Talking About Thieves

by Akua Bonsu

There is an old saying that as you point one finger at others, three of your own fingers are pointing right back at you. Sometimes this is true; other times accusers are indeed innocent of what they accuse others of. But when it comes to one former president of Ghana, he may have more than three of his own fingers pointing right back at him each time he calls others “thief.”

In fact rarely does former president J. J. Rawlings speak into a microphone without calling someone, mostly former president J. A Kufuor, “a thief.” Just last week called to speak at an event in Amsterdam, Holland dubbed “Dancing with the Kings,” he called all the kings, some of whom had traveled all the way from Ghana to grace the annual traditional festival “thieves.” Like they say, “it takes one to know one.”

To prove this irony, let’s first look at the United States of America. Some twenty years ago, African who employed other means of making money besides their regular occupations had this silly yearning to drive flashy cars. You would see a convenience store clerk who made no more than $7 an hour working the graveyard shift. When you passed by that convenience store around 3:00 AM, the only car parked in front of the store was a $40,000 Mercedes Benz or a BMW, leaving no doubt as to who owned it.

That made for easy pickings for FBI agents because mathematically, it is virtually impossible to drive those kinds of vehicles working at those places. The mathematics does not add up. Before long, an investigation would be launched, arrests would be made, and there goes brother high roller to the slammer.

Now back to Ghana. In 1979, a very young, skinny Flight Lieutenant of the Ghana Air Force, along with his cohorts came onto the Ghanaian scene. They were hailed as saviors, and in many ways they may have been.

Colonel Kutu Acheampong had taken Ghana through some dark days after overthrowing the popularly elected government of Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia in 1972. Just when Ghanaians had just about had it with him, one of his confidants, Colonel Akuffo replaced him in a Palace Coup. Many saw Akuffo’s plan to return the nation to civilian rule as a cynical ploy to hurry in a civilian administration so that they can all retire to enjoy their loot.

So when Captain Boakye-Djan brought Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, from jail to head the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, the latter, having been tortured in prison was upset enough to promise to “let the blood flow,” a chant that university students all across the nation echoed. Eventually, five senior members of the then Supreme Military Council (SMC) were tied up and executed. Not even General Akwasi Afrifa, who not only was not a part of the ruling SMC but had opposed their heavy-handed ruling style, was spared.

The AFRC kept their promise and allowed the impending elections to take place. After handing over power to President Hilla Limann three months later, Captain Boakye-Gyan left to the United Kingdom to further his studies. Rawlings, on the other hand, stuck around for two years without holding a job. On the last day of the year 1981, Rawlings staged another coup d’etat and would rule Ghana for another 19 years.

By the time he left office in January 2001, besides ruling Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings had had no other profession or actual work. That means everything he has acquired in his life, he acquired while he was the leader of our country. With no one knowing exactly how he was paid as a military dictator, it remains unknown how much money he was able to save. We do know that based on his salary as a civilian president, he could not have possibly saved enough money to amass his current assets.

For someone with no previous profession or actual work, but having ruled Ghana for 19 years, if the Rawlings did not steal money or acquire wealth illegally, it would be mathematically impossible for them to own or afford the following unless of course he relied on “friends” to help him:

• Five bullet-proof luxury vehicles

• A mansion at Shogakokpe

• A ranch in Eastern Region new Aburi Gardens

• A mansion at East Legon where he currently lives

• A Polo Country Club

• A fleet of horses

• A jewelry store in Switzerland

• Nsawam Cannery

• Private college education in the United States for his children

By contrast, the man he cannot stop accusing of thievery, President J. A. Kufuor, is a lawyer by profession. He has worked both in government and in private practice. He owned homes in Kumasi and Accra before he became president. He run Ghana while living in his own home renovated to meet security standards for a president. And to emphasize his value, especially in contrast with another former president of Ghana, offers are coming in from all over the world for him to lead global organizations.

Now let me ask you a simple question: between these two former heads of state, who is the Thief?