia North and got hailed by Akufo-Addo at a fund raising in London for acting as such is quoted as saying ” “This is an elections of our lives”.

Elsewhere in Ghana, Akufo-Addo is quoted as “we are going to use the MILITANCY on ourside to fight them” A ferocious loyalist of Akufo-Addo who Akufo-Addo, described as “Redoubtable” for insulting the Former President JA Kufour and his Chief Of Staff as Murderers, Ken Agyapong was quoted as saying on his own Oman Fm “Kill Gas and Ewes.” Prior to the 2014 Presidential contest, Akufo-Addo’s cousin Atta Kyea said this to a gathering in Kyebi -” Anybody who fails to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo is a wizard.”

A goon and a fiercest loyalist of the Kyebi beast, Akufo-Addo who is the Eastern Regional chairman of the NPP, Kinston Akomeng-Kissi is not left out of this affection with violence. He is quoted as saying “We will kill Anybody who stands on the way of Nana Akufo-Addo”

Fact: Adams Mahama and JB Killings 

The Kyebi beast Akufo-Addo killed Adams Mahama. Let Akufo-Addo put his hands on his heart and say he never had a hand in Adams murder. A steering committee meeting where National Chairman Paul Afoko told the meeting his intention to visit the three northern regions had Akufo-Addo and Adams Mahama as participants in that meeting.

Adams Mahama and John Boadu were both with Kwabena Agyepong the night before the visit to Upper East Region planning on how to go about with the meeting in Bolga.

On the Following day, Adams and John Boadu after listening to the deception of the Nima beast Akufo-Addo, pretended ignorance of the said meeting they both were planing with Kwabena Agyepong. Indeed, John Boadu came to drop Adams Mahama at the airport. Adams vilified Kwabena Agyepong to the amazement of passengers and it took Lawyer Ambruse Derry to restore calm.

In Bolga, Adams armed the thugs (loading boys) at Bolga station to come and attack party officers who had thronged from their various constituencies to meet with Chairman Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong. Police fired tear gas and Adams and his thugs dispersed. Next moment, Adams directed the thugs to beat mercilessly, his regional Organizer whose crime only was to organize the meeting. The Organizer had blood running all over his body.

Akufo-Addo kept quite and never condemn this act of Violence from his ferocious loyalist Adams Mahama. All he did was to pack his luggage and left for a two weeks tour in Europe. Whiles Akufo-Addo was away, Adams was Killed just as Akufo-Addo had planned.

Few hours after Adams was confirmed dead, Kamal Deen said on CitiFm that, he was the last person to call Adams Mahama and ” as a brother when he [Adams Mahama] called me I didn’t mince words at all, I just told him this is a signal I have received, and that he should be mindful of his security and above all be very prayerful.”

Then Akufo-Addo and his unwise goons, foolishly found it worthy to hang the murderer on Gregory Afoko, brother of the NPP National Chairman Paul Afoko, who was fast asleep in his father’s room, just to justify their hatred for the pride of the North. You see how they are struggling to prove the cause of Adams death with cheap conspiracy theories? So Akufo-Addo and his bunch of goons began asking Chairman Afoko to resign.

Why is Akufo-Addo not resigning over the murder of his brother JB Dankwa Adu when indeed, all proves points to him as the prime suspect in the murder of the late legislator and entrepreneur?

Few days before this incidence, Adams had a confrontation with his First Vice Chairman over Monies meant for “Dumsor demonstration” in Bolga, and Adams is reported to have slapped the Vice Chairman.

Security changes

Security Changes at the headquarters was done by Musah Superior who was then Executive Secretary of General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong. Violence erupting at the party headquarters against a Press conference organized by the party was orchestrated by Akufo-Addo and Hackman Owusu-Agyemang. Akufo- Addo and Hackman organized the thugs and armed them with machetes, metals, guns, cutlass, pickass, bows, etc

Attack on Atluk Ibrahim 

Akufo-Addo’s thugs at the headquarters trapped again Atluk Ibrahim, an aide to Chairman Afoko in a room at the party’s asylum down headquarters and roughed him up under the instructions of Akufo-Addo. Atluk suffered a fracture in the bone of his left arm as Akufo-Addo’s thugs broke his arm. He underwent a surgery at the 37 military hospital

Akufo-Addo imports Serbians and South African militants

On the blindside of the party, Akufo-Addo and his cousin Ken Ofori-Atta imported militants from Serbia and South Africa to do what they called “ASSAULTING THE PILLARS OF POWER” They trained Akufo-Addo’s gullible fanatics in gun wielding, building of bombs, etc.

