Opinions of Monday, 5 September 2011

Columnist: Boateng, Chris Gyamfi

Akuffo Addo caught in his campaign of lies and flip-flops

Looking at Ghana’s political landscape and events leading to election 2012, one can hardly fathom where Akuffo Addo stands or whether the man is for real or confused. A critical observation of the defeated 2008 NPP presidential candidate demonstrates that the man is disgruntled, desperate and a liar who would say anything to unsuspecting Ghanaians in order to win their votes. The flip-flopping of the man, his lies, deceptions and inconsistencies are becoming disgustingly nauseating.

One recalls Akuffo Addo’s undertaking to Ghanaians barely three months ago, that he would not make promises in the build to the 2012 elections but he would rather lay out cogent programs to help build and elevate Ghana to higher pedestals.

Knowing Akuffo Addo from his 2008 failed presidential bid when he made a litany and a motley lot of promises, some of us gave a sigh of relief when he declared that he would not make promises but cautiously applauded and complimented him.

Our caution however, has yielded fruitful results because as the adage goes, the leopard can never shed its spots as it did not take long before he started engulfing himself in another string of promises. In a speech delivered at Nsawam in the Akwapin South District of the Eastern Region, the defeated 2008 NPP flag-bearer promised to stabilize petroleum prices as reported by Ghanaweb on Saturday, September 3 rd of this year. The question is, how is he going to do that and since when did Akuffo Addo become the leader of OPEC for him to determine the futures of fuel prices? In fact, some of us felt like puking after reading this promise from Akuffo Addo because we felt the man is either not principled or he forgets about his own lies and propaganda just a day he has issued them. Indeed, it looks like Akuffo Addo takes Ghanaians for fools and therefore expects us to buy into his cock and bull stories anytime he issues them. Akuffo Addo is an individual who will say one thing and do another thing or does exactly the opposite of what he has promised to do. Come to think of it, this is a presidential candidate who looked Ghanaians in the face and vowed to them never to make promises, as a departure from what he is noted for from his 2008 abysmal campaign which according to NPP insiders turned out to be bonking and beach dancing.

Amazingly, in an event dubbed Liberty Lectures where his so-called Danqua Institute (a pseudo NPP propaganda wing parading as a think tank) had indicated that he was going to lay out a major policy statement, Akuffo Addo, characteristically like a drunken sailor without radar and therefore doesn’t know where he is heading, once again issued a promise of offering a free education up to the SHS level but never gave any tangible and sound financial backbone as to how he was going to fund it. Akuffo Addo has promised Ghanaians everything from Azerbaijan to Zabzugu but he must be told succinctly that Ghanaian voters are very discerning and therefore unlike their 2000 campaign of lies and fear mongering, his hollow promises will never wash this time and therefore, he better concentrate on his Pastor Obinim and Jesus One Touch Led Prayer Camp.

The only conclusion one gathers from Akuffo Addo’s postures and lame promises is that he never believes in what he says and doesn’t say what he believes in. It is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to trust this man or entrust the destiny of the country into his hands because for all you know, he will one day promise Ghanaians a free passage to heaven.

Mr. All-Die-Be-Die, enough of your flip-flopping and campaign of lies already!

Chris Gyamfi Boateng (Koo Boateng), MS-Info; Philadelphia, USA.