The dust has now settled after the crucial 2008 elections and the winner, Prof. J.E.A. Mills, still seems to be wed-locked and day-dreaming about his honeymoon. Recent revelations and daily occurrences attest to this assertion even to the knowledge and feel of the blind person. Ghanaians and the whole world are watching with keen and rapt attention as to how the tax law professor schemes the affairs of state. Many skeptics are still of the opinion that the president can never ever be his own man but he insists otherwise. His actions and inactions smell of hypocrisy and this is disheartening indeed. The seizure of the village type 'atinkon' toilets, snatching of official vehicles at gun point, sacking and messing about with the caterers of the school feeding programme and substituting them with their party faithful are the silly mistakes committed daily. Since they have lost focus and would want to satisfy their supporters by any foul means, they’ve forgotten that this entirely innovative venture was the brainchild of the NPP. They want the world to believe that the country is in a mesmerizing state. While the NPP continues to lick its wounds, the NDC also keeps fumbling by the day as regards the unguarded outbursts of the ruling government functionaries. However, while the number one chief executive gives special attention to his health and forgets about Ghanaians, Nana Akufo Addo has added insults to injury by asking the president to fix it and stop moaning that he came to meet a disjointed and shattered economy. PRIME AGE While the possible and probable NPP aspirants will be nearing their mid 70s but officially attaining 70 years, this medical maestro will be hitting his 62nd birthday by the 2012 election period. The other youthful aspirants who could easily match him do not perhaps have academic superlatives attached to their resumes. So in effect, in contention with this medical expert for the flag-bearer title would be the septuagenarians but then health problems will knock them out of the contest. Since he will be in his prime age, and the other contestants would have been technically knocked out, trying to elbow the supposedly non-performing professor in the 2012 elections would be a foregone conclusion. As he had already tasted and had a stint at the NPP's 1st World War and participated in their flag-bearer contest to know the political terrain, he would be able to turn the fortunes of Ghanaians other than what we witness under this administration with the mediocre 'square pegs' in round holes by the ill-prepared, ill-fated Atta Mills-led government. While many of them would abandon their political ambitions, this will favour the within named medical superman to fiercely fight the next elections because he stands taller than the tax law professor and possibly, head and shoulders above the others from the NDC if, indeed, they would ever field him again. Again, while the NDC's candidate, whom analysts perceive to be half-strong, would be concentrating much more time about his personal health especially his sight, the NPP's compromise candidate, the prolific surgeon who is already a household name because of his innovative achievements at the premier national hospital would have the leeway and be miles ahead of his opponent.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has indeed made it in both academia and in life. In the former and in science and technology in general, he was the first black African and Ghanaian to conduct and effect human heart transplant surgery in the world; and to date, this unequalled feat is unparalleled in anywhere Africa even including former president Ravalomanana's troubled Madagascar. The countless number of achievements that have brought him to the social limelight include the Cardio Thoracic Unit of the Korle Bu Hospital, which is his brainchild; the establishment of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging facility - the M.R.I., the Dialysis machine that does very spectacular scientific medical research on the human health, the retrieval of the Korle Bu Hospital land, some 30 acres or more of which have gone to encroachers, the facelift of the entire premises supported by the fence walling of same, the general atmosphere and finally the general discipline he had instilled into most of the entire workforce of 6,000 staff. Hitherto, none of his 23 predecessor chief executives could have had the guts to halt the bluff and industrial action of some 98 junior doctors who wanted to take the nation to ransom as has very often been the case in Ghana. For all those who do not know but care to know, the laudable idea to establish the CTU at Korle Bu became a ding-dong affair between him and the government, because the whole place had been turned into a grave yard. As a result of political idiosyncrasies, coupled with its attendant bureaucratic bottlenecks and the reluctance to buy this idea, the main architect, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng on the one hand, and the powers that be i.e. the sort of infantile military government of the day on the other hand, the resultant effect was a political tussle/tug of war between the 'I can do Frimpong-Boateng' and the you cannot do' government aided by the medical pundits then, had never dreamt about it let alone forwarded proposals about such a viable venture.
