All Hail The Man Of Impeccable Pedigree, Akufo-Addo

This write up is in response to attempts by the NDC to hoodwink Ghanaians into accepting their lies that seem to portray Atta Mills as a person of unblemished and record of impeccable track credibility and believability. ALLEGED INTIMIDATION OF NDC SUPPORTERS AT KIBI: They accuse Akufo-Addo of keeping silent whiles NDC posters and flags can barely be seen in the Kyebi which happens to be Akufo Addo’s background. To prove that nothing of this sort is happening, let them answer these questions. Is the NDC the only other political party in the country? Why should they single out the NDC as the party at the receiving end of NPP’s alleged intimidation? What about the other parties? If the people of Kyebi want only the NPP in their town, they would have also done a similar thing to the others. The fact is that “nobody taa no so” (nobody is pursuing them). The NDC members are simply afraid of their own shadows. The people of Kyebi and its environs and the rest of the country see in Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo the quality they expect in any visionary leader and that is why "the moving forward” fever has caught up with them. It is not a question of ethnicity. This goes a long way to debunk the assertion that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not done anything for the country. The people trust him and are ready to surrender their destiny into his hands. They have tested him before and he did not disappoint. The few NDC members are overwhelmed by the support Nana is receiving from far and near. This has so much put fear into them that they have started fabricating lies. The people know a gem stone when they see one, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is one. I would refer readers to go to Nungua and see what some landlords are doing to tenants who happen to be NPP sympathizers. They have been ejected in large numbers. One was ejected because his wife had an argument with the landlord’s wife on politics. This tenant packed his things into his friend’s room. The first landlord followed him up to his friend's house and asked the second landlord to eject his friend. This friend was given two a Hobson’s choice by his landlord: Ask your friend to pack out or be evicted yourself.

The friend did not have money to pay “advance” for a new accommodation and so chose the former. Cases like the one enumerated above are many and cannot be chronicled individually. All these are happening right under the nose of Atta Mills, Rawlings, John Mahama and their grey hounds.

They condemned Nana’s Human Right Posture by referring to the killings of the innocent Ghanaians in the Gambia. They claim that Akufo Addo did not do enough to ensure justice for the dead Ghanaians. I wonder why Mills, Rawlings and others who had at one time or the other been involved in the governance of this country, should allow such a sensitive political issue to be peddled by those who know almost nothing about government. Nana did all that he could but met a dead end. The Gambian authorities would simply not co-operate with their Ghanaian counterparts. But the NPP government did not relent. It continued to put pressure on the International Community and the Gambian Government.

This has yielded fruit, and as at now, the Ghanaian delegation is meeting their Gambian counterparts to work out an amicable settlement. What did they expect Nana to do in the face of intransigence on the part of the Gambian authorities? Did they expect Kufuor to have ordered the invasion of Gambia? You see, Ghana is not like Nigeria which has taken upon itself the duty of international policeman. We have not forgotten the suspicious role NDC henchman, General Arnold Quainoo played in the abduction and killing of the then Liberian Head of State, Master Sergeant Samuel Kenyon Doe and about fifty of his men. But the Mills, the John Mahamas, the Rawlingses, the Kobby Acheampongs, the Benyiwa Does, the Baba Jamals, the Asiedu Nketiahs, the Haruna Iddrisus, the Alex Segbefias, the Koku Anyidohos, and the rest are not talking about justice for the family of Samuel Doe and fifty of his men who were killed through the connivance of, or negligence on the part of Arnold Quainoo, the then ECOMOG Commander. No wonder, he was given an ignominious sack by the Nigerians who quickly replaced him with a tried and tested General Dogonyaro without consulting their Ghanaian counterparts. If Mills, Rawlings and John Mahama have forgotten, we have not. What did they do when the Ivorian massacred many Ghanaians resident in their country after a football match between Ghana and Assec Mimosa in Kumasi? Did Rawlings and Mills even raise the issue at any international forum? Till now, the ghosts of hundreds of Ghanaians who were massacred are yet to be appeased. Their families are yet to be accorded justice. What about the Ghanaians who were burnt in Liberia? What did Mills and Rawlings do about it? Nothing! Once again, I sound a note of caution to all those who live in glass houses not to throw stones.

