Dan Botwe Double Speak

Daniel Kwaku Botwe, the President's nominee for the information portfolio last week got the members of the Appointment Committee of Parliament, and other viewers and listeners laughing themselves hoarse when he cleverly created the obviously false impression that he was shocked by GTV's failure to telecast the last Presidential Debate.

The Super Interrogator, Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader and undoubtedly the man most feared by all nominees appearing before the Committee had expressed his shock at GTV's obviously deliberate action and wondered what Dan Botwe thought about the action.


Without any hesitation, Dan Botwe whose political dribbling skills have long been known across the political landscape coolly and innocently replied: "I was also shocked, Mr. Chairman".


The reply took Bagbin completely by surprise and even he, the leader of what has virtually become an inquisition of the President's men, could not help but laugh at Dan's parrying wizardry.


But on a more serious note, Dan Botwe was as usual only pretending not to know what he obviously was fully aware of.


The Lens can confirm that Dan Botwe is no stranger at all to orchestrations to get the national television to take actions that are detrimental to other political parties. In 2001, Dan Botchwey personally saw to it that two individuals whose presence was causing discomfort to his NPP party were taken off GTV. Elvis Ankrah and Fifi Kwetey were taken off the Breakfast Show through Dan Botchwey's personal scheming.

Dan would have typically denied ever having done any such thing but for the fact that he was caught in the act by a leading member of the NDC Youth Forum, Bismark Agbemenule, who happened to be at the GBC premises that same day and overheard Dan literally issuing the instructions. Bismark, incidentally a friend of Dan Botwe, confronted him straight away.


So obviously, Mr Kufuor in choosing Dan Botwe has clearly gone for a chief schemer who has already distinguished himself in getting a key national asset like GTV to do his bidding time and again; this was even while he was only the General Secretary of his party. Viewed against this background, it becomes clear why Dan's party, the NPP and its media propagandists always were the first to jump to the defense of GBC anytime the NDC brought up a complaint against the former.


Dan Botwe was shocked by GTV's action? That could only be meant as a jest because the truth is that Dan was an integral part of all those orchestrations. The Information Ministry since John Mahama left it seems to have become the preserve of individuals with undoubtedly great gifts in lying blatantly at every turn to defend indefensible positions adopted by a Kufuor led regime whose predisposition to peddling lies became one of the regime's most notable attributes over the first term.


Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Nana Akomea were classic cases of blatant spin-doctoring that could be the envy of Hitler's chief Propagandist, Joseph Goebbels. From all indications, the second term of Mr. Kufuor is not going to see any change in that direction. Judging from Dan Botwe's demonstrable track record, more waa waa waa lies should be expected.


Perhaps NPP ministers of information should be taken through some basic lessons to enable them know the difference between the dissemination of information and the engaging in deceitful propaganda.