ULTERIOR MOTIVES
Since the government at that time also had been impregnated with ulterior motives to punish the rich by dehumanizing their opponents all they did was to forcefully and wrongly acquire wealth from perceived economic saboteurs. As if it was pre-destined, neither wisdom nor vision knocked at their brains to embrace this all-important enterprise except for a few who mustered courage to stray off course and lent credence to this all-time viable venture to come to fruition in 1989, because they could not understand why someone in his thirties should be able to undertake such a gigantic venture at the huge cost to the nation. As you read this piece, research conducted and statistics available chanced upon by this author clearly indicate that by the close of 2007, i.e. about 20 years after its inception, the CTU alone had raked in some $25 million for Mother Ghana through hospital bills minus costs for medication. Ironically, the technocrats and medical experts who rubbished this idea and bulldozed their way by placing obstacles in his way including the abandonment of the whole idea, rather suggested the establishment of a malaria centre instead, and to help cure the chronic disease that was rampant everywhere due to our negligence of personal hygiene. Such people must bow their heads in shame if some are still alive today. I hope that discerning minds would join me to doff our hats for this wonderful man and his remarkable project of scientific pursuit. Again, as you continue reading this article, his exploits have placed Nation Ghana on the medical world map and not only that but has also projected our country to the fore as one of the world best medical excellence; inarguably, one of the best three on the continent. His visionary foresight has indeed transformed our premier hospital to become a centre of excellence taking the second spot in the cardio vascular surgery after South Africa. But while South Africa takes some $25,000 per patient for heart related surgeries, Ghana takes $10,000 so you can see the multitudes of heart related patients that frequently flock the hospital premises for medication.
DISCIPLINE
Having related quite a lengthy masterpiece about this disciplinarian, perhaps, I should dwell on a bit of his natural instincts that make him quite unfriendly with some people who see him as an enemy. Between 2002 and 2007 when he assumed the position of chief executive of the hospital, he was able to flush out some 750 ghost named employees on the hospital pay-roll. Incidentally, none of them took less than 500,000 Cedis per month or present day 50 Cedis, so one can see how much money he saved the Ghanaian tax-payer; he was also able to halt the supply of local 'kontomire', (cocoyam leaves) as -vegetable- for soup or sauce anytime the in-patients were served with it because the hospital spent 50 million cedis per supply; again, he was able to smash and crush the illegal and diabolical syndicate that discharged half fit patients and pocketed the money that would have otherwise come to the hospital coffers. Strangely, it was only on Sundays that these nefarious activities took place and kept surveillance to kill it. On discipline, his firebrand intuition helped save billions of cedis from many nation-wreckers and saboteurs who had milked and would have continued to milk the country's coffers by charging the hospital 50 million cedis or 5,000 Cedis anytime kontomire supplies were delivered at the hospital. If Ghana were to have 200 of such kind of persons in other institutions, believe you me, Ghana would have long become an economic haven or beehive where the rest of the world would flock and suck honey. Meanwhile, if we talk about leadership by example, this German-trained cardio vascular surgeon is an exceptional one; he did not rely on any government subvention but rightly decided to resort to the internally generated revenue to transform the hospital; the enormous amount of money he could have made from the purchase of the concrete blocks for the hospital fencing wall alone was denied; he avoided all these kickbacks. The author stands for correction but would categorically say that for most part of the 5 year period of his stewardship at the number one hospital the annual national budget never reached them because the authorities realized that he could manage without it. Moreover, he caused the stoppage of supplies of syringes, theatre blades and synthetic threads that amounted to 16 billion Cedis yearly instead of a tenth of this figure even though he could have been privy to this criminal and unpatriotic act and joined in the booty for his fair share but not. He exhibited patriotism indeed.