KUME PREKO DEMONSTRATION: The statement reads, “That despite all his loud proclamations while in opposition about justice to the Kume Preko Demonstration, the man did nothing in all his years as Attorney General to bring justice to them. I am happy that the NDC has, at least, been humble enough to acknowledge the fact that indeed, some Kume Preko demonstrators were in dire need of justice. The truth is bitter, but we should tell it anyway. Nana Akufo - Addo was handicapped when he assumed office as Attorney General, for the NDC had virtually destroyed every iota of evidence linking members of the NDC to the mayhem that occurred during the demonstrations

IMMORAL PACKING OF THE SUPREME COURT: There was nothing immoral about Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s action. The constitution of Ghana allows that. The NDC is angry because it was beaten to it by the ingenuity of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. The clause had been there all this while but because the NDC members have eyes, but cannot see, they could not make use of the provision. Which one is better - working within the confines of the law to get something rectified or inciting the masses to embark on a mob action to cause havoc?

STRIPPING RAWLINGS OF HIS PRIVILEGES: In the first place I am glad the NDC has once again conceded the fact that they were privileges, not rights. A privilege goes with a price. Privileges could be taken away at any time and at the discretion of the one who monitors it. Thus, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo was right to recommend that those privileges be withdrawn. Here you are in a country whose legitimate Government allows you easy access to a lot of places, some of which even are even restricted. The Government extends all the courtesies to you and the moment you leave the shores of this country, you start fabricating lies about the very country you claim you love and cherish. I would like to refer readers to a speech which he made at the Trade Fair Site during Ghana’s 37th Independence Anniversary “Let me however sound a note of caution to those vested interests which are come to disregard the consequences that their acts of instigation have in the precious lives of innocent fuelling the unrest in the hope of making political capital out of it. In their narrow and callous political activities, they have families and communities precisely because the stability of the nation has made those people politically irrelevant, they have now come to regard constitutional rule as providing them with latitude and the cover under which they have resorted to mischief as a means of gaining political stature”

During the Opening of Parliament on January, 1994, Rawlings had this to say, “Some have taken delight in running down the country to the outside world caring very little for the consequences that their perverse stories could have on our economy”

The above statements were uttered by Rawlings when he was President. What was the NPP, then in opposition asking for? A little respect as citizens of the country and restoration of individual rights! They never incited anybody to take up arms against Rawlings regime. What they did is direct antithesis of what Rawlings is doing outside the country. Isn’t it ironic that Rawlings who threatened citizens of the country who spoke their minds is now moving from country to country to malign the Kufuor- led NPP regime?

From the point of view of the Constitution, Kufuor and Nana Addo action in stripping Rawlings of his privileges is not ultra vares and unconstitutional. Remember that they are privileges not rights. But let me ask this question. Did Mills, Rawlings and the NDC extend those courtesies to former President, Dr. Hilla Limann? He died wretched and in penury. What is good for the gander is equally good for the goose. The NDC should not apply double standards on issues of privileges. And if I may ask further, why Mills, Rawlings and the NDC should complain when those courtesies were withdrawn since the former president had adopted a populist attitude to issues e.g.: sitting at the popular stand during a football match. Why did he hate the idea of being a common man, for once at least?

And if I may again ask, where was Mills, when Rawlings was making his boom speeches, calling on the army and the police to arrest Kufuor and remove him from power? As a lawyer who claims he believes in constitutional rule, his silence leaves much to be desired. By the way whoever heard of Atta Mills, Rawlings' appendage at the time tested and courageous men like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo were battling the rapacious, repressive and retrogressive regime of Acheampong and Rawlings to give this country a semblance of diligence and democracy?

Like men without balls between their legs, Mills and his followers went and hid themselves under their beds. After Mills had lost the election, instead of staying behind to help rebuild the nation, he sought refuge outside the country where he placed his residence at the disposal of Rawlings to launch his vitriolic attacks against the elected President of the Country thereby undermining the constitution of Ghana.

Mills, Mahama, Rawlings and their gang of desperados should not delude themselves into thinking that Ghanaians have short memories; otherwise they should not have blamed Nana for inaction in the killing of Ghanaian citizens. Where was Atta Mills when Rawlings attempted to subvert the Togolese Government when he sent Ghanaian soldiers into Togo to oust the government? The Togolese seized one of the armored vehicles used in the operation and started to unleash an orgy of violence on Ghanaians. Many Ghanaians were massacred during the operation but till day, Atta Mills has said nothing on it. Where does he stand? He should come out in the open and either applaud of condemn it. My holy village lost five citizens. This was pushed under the carpet throughout the entire duration of the NDC regime. The NDC went to the ridiculous extent by saying that the rights of poor trees to exist meant nothing to Nana on account of the savagery visited on poor trees near the Togo Embassy just to build a round in memory of his father. Haba! These NDC people have no sense of beauty or shame. What is the purpose of a round about? Is it not to ease traffic congestion? And once a round about has been constructed, should we not give it a name? And if the contractor felt the trees ought to go, what was wrong with that. After all, did Rawlings not demolish Makola Market which had been built over the years with Ghanaian scarce foreign exchange?

