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Abacha's Millions - A challenge to Kufuor

Fri, 1 Oct 2004 Source: Lens

There can hardly be a 'politically alive' Ghanaian who has not heard by now that the Swiss authorities have agreed to return to the Nigerian authorities millions of dollars allegedly looted and stashed away in a Swiss Bank by former Nigerian leader, Gen. Sani Abacha.

For those of us who have all along sincerely believed that allegations that President Rawlings has millions of dollars stashed away in foreign banks were creations of the Kufuor regime to discredit and whip up public sentiment against him, now that Nigeria has shown that stolen moneys can be returned to the people from whom the money was stolen, the onus has shifted onto the Kufuor administration to tell Ghanaians what they are doing to get those monies returned to Ghana.

As the days roll by, and with new developments on the Ghanaian political landscape, our suspicions that these allegations were creations of the Kufuor regime to discredit President Rawlings continue to grow rather than wane.

The suspicions continue to grow especially as private citizens of this country, are telling us that they, with their limited resources, have commissioned independent investigations to find out if President Rawlings has money stashed away in any foreign bank.

One such private individual, Charles (Chuck) Kofi Wayo, who, significantly, is a political opponent of President Rawlings, has revealed that reports from crack international investigators that he commissioned to trace any foreign account belonging to President Rawlings say President Rawlings does not have a single sou anywhere outside Ghana.

Chuck Kofi Wayo's revelation really confirms for some of us that these allegations are politically motivated.

I have heard Mr. Kufuor and his apologists accuse President Rawlings of not behaving like a statesman, and each time I hear this I wonder what kind of statesman has been accused of stealing money from his people? It is a pity that the very people who are doing everything in their power to discredit the man are the very people who are accusing him of not behaving like a statesman.

I sincerely hope that the people of Ghana would compel Mr. Kufuor and his administration to get to the bottom of this matter. Let no one make any mistake of sidetracking to Kweku Baako and his Crusading Guide, they are just conduits for dissemination misinformation.

The people who should be explaining to the people of Ghana are Mr. Kufuor and his National Security Coordinator, and other security/intelligence gurus.

My elders taught me that "Eka xoxoawo nu wogbea yeyea wo do," therefore now that the Nigerians have shown the way, I expect that Mr. Kufuor and his people, the transparent government that they claim to be, to inform us of whatever steps they have taken so far, whether they have been able to locate these funds and related matters.

Should they fail in this regard, dear reader, I would not hold it against you if you describe Mr. Kufuor and his people as vicious liars and envious slanderers that they are.

Source: Lens