PATRIOTISM
As a patriot, this professor returned home to Mother Ghana to help combat the ailing national health delivery system but initially, would have been the first to admit that, if not but for his selfless patriotism and zeal to help his compatriots to reach an appreciable level, he would have packed bag and baggage to go back to Europe. One stunning revelation about his triumphal entry to Ghana was that his employers - the German Government and for that matter, the Hanover Teaching Hospital authorities wondered as to why a very youthful, energetic and resourceful African surgeon worth his salt and taking so much salary with other fringe benefits, supposedly, $10,000 per patient for a minimum of five per month or maximum 10 in a month excluding his special monthly salary, should decide all of a sudden to return home, knowing very well the dreadful and poor conditions he was to encounter in Ghana. At a certain stage, according to him, the hospital authorities set up a team of four psychiatric experts to actually diagnose his brain with a view to seeing whether he was truly and genuinely normal sane person or something had gone amiss because they did not understand how and why he should decide to return home to work and be paid with probably half of the allowances he was earning there minus his monthly salary. How many Africans and by inference, Ghanaians, would opt for this bizarre and unthinkable expedition, except him? But, nevertheless, he painstakingly arrived to undergo through the 'military' style endurance as a sacrificial lamb. In the end, he persevered to see his dream come true for Ghanaians to reap the fruits of his onerous labour. How many people could have stood up to this test and be counted amongst the honest sons and daughters of the land, first, having abandoned ship and to forgo all the juicy salaries and perks in Europe and be washed to the shore? Secondly, after being short-listed to be a recipient of a national award for excellence and be told at the eleventh hour on the day of the event and at the venue by mere whisper in the ears by a functionary from the podium that 'they were sorry that his name was mistakenly and inadvertently added onto the list of award winners, would you please leave the premises' - how many discerning persons would be able to absorb such a stingy pain, agony and above all, traumatized disgrace in the presence of, and full glare of national and international media having hoisted their cameras for such an occasion with pomp and pageantry under the noses of invited guests and other distinguished personalities and hundreds of spectators alike being glued to their seats? Could someone visualize the pathetic scene the learned professor with a difference must have been posed with and the chain reaction? The writer would urge interested persons to quickly contact leading bookshops or the professor himself for copies of his book for his side of this intriguing and sad incident captured and catalogued within, titled 'Deep Down My Heart'. It is a very solemn book that really tells it all as it deals with a chronology of events that prompted him to return home to settle and set up this economic venture not meant for himself but Ghana, Ghanaians and foreigners domiciled in the country and perhaps, posterity. The others also spelt out the tremendous ordeal he went through including the way he was ‘Maradonaed’ by the authorities re the daylight robbery of his hard-earned award which eluded him on that fateful day. Except for the very patriotic Ghanaian professionals who would want to return home to help with the nation-building under these trying conditions, the rest should forget it because sheer envy, jealousy and pettiness and red-tapeism are the bedfellows of politicians, technocrats and relatives. A word to the wise, they say, is enough.
POLITICAL LIFE
This affable gentleman was baptized into politics by his grandfather, Opanin Kwame Appiah, then resident at Nkawie in Ashanti when he was still a minor. As the U.P. chairman for this area, his house served as the rendezvous for the late Okyeame Baafuor Osei Akoto and his entourage from Kumasi to conduct important meetings concerning the party. It was no wonder that after his re-location from Sefwi Datano, near Wiawso to Nkawie, he served as their messenger there and then. Having been imbibed with the UP tradition, he continued to exhibit this political phenomenon at the senior high school and participated in political debates and symposia and even at the University of Ghana, while there, he did not shy away such political traits. The unassuming surgeon together with others and supporting para-medicals, courageously attended to the late Ahorlu Hongar who unfortunately died during the famous Kume Preko demonstration against the V.A.T. in 1995. However, those who sustained various degrees of injuries were carefully treated by him and his team of experts even though the perpetrators and their schemers had vowed to unleash mayhem on any person or group of persons who had pity on these poor victims who were at the mercy of death. As you read this piece, one shudders to think that Hon. E.T. Mensah, who it is alleged, masterminded the whole show of brutal force against the peaceful and harmless demonstrators, still walks about freely with impunity and without any prosecution because the Ghanaian proverbial word of consolation says, ‘Fama Nyame’, to wit, let vengeance rest with the Almighty. Again, interested persons should try to secure copies of the clip about this dastard incident and see for themselves the part he (the professor) played in respect of the dead and wounded. That was when no Ghanaian could raise the eyebrow but the prodigy braced all odds and storms to excel in his field to save lives. It is rather sad that many people would want him to continue with his service to humanity at Korle Bu in perpetuity without the knowledge that his vision for Ghana and his compatriots is supreme. Having trained many Ghanaians to take over the baton and other nationals from the sub-region, I would personally undertake the crusade to educate all and sundry to offer him the mantle of leadership to serve at the presidency as a fitting reward for his good works to humanity and mankind.