ALLEGED DESCRIPTION OF GHANAIANS AS LAZY: This is a non-issue. The NDC just wants to call the dog a bad name in order to hang it. Kufuor did not, and has not called hard working Ghanaians lazy. How could he have done that? Those Kufuor was referring to as lazy people were those Ghanaians, who during the NDC days, belonged to the veranda boys and girls group and were collecting salaries at the end of every month for no work done. They were the ghost names on the pay roll of corporations and when the NPP Government took over, it deleted such names from the payroll. Such people have not forgiven the NPP government for that act. They are the people who have been complaining about lack of job opportunities. They are the very people Kufuor referred to as lazy Ghanaians, not the hard-working patriotic Ghanaians. A blind man came to our church one Sunday and demonstrated to us how they were able to use different colours to weave beautiful baskets. He told us that if they tied two strings together, it indicated a certain colour. In fact, if blind people can make a livelihood without bemoaning their calamities, what prevents able-bodied Ghanaians from doing likewise? President Kufuor did nothing wrong when he referred to Ghanaians who would sit down and expect manna to fall down from heavens as lazy. Any hard working Ghanaian contributing his quota to help boost the economy of this country should receive a pat on the back.

AKUFO ADDO BELIEVES IN GHANA: The Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo believes so much in the country that he stayed behind and put his life on the line to fight the Acheampong and Rawlings regime to the end. What did the Presidential candidate of the NDC, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills do? He chose either to remain silent or hopped into the nearest available plane to seek refuge outside when the going became tough. When Atta Mills lost the 2000 election, he fled the country and waited for hard working Ghanaians to salvage the country from the mess he and his mentor had subjected Ghana into. It wasn’t an easy task. It needed men of virtue and clear cut vision like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and John Agyekum Kufuor to lead the way. But when the chips were done, John Atta Mills hurried back to the country, and aided by the greatest-bully that ever bestrode this narrow world of ours, reaped what he had not sown. In the process, principled personalities like Obed Asamoah, Frances Essiam and others had to be sacrificed.

The National Democratic Congress claims that the NPP Government has chosen to invest in a cassava starch factory in order to satisfy foreign interest instead of ensuring Ghanaian farmers grow more edible cassava. Who does not know that Ghanaian farmers grow more edible cassava to the extent that they don’t at times get buyers for their produce? And when they went to school did they not learn something about the theory of comparative cost in Economics? These NDC men should not take Ghanaians for granted. Let them go back to school and learn to revise their priorities.

NON ALLIGNED POLICY: Who first abandoned the Non-Aligned Foreign Policy? When Rawlings came to power, what criticism did they not make against the West? They took us to the Eastern block. At a stage, if looked as if we were being dictated to by Comrades/Brother Ghadafi. We must realize that even though Nkrumah towed the line of the Eastern block, he turned to the West, America in particular, when he needed assistance to construct the Akosombo Dam. Is President Kufuor not dealing with both the Eastern and Western Block? Earlier on, the NDC had accused Kufuor of importing textile materials from China, a country Dr Nkrumah dealt with when he was in power. What about the construction of our Presidential Palace? It was financed with grants from India, a country which was at the forefront of the Non-Aligned Movement. And the most significant aspect of the grant is that about a quarter of it is free. If Fiifi Kwetey and the NDC do not know their history, they should go back to school to seek further knowledge. Now I want to drum this into the heads of Fiifi Kwetey and his gang of desperados in the NDC that in this modern era of international politics, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies

JOSEPH BOAKYE DANQUAH: I repeat that Dr Joseph Boakye Dankwa was never a paid agent of the CIA. He did his best and paid the supreme price so that Ghana would remain as one united, indivisible country. He, it was, together with others used their resources to bring Nkrumah back to Ghana to ensure that the battle for our independence was accelerated. He deserved better treatment than what these new generations of Ghanaian who don’t know their history or have deliberately decided to distort facts to satisfy their own ego are attempting to do.

PRESIDENT KUFOUR’S TRIPS ABROAD: The President’s trips abroad have brought positive gains to the country. We all remember what Spio Garbra said when they lost power. He said the NPP had made so many promises and that we shall see how the party will get money to pay workers and also fulfill its promises. The NDC deliberately ‘cleaned up’ the coffers to make it impossible for the NPP to fulfill its promises. The country was in a very precarious position at the time Kufuor took over as President. The fuel in the country could not last even five days. President Kufuor quickly dashed to see his counterpart in Nigeria (President Olusegun Obasanjo) and a deal was struck. An imminent fuel crisis of an unimaginable scale was thus averted.

