I lost $11m for joining Kufuor’s govt – Nduom

Leader of the Progressive People’s Party(PPP), Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom says he lost almost US$11 million for accepting to be a minister in ex-president J. A. Kufuor’s government.

In a confidential letter to ex-president Kufuor back in 2007 from Paris, France where he had travelled to with the Omanhene of the Edina Traditional area, Dr. Nduom said, ‘’ I have lost at least US$11m since I joined government in 2001. I have lost my partnership with Deloitte. They have forced me to sell my shares at a great lost’’, he said.

The letter cited by the Insight newspaper and published on Monday’s edition of the paper also also quoted the PPP presidential candidate as saying that; ‘’ I have closed down two of my companies. My financial services companies get NO business from government sources. I have to fend for myself and do things the proper way with the people that in a few years I will make up some of the losses. I just do not want to do any strange things in government to ruin my reputation’’.

‘’I could use some more time to get my businesses in better shape’’.

Harassment

In that same letter, Dr. Nduom accused the former central regional minister and also a former DCE for the KEEA, Nana Ato Arthur for harassing him in the constituency(KEEA).

‘’Since last year, I have been harassed by Nana Ato Arthur in my constituency. Despite numerous complaints, everyone looks the other way. Sometimes, it is made an NPP-CPP matter. It is not. Ato Arthur has unbridled ambition and does not care who and what he destroys’’.

‘’My problem is not that he wants to contest the election to become MP. It is that we are both in the present government and the people do not understand the constant struggle going on. He is also a member of the NPP which controls the district assembly. Therefore my local and projects are slowed down or challenged by people working for him’’.

‘’This is not winning any friends for government. It is not helping me either. I cannot respond in kind because it would be out of character for me’’.

Reasons for my unhappiness

‘’I have felt under siege and under the suspicion that others in the administration have been actively plotting to sabotage my efforts and even bring my work into disrepute. Important cases in point have to do with the ministry of Finance, the chief director accused me and my ministry of engaging in questionable procurement practices’’.

‘’This was done in front of a team of development partner representatives including World Bank officials from Washington DC’’.

‘’It had become very clear that to me that many of colleagues regard the Reform work as being temporary and that once I am off the scene it will disappear’’