By Kweku Objective.
Before you proceed to read, understand that the title of this article is a question to which I seek some answer from well meaning Ghanaian?
Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey was the presidential candidate of the United Ghana Movement (UGM) in 2000. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fuel and Combustion Engineering and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Solar Energy Engineering, both from the University of Leeds, UK. The UGM presidential candidate also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Middlesex, Hendon, UK and is a Fellow of the Institute of Petroleum, UK. Dr. Wereko-Brobbey has practised as a Consulting Engineer for over 20 years and is a Research Fellow in Management Science at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London. He also worked as the Energy and Environmental Planning Programme Chief at the Commonwealth Science Council, Commonwealth Secretariat, London. In 1988, Dr Wereko-Brobbey was appointed the Energy Policy Adviser to the PNDC and Executive Director of the National Energy Board. In 1995, he was appointed the Consulting Energy Economist to the African Development Bank's African Energy Programme. Dr Wereko-Brobbey has authored two university-level textbooks on energy and development, as well as numerous technical papers and reports on energy and environment. He became the first African to be elected to the leadership of the National Union of Students (NUS), UK, President of Leeds University Union in 1978-1979. His political carrier started with the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1993. He established the Independent Media Corporation of Ghana which set up the Radio Eye in 1994 and played an inspiring role in the Alliance For Change (AFC), a political pressure group that organised demonstrations against the introduction of VAT in 1995. Dr Wereko-Brobbey formed the UGM in 1996 after resigning from the NPP.
Consider the C.V. of Dr. Brobbey before he formed his political party and it looked good. In fact I once thought he could be a good Chief Executive of the nation considering his C.V. (that is on paper). In practice however, this man’s performance has been far below par.
After a woeful display by his party in the 2000 elections, Dr. Wereko-Brobbey was appointed CEO of the VRA on August 24, 2001. He officially assumed office in September that year but resigned on September 17, 2003.
Issues about Dr. Wireko Brobbey first came to light in 2003 when a couple of VRA workers went on demonstration against his tenure as chief executive due to what they referred to as abuse of power and misappropriation of funds.
Dr. Wereko Brobbey later took the VRA to court, claiming an amount in excess of 2.2billion old cedis, being five years end of service benefit, after working with the authority for two years (2001 to September 2003), however, he was unsuccessful with in his attempt, as the court failed to endorse all his demands, but endorsed some of the counter-claims requested by the Authority, in respect of either returning the furniture set, cutleries and vehicles in his possession, or pay an amount of over GH¢50,000, being the cost of the items.
Surprised to find out that he had to keep the furniture and even cutlery? As though the Kufuor administration did not know Dr. Wereko-Brobbey’s track record with mismanagement and financial malpractice, they decided to hand him the luxurious job of heading the Ghana@50 Secretariat and the results of that is horrible news making the rounds in Ghana today.
After parliament approved a $20million dollar for the event, the funds were still not enough that Wereko-Brobbey and the secretariat spent a whooping $78million dollars on the event. WOW! I wonder what would have happened to Ghana if his party was voted into power in 2000. How could not even manage VRA and Ghana@50 secretariat without financial controversies how much more the entire nation. That is why I always suggest that anyone who contests for the office of president must at least have been to manage a private or public office brilliantly before they will be given the high office of president.
I listened to Dr. Wereko-Brobbey been interviewed by Kwame Sefa-Kayi on Peace FM regarding the auditor general’s report and he was clearly all over the place as to how the bill came up to $78million. As to why of all the great Chief executives in Ghana, Dr. Wereko-Brobbey whose past financial management has been shrouded in controversy was the one to be chosen to manage this event I just can’t understand. Maybe some one can help me find answers to this.
The crony business in Ghana politics is killing the nation and the language of sacrifice is certainly dissipating from the dictionary of those who preached it when they so desperately begged to be voted into power. What at all gets into the head of our leaders that once they ascend the throne of power they change of a sudden, can you imagine? Hmm!
Is Dr. Wereko-Brobbey the greediest ‘sikadicious’ person in Ghana politics, who will jump at any given change to maximise his pocket? Please help me find answers to this my fellow Ghanaians. If Dr. Wereko-Brobbey happens to read this, could he also reply and help me clarify some of the concerns raised?
Let’s us learn to sacrifice a little for the nation if we can truly move Ghana forward an stop the stomach politics. We need to chase out of office all these greedy people who are in power to maximum their gain at the loss of the nation.
God bless you. Thank you.
Please send your sensible responses to dr.objective@yahoo.co.uk. Kweku Afful a.k.a Dr. Objective Slogan…together we build together we succeed. If anyone cares about Ghana, Kweku does.
