This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus appointed by the command of God our saviour and by Christ Jesus our hope. It is written to you President John Agyekum Kufuor. May God our father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy and peace.
It has become practically necessary for me to write you an epistle as I did to the earlier Christians like Timothy, Titus, Philemon and the churches in Corinth, Ephesus and Romans. I have to revise the translation and avoid Shakespearean expressions of thou, ye, cometh, doeth etc and use modern translation so that you will be able understand everything contained in this letter. It is so strange that I, Apostle Paul will be writing you a letter more than nineteen hundred years since my last letter appeared in the Greek New Testament.
Please John Agyekum Kufuor permit me to address you by your first name: John. John, I have heard about you for a long time. I have been told that you have done so many things for Ghana. I have been told that you have come to revive the economy of Ghana, combat inflation and embark on national development and become an apostle of good governance in Africa. Because of this Ghana is considered as an island of peace amid an ocean of turbulent nations. Throughout your first- four years of life as president of the Republic of Ghana I have been following events under the magnifying power of the electronic microscope. During the last election I was told that you did not play politics with the economy of Ghana and you managed to keep inflation rate low. That is great! John, you have done so many things which your predecessors could not do. At least you have been deepening the wells of democracy dug by your predecessors especially Brothers Kofi Abrefa Busia, Hilla Liman and Jerry John Rawlings. I have also informed that you have repealed the Criminal Libel Law of 1963(0) thereby promoting freedom of expression and that of the media-the fourth arm of government.
I also like the role that you have been playing in bringing an end to the wars in your neighbouring countries Cote D?Ivoire and Liