Osafo Maafo needs mental test - NDC Communications Officer

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Officer for the Jomoro Constituency of the Western Region, Patrick Ellonu says the Senior Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo needs to undergo a 'Psychiatric examination' following his recent galamsey gaffe.

The NDC scribe said he was highly surprised the Senior Minister will divulge such statements from his rich pot of political experience.

"I think there is something wrong somewhere", he wondered.

Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo has reportedly justified the government’s decision to discontinue the prosecution of Aisha Huang.

According to him, jailing her in Ghana will not have solved the country’s economic problems.

He made the comments at the government’s recent Town Hall Meeting in the US in response to a question from a participant at the program who sought to know why the government deported the Chinese national instead of jailing her in accordance with Ghanaian laws.

Osafo Maafo in his response stressed Ghana’s diplomatic ties with China and the huge investments Chinese companies are making in developing the country’s infrastructure, citing the $2 billion Sinohydro deal.

“We have a very good relationship with China. Today, the main company that is helping develop the infrastructure system in Ghana is Sinohydro, it is a Chinese Company. It is the one that is going to help process our bauxite and provide about two billion dollars to us… So when there are these kinds of arrangements, there are other things behind the scenes,” the minister stressed.

“Putting that lady (Aisha Huang) in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems. It is not going to make you happy or me happy, that’s not important, the most important thing is that she has been deported out of Ghana,” he added.

But speaking on Jomoro-based radio Hope FM's 'Morning Dew' on Wednesday, 24, 2019, monitored by Daniel Kaku, the NDC Communicator Patrick Ellonu wondered why a whole Senior Minister would made such 'reckless' comment.

"I don't believe the Osafo Maafo that I know for some years is the one making these childish statements. I think there is something wrong somewhere. Let's offer him a Doctor", he said.

The host was quick to ask the NDC Communications Officer to retract his comment against the Senior Minister but denied to retract it adding that his comment was not offensive.

He argued, "why should Ghanaians who were caught in engaging in the galamsey activities be prosecuted but deporting the Chinese woman without prosecuting her.

"Today President Akufo-Addo is telling us that Ghanaians are not Ghanaians but the Chinese are Ghanaians because of money. President has sold Ghana and Mr Host let me tell you that as we sit here we have been sold by President Akufo-Addo to the Chinese", he chided.

He re-echoed that "It is worthy of note, that owing to this fight, the Akufo-Addo government banned legal small scale mining for almost two years. In the process, some Ghanaian small-scale miners were shot and killed at their duly licensed mining sites. Several precious lives have been lost in the last two years including the sad and untimely death of a fine soldier, Major Maxwell Mahama. Also, several small-scale miners have lost their life-time investments and livelihoods, all as a result of this fight".

He added that "Many have had their mining equipment destroyed through a selective and wicked application of the ban on small scale mining. Also, many Ghanaian illegal miners (galamseyers) have been arrested, prosecuted and jailed. The country has expended millions of taxpayers’ money on the activities of Operation Vanguard and the Inter-Ministerial Committee against Illegal Mining".

He wondered why the NPP Western Regional Secretary who was the Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee against Illegal Mining (IMCIM) and a Presidential Staffer caught on camera receiving bribes by Anas but allowed to walk freely and also to the UK to further his education.

He therefore urged President Akufo-Addo to prosecute Charles Bissue to serve as deterrent to others.

According to the Patrick Ellonu, the comments Osafo Maafo made at a recent Town Hall Meeting in the United States to the effect that Aisha Huang did not face the law in Ghana for her activities because of the Sinohydro deal could be best be described as 'reckless and useless'.

He concluded by urging Ghanaians to wait patiently for 2020 and uproot the super incompetent government of President Akufo-Addo into a sea and bring back Mr John Mahama to revive the Mining Sector to benefit Ghanaians.