It will also be recalled that the NDC regime encourage the existence of the commandos and the militia even under a civilian administration. The Commandos and the Militia were issued with arms and ammunition without any record. When the NPP came to power, members of these units were given the option of either joining the regular army or opting out. Those who opted out went away with their AK47 and other smaller arms because no records were kept at the time they were issued out to the soldiers. Some soldiers who had returned from Liberia did not account for the ammunition issued to them. These ex-soldiers put a strain on the security agencies.

The President quickly dashed to his friend, Olusegun Obasanjo who quickly acceded to his request by approving the supply of more than 100 Peugeot cars to beef the patrol vehicles in the police pool. This was one of the impeachment charges preferred against the ex- Nigerian Head of State. Luckily, the process was aborted.

Debt Forgiveness also came as results of shuttle diplomacy to those countries by President Kufuor. In all these cases, the groundwork was facilitated by our Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo. We should not forget to mention the HIPC funds which at the time the country decided to go for it, received bashings from the NDC. But when the dividends started coming in, these same NDC members who had criticized it were the first to clamour for their share of the goodies. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Could Ghana have had access to the Millennium Challenge Account if President Kufuor had remained in Ghana without traveling to other countries? You see, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. It is how one packages his or her C.V that will result in the one being invited to an interview or rejected. You see, personal interaction counts a lot in international diplomacy nowadays and no country is an island. The foreign Heads of State, after interacting with President Kufuor and knowing the depth of his knowledge in many subjects found in him a person who can help Ghana attain the Commanding Heights of the economy if obstacles were removed. The advanced nation identified the country’s debts as its obstacles; Hence, the decision to cancel part of our debts.

We should also not forget that, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo’s personal charisma, and knowledge of international affairs were the ingredients which made these foreign countries decide to even include Ghana on the list of countries to consider for the goodies.

And if we have forgotten, I wish to re-iterate the fact that during the signing of the Millennium Challenge Account, the cameras captured the National Vice Chairman of the NDC, Honourable E.T Mensah smiling at President J.A.Kufuor, complimenting him, obviously for a job well-done. These are some of the positive gains that have accrued to the country as a result of President Kufuor and Nana Akufo Addo’s trotting across the globe. What about the NDC?

Could they point out to any concrete gain that Rawlings stay at home posture brought to Ghana apart from the “Rawlings chain”? The NDC talks about Rawlings focusing his vision on cementing Ghana’s relationship with African, Asian, the Caribbean and Latin American countries. Does that include destabilization of a fellow African country? At least, it is on record that Ghana, under Rawlings and Mills attempted on several occasions to destabilize the Togolese Government. The fact of the matter is that Rawlings and Mills never got invited by any Western Country. This is the simple truth. What the NDC is peddling across to Ghanaians is false. The regime would have jumped at the opportunity if the government of U.S.A, Britain, France, Canada, Italy, Portugal or even Russia had invited Rawlings. His credentials in those days did not merit any such invitation

The NDC talks about Rawlings doing manual labour. I wish this was the simple truth. Go and talk to some of the students who were with him in those days and they would tell you it was all political gimmicks to endear himself to the populace. All that happened was that Rawlings would get into the gutter, hold a spade and pretend he was cleaning up the gutter. The cameras would capture him holding the spade and the papers would say he had done this or that. He never did it for more than a minute. When we talk of initiative, we shall be honest enough to concede that to him.

But why did he not carry it out through to the end of his regime? And why is he not doing it now?

Now what about the NDC Presidential Candidate, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills? Where was he at the time Rawlings was said to be doing manual labour? Where was Mills at the time the struggle against UNIGOV was at its peak? Holed up in his residence at Legon! But our man of the moment, the Showman of Ghanaian politics, the Fearless Defender of the Rights of Ghanaian, the Man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but has chosen to walk by the side of the road with the down trodden masses, the Mover and Shaker of the Ghanaians society, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party was doing what he knows best - fighting the dictatorship of both Acheampong and Rawlings regime. At that time where was Mills? In a political coma of course! Now the Free Tsatsu Movement claims Tsatsu Tsikata remained the CEO of GNPC till the end of NDC regime. Mills has been supportive of the movement and is aware of the fact that what the movement is peddling is totally false. Why should a person who is aspiring to lead this nation encourage the peddling of such false hood? John Evans Atta Mills has been unfaithful to citizens of this country, who are his immediate constituency and doesn’t deserve the high office of President of Ghana.