Asawase Killing

On Asawase Killing of Sadiq, it was Akufo-Addo who orchestrated it and this happened the next moment, after Akufo-Addo had left out of the country. It is said that, Akufo-Addo organized Sadiq and some other thugs to come and attack the constituency Chairman Brenya and his other Executives. It is reported also that, Sadiq and his gangs used red substance to damage the Asawase constituency office of the NPP and that among other reasons ensued into Violence.

There was a tussle and as Akufo-Addo had planned, they killed Sadiq to justify a position.

Slapping of members of parliament 

After Akufo-Addo had exhausted all means to remove the Member of Parliament for Manhyia North who is a strong ally of Alan Kyerematen, Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Bosiako Alias Wontumi on the advise of Akufo-Addo, slapped the Manhyia North MP. Akufo-Addo hailed Wontumi for this abuse at a fundraising event in UK.

Threats on journalist 

Father of Popular host of Neat Fm program Lawyer Adakabre Frimpong Manso , confirmed how Akufo-Addo accosted and sent severals of threatening messages to his son to stop critiquing him. The versatile Kwame Tikesie has faced same threatening from Akufo-Addo. Former President of Ghana Journalist Association Kabral Amerehe Blay, has also stated in his book as been accosted and attacked by Akufo-Addo for using his (Kabral) own Newspaper to support the Presidential bid of Candidate Kufour prior to the Sunyani Congress in 1998

Violence in UK branch of NPP

It has been reported widely on several media platforms that Akufo-Addo instructed his security capo, the usher forts prison jail breaker and conman Captain Koda, to apprehend and attack a lone verbal dissenter at a function in the UK branch. The dissenter, Ohene Boakye whose crime was to only disagree with Akufo-Addo’s extol of Wontumi for his reckless conduct against the MP for Manhyia north, was left at the mercy of dogs of Akufo-Addo led by Captain Koda. The dogs of Akufo-Addo knocked the head of Ohene several times and they thorn his shirt.

After reading through few examples of Akufo-Addo’s inexcusable flirtation with violence, you would understand why his dishonest hireling, Professor Mike Ocquaye was rejected miserably in the party’s 2007 flagbearership race. The abandoning of God’s Word for Lies has not only made Mike Ocquaye an indictment to the world of honest historians and the world of pastors but also, it has made his professorial title patently irrelevant to academia.

NPP members who intuitively understand the peril in Akufo-Addo’s abiding of violence in politics understand that it has ultimately empower Akufo-Addo to become the most thuggish, ruthless, impulsive politician ever in Ghana.

The party’s very ethos and principles under Akufo-Addo is been defined by dark violence, hawkish, recycled rhetoric, intolerance, indiscipline, thuggish and the haughty behaviour of the beast and naked emperor Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Professor Mike Ocquaye, it is better late for you to start veering from that path of elevated sycophancy, mentally enslaved, breach of common sense, intellectual dishonesty.

 

In societies where political officialdom accords the citizenry the needed respect, accountability is always assured. In a society where morality is upheld by political officialdom, the people are provided with detailed report of how the nation’s resources are being expended, and prudence of these investments thereof. A society where the media is up to its task of being the voice of the voiceless while holding public officials accountable, sanity prevails.

The running mate of Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom on PPP’s ticket, Ms. Brigitte Dzogbenuku on Monday initiated her countrywide tour ahead of December polls in the Volta region.

As the elections get closer, it's not hard to feel the rising tension. The stakes are high. The winner will take all and the loser will lose all. (Apologies to Reverend Emmanuel Asante of the Ghana Peace Council). There is no middle way. In Ghana, we don't share power. Our governance system is not inclusive.