INGENUITY AND SELF-DENIAL
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng did not only learn his stock in trade to become selfish. He returned to Ghana in 1989 at a time when the PNDC government was in their brutish dare-devil days. A genius and prolific young scientist as he were, he was the first Ghanaian African to have successfully conducted the human heart transplant in a world record time of three hours – unequalled by anybody as at now. Even though, initially, he faced accommodation problems back home, yet he did not regret; his application for tax exempt or waiver with CEPS to clear his personal belongings was turned down; may be because they did not know the stuff that he was made of, yet he borrowed money to square up. Incredible! It may interest readers to know that while many people travel long distances in search of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in vain, and those lucky ones who come across it at the sales points queue with their cylinders only to return later or waste precious hours on end there, this wonderful man has for the past 10 years, not purchased a pint of the LPG. You may ask me why? His technological advancement in bio-fuel has saved him millions of Cedis that would have otherwise gone to waste in buying it and this is exactly what he wants to introduce to Ghanaians. Not only that but also the jatropha seeds, commonly known and called “nkran gyedua” are the source of raw materials used to manufacture bio-diesel for all his diesel-powered vehicles and stand-by generators for the same 10 years. So Ghanaians should now wake up to these realities and embrace this technology to supplement our fuel requirement. Furthermore, to crown his technological prowess, another machining factory situated at the Tema Free Zone Enclave, caters for almost all small, medium and heavy equipment needed for the household and the factory use.
CONSOLATION
The writer recollects an interview granted by this genius recently when he mentioned certain state -ments attributed to his lifelong mentors – Martin Luther King Jnr. and the famous Jewish Philosopher, Prof. Albert Einstein. To refresh your memories with the statements from these world figures he stated, “Once in the lifetime of the celebrated Martin Luther King Jnr., he travelled to Italy; and in his anxiety or quest, he tried to visit Rome. To him, the lifestyle of people who lived in Rome was entirely different from the American people; he was faced with the sight of the Italian Mafia groups, he met stiff opposition from the thugs who often waylaid travelers; so many confrontations, obstacles, hurdles et cetera. As a result, he was tempted to abort the trip to make this remark, ‘the nearer you get to Rome, the more disappointed you become’. Try as he did, he could not succeed. This is akin to the expedition he was to see for the first time the Vatican City, the Basilica, the Mafias, the Italian architecture, the Appian Way, etc. Coming to one of the greatest philosophers of our time, Prof. Albert Einstein also philosophized that “He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned his contempt. Because he believes that such a person has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this; how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is his conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder”. Fellow Ghanaians, let us have consolation in the above soothing sentiments from the two world acclaimed personalities and men of wisdom and be our brother’s keeper. Violence should not be found anywhere in our vocabulary but resort to dialogue as the best option. On the contrary, the NDC has demonstrated and democratized to the whole world that violence and thuggery are their trade mark. Outbursts and effusions from leading personalities of the ruling NDC such as the ‘ill-bred’ Asiedu Nketiah; Baba Jamal of the ‘Akwatia Jihad fame’ and James Agyenim Boateng of Radio Gold fame who nearly set the country ablaze during the 2008 elections and been compensated with the post of a deputy minister of Information are just but a few to mention. We leave posterity to judge and it is hoped they would not be forgiven for their venomous pronouncements.
FRIMPONG-BOATENG AS HOUSEHOLD NAME
Today, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, is a household name in Ghana. He is an admirer of both the rank and file of the NDC – Mr. Rawlings takes him as his darling boy, Dr. Mrs. Mary Grant also has him as his adopted son and family doctor; Mr. P. V. Obeng, the Engineer, takes him to be the modern-day prolific scientist; whilst Nana Akuoku Sarpong, Omanhene of Agogo, runs out of words to describe him. He is wholly admired by his fellow NPP members. He is a unifier who can easily conjure the magic wand to magnetize all the lost foot-soldiers and the floating voters alike to vote massively for the NPP. In fact, he is the only professor with a difference who can easily beat the incumbent professor to usher Ghana to the threshold of a genuine scientific and technological arena. His trip to Chereponi for the funeral of the late lady MP, Doris Seidu, who was his patient at the Cardio Centre, Accra, served a dual purpose; first, to attend the funeral and console the bereaved family and secondly, to save the lives by removing bullets from the bullet-ridden people at the Yendi Hospital. These victims, according to eye-witnesses, were gunned down by an ex MP of Gushiegu, in the Northern Region, who, probably angered by the huge turn up at the funeral, disliked the near rally that it turned out to be and fired at the crowd. He is an unblemished sacrificial lamb of Ghana; a non-ministerial material in the Kufuor Administration who has gradually wormed himself to become a worldwide name. He is a marketable and compromise candidate. When do we crown his efforts with the prestigious golden prize of the presidency? Will Ghanaians embrace him or reject him like the biblical ‘No prophet is acceptable in his own country. The verdict is entirely and definitely in your sacred hands.
email: kofiappiah2002@hotmail.com
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