President Mills owes me an Explanation

I have never come to terms with myself how President Mills finds some current Ministers of State credible enough for such ministerial appointments. I find most of his Deputy Ministers and government appointees far below the benchmark for appointing Ministers of State or Deputy Ministers.

Out of all the seeming unmeritorious personalities unfortunately appointed by President Mills as Deputy Ministers, I will today discuss only Kobby Acheampong, the Deputy Interior Minister. This young man, a complete misfit for ministerial appointment of any sort; a square peg wobbling in a round hole, is a disgrace and a scar on the intelligence of Ghanaians. I really feel ashamed to mention to my overseas born children, any overseas born Ghanaian, and my White colleagues that Kobby Acheampong is a powerful personality in Ghana who commands immense authority.

Apparently, Kobby Acheampong is without wisdom, concluding from how he talks or conducts himself in public. I doubt if he is intellectually sound enough to execute the duties of his prestigious office to the admiration of the public. From all his silly reactive talks, a statement he made on Monday, 30 April 2012 on air as a studio panellist is the last straw that broke the camel's back. I cannot stop wondering how at all President Mills still keeps Kobby Acheampong at post in spite of all his numerous infantile acts or blunders.

He asserted he believes in the truthfulness of the saying, "being at the wrong place at the wrong time". He related it to what he perceived to be the bloody good hiding of Ursula Owusu by the thugs organised by Nii Lante Vanderpuiye at Odododiodoo. He insisted Ursula Owusu had no business doing by going to Odododiodoo seeing that Nii Lante Verdanpuiye's thugs were on the loose. Malik Kweku Baako, also a panellist, questioned when he felt it would be the right time for Ursula Owusu to go to Odododiodoo. Kobby stood his ground saying Ursula Owusu had no right to be there at all, not even on the excuse of ensuring the Akan-name-bearing persons that Nii Lante Vanderpuiye are disenfranchising do vote. In a nutshell, he said, Ursula deserved the beatings meted out to her for going to Odododiodoo at the time Nii Lante Vanderpuiye's boys were on rampage. Kweku Baako questioned how he could make such a statement seeing that he is a Deputy Interior Minister who should ensure the prevalence of law and order at all times. He categorically stated and insisted on his belief in deserving punishment if you were to appear at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Not long ago, Kobby Acheampong derogatorily stated on air that all Ashantis are "Kookoase nkrusasefo3" I feel inclusively insulted for being an Ashanti, a cocoa farmer and for residing in Kumasi or Kumawu in the Ashanti Region. This idiot never felt the need to apologise to the Ashantis after spewing such a disgusting statement. I think President Mills rather promoted him. He availed himself of my sweat as a cocoa farmer to acquire free education through CMB scholarships after which he sees me as "kookoase kuraseni"

Was he not the same person who caused the arrest of some four police officers in the Central region? He accused them of flagging him down even though he was guilty of an infraction of road safety rules. He was over-speeding on a stretch of accident-prone road. He feels no police officer has the right to stop him when he is driving because he is a Deputy Interior Minister, their boss. They should know him from afar by the look, or approach, of his car.

Anyway, Kobby Acheampong like most of President Mills' appointees is not fit to be in government. They are not only corrupt but complete MISFITS. They do not know or do not understand their job description. They are not there only to line their pockets or insult people as ignoramus Kobby Acheampong does. He overtly supports lawlessness executed by members of his party, even as a Deputy Interior Minister. What nonsense that is. Ghana is not for NDC alone. It is for all Ghanaians. A Deputy Minister does not seek the interest of his party members alone but the interest of all Ghanaians.

President Mills, please explain to me your criteria for appointing your Ministers and their deputies. Some of them may not even be qualified enough to be conservancy labourers yet they are in government. No wonder former President Rawlings calls them greedy sycophantic bastards and accuses the government of mediocrity and incompetence.

Rockson Adofo