Osafo Maafo Chases Hawks Away

Reports reaching Daily Guide indicate that some hawks within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been converging on the residence of Hon Osafo Maafo, the former Minister of Education, urging him to kick-start his presidential campaign. This is because he is no longer a Minister of State and so needs not be held back by the President?s advice to ministers in his Cabinet, who had presidential ambitions, not to peak ahead of time.

However, according to information made available to the paper, Hon Osafo Maafo has chased those hawks away, saying he respects the President?s prerogative in configuring and constituting his Cabinet and so does not hold anything against him. The source said the immediate concern of Hon Osafo-Maafo, is how best to re-organise the structures of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to ensure massive victory for the party in 2008.

The source re-affirmed the former Education Minister?s commitment and loyalty to the government, adding that, there are crucial assignments on hand, hence this is not the time for the party to engage in unprofitable and unfruitful adventures that would pave the way for their rivals, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to out-maneuver them in the next elections.

The source said the former Minister once again pledged not to do anything to destroy the unity of the party. The source referred to the troubles that afflicted Job in the Old Testament, and how in the midst of it all, his wife advised him to curse God and die. The source said Hon Osafo Maafo had had his time as a minister on two different occasions, first as Finance and Economic Planning Minister, and then as Minister of Education and Sports, and so would still bear allegiance to the Kufuor Government.

According to the source, the biggest challenge facing the NPP is how to retain power in 2008 and that has so far been what Hon Osafo Maafo has been musing about, even though he has no doubt that given the good works of the NPP in the six years of office, the electorate would not disappoint them. Hon Osafo Maafo, who worked also as the first Finance and Economic Planning Minister in the Kufuor Administration, is among six high profile ministers who were dropped in the recent Ministerial Cabinet reshuffle by the Kufuor Administration.

The others are: Mr Dan Kweku Botwe, former Minister of Information, Mr J. Ayikoi Otoo, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Charles Bintim, former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Christine Churcher, former Minister of Science & Environment and Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, former Minister for Integration and New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

A statement signed by Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs, announcing a new list of Cabinet Ministers, was silent on the status of Hon J.H. Mensah, the Senior Minister and Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State for Tertiary Education.