By At a time the Kuffuor Administration is pre-occupied with efforts to salvage the national economy from its current economic doldrums some ministers are seriously misconducting themselves and causing deep disaffection for government.

One of such ministers is Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku Minister of Trade & Industry, who has surrounded himself with a battalion of “advisors” many of whose background in relation to their competence are questionable.

The minister has surrounded himself with his own blood relations and demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he has great hatred for those who fall outside his “circle of confidants” in his ministry.

His Special Assistant is one Kwame Nuako, a relative, who was previously struggling with life in Canada. Kwame Nuako has started a traveling spree with Dr. Apraku, his brother, the latest being a visit to China in September.

As if this is not enough Dr. Apraku has also appointed Mr. Baah Boakye, his cousin, as the Director of NBSSI and channeled more resources to NBSSI obviously for “chop” by his cousin.

The minister has explained that the increase in budgetary allocation to NBSSI was to allow more outlets to be opened for the operation of more small scale industries.

This, however, is far from the truth. What Ghana needs now is the promotion of standards for the guidance of small scale industry operations and for export.

For the year 2003, an amount of ?680,000,000.00 has been earmarked for the Ghana Standards Board at a time when a bottle of chloroform alone costs nearly a million cedis. Interestingly, ?1,240,000,000.00 has been allocated to NBSSI for its service expenses even though its operations in terms of cost fall far below that of GSB.

Indeed this is the first time money voted for the service activity of GSB is half the amount allocated to NBSSI whose staff strength is about half that of GSB.

Staff within the Ministry of Trade and Industry are very unhappy about these developments but are afraid to voice out their feelings for fear of victimization by Dr. Apraku who has been described by some as a “terrible terror”. Many of such people are waiting patiently to breath a sigh of relief when Dr. Apraku is changed, stressing “we are disappointed in him”.

When Mr. Baah Boakye was first appointed he refused to use a vehicle that was already earmarked for use by the Director of NBSSI. Even though the vehicle was in good condition, Dr. Apraku quickly encouraged NBSSI to buy a new one for his cousin.

The moral lives of all the three – Dr. Apraku, Baah Boakye and Kwame Nuako – are unpleasant. They flirt freely with women and look down on workers under them.

“From all indications they are in not for the good of the Kuffuor Administration but to seek their own personal and selfish interests and to create problems for the government” observed one senior official at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

APRAKU'S MANSION @ AKOMADAN

A sub-chief at Akomadan (Apraku's hometown) pointed out Apraku's mansion to me on my way to Techiman in July, this year. The building is direct opposite the Akomadan Sec. School with solid walls. According to the chief, Apraku lived in the States for a long time and couldn't build even a house. Neither was he able to build one when the NPP was in opposition. In fact, Apraku used to attend parliamentary proceedings in a ricketty pickup and rushed back to sleep in a hotel in Kumasi anytime he visited Akomadan. He has become rich overnight since assuming the ministerial position. Inside info. from his ministry indicate Apraku has recruited people to engage in visa connections for him. You pay four thousand five hundred bucks and you're through.