QUESTIONS FOR MILLS: We would like Mills to tell us where he was when Sellassie Djentuh was brought to the Castle where he, [Mills] had his office and given the identification haircut. Did he not hear the shouts and cries of the Djentuh boy as he was strapped to the table by fierce-looking soldiers who used broken bottles to give him the identification trademark? We want Mills to speak on the issue. Did he sanction it? If he did not, then he should speak out. We would also want to hear from Mills why he has never taken part in the Martyr Day Service instituted by the Ghana Bar Association to which he belongs. When is he going to join in the celebration? Is it after he becomes President? He should also tell us whether he would take steps to annul the celebration when he becomes President.

As a “legal luminary of the highest order”. a credential which the NDC is flaunting about with relish, what has he got to say about the celebrations of both the June 4th and the 31st December Revolutions in contravention of the Supreme Court Ruling that those events should not be celebrated? Can Mills in all sincerity tell us the reason why he went to see Prophet Joshua why he went to see Prophet Joshua Temitope of the Synagogue CHURCH OF THE nations at Ikotun-Egbe in Lagos State, Nigeria? Was it for spiritual purification or healing?

TWO ABUDU GENTLEMEN ALLEGEDLY SEEN WITH BODY PARTS OF YA NA. The NDC claims two Abudu men were seen with some body parts of the Ya Na. These two were arrested and prosecuted. But since there was no evidence to corroborate what the NDC claims it has seen, the two were exonerated. Now the NDC raises the question as to why Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo did not appeal on behalf of the state. The answer is not far fetched. It was simply a bad case. Any good lawyer worth his sauce would know a bad case when he sees one. Why were the two freed in the first place? They were freed because there was not enough evidence to convict them. As long as people refused to come forward with evidence, the Attorney General could do nothing about it.

Mills mentor, Rawlings claims he knows those murdered the Ya Na and the 33 women. When challenged to name them he said, they should bring chemicals or go to Antoa Nyama. What did Mills and Rawlings want Akufo – Addo to do? He should ask Rawlings to come out with his evidence and if Government does not do anything about it, the NDC could then make all the noise they want. Just one more thing. When the Running Mate to Mills, one Mumuni was involved in an accident and was admitted at the hospital, NDC MP’s and their supporters physically prevented the late Hawa Yakubu from visiting him at the hospital. The masses would like to know what made them take that decision. Was it on Mills instruction or Rawlings?

NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO VRS. JOHN EVANS FIIFI ATTA MILLS Which of the two, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills is qualified to be President of this country? I make bold to state that the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is miles ahead of the flag bearer of the NDC, John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills. Nana is a man of principles, a man of impeccable pedigree. Nana started fighting injustice right from his childhood. He has tasted extreme socialism before opting for capitalism. When we come to the academia may be we can root for John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills. But when it comes to governance of a nation, none of the Presidential candidates comes as close to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

Mills was plucked from the Revenue Department and foisted on the NDC, first as Deputy to Rawlings and then as Flag-bearer of the party. The first time it happened, it led to the resignation and defection of party members on a scale unprecedented in the political history of the country. On the second occasion, he was able to clinch the flagbearership with the help of the Azorka boys who used “Kobokos” to whip party members into submission. The threats and intimidations of Rawlings also aided him to grab the flagbearership of the NDC. But those of us in the NPP have a tradition to protect. Our flagbearer did not have things cooked for him like his counterpart in the NDC. He had to slug it out with sixteen equally good contenders, at the end of which he emerged victorious. Gold in its crude form had to be passed through the furnace before it comes out as refined gold. Nana had to do like wise. As foreign Minister, he had his baptism of fire and undertook his apprenticeship under President Kufuor. He has come out as a person capable of taking up Elijah’s mantle. There is no other person but Nana Addo to steer the affairs of this nation at this time of Ghana’s history. He has paid off his dues and his moment of glory is now Let no one make any mistake. Let Ghanaians have no doubts in their minds about Nana’s ability to captain Our Ship of State. Nana Addo Dankwa has indeed fought a good fight. He has won the race. Now is the time to put on him the Golden Crown of Ghana. He will take us to the land that our forefathers dreamt of. We are indeed moving forward. We shall never look back. We shall never surrender. We shall shine our eyes. With Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo in the lead, we shall over come all obstacles. Nana all the way

Daniel Danquah Damptey danieldanquah_damptey@yahoo.com 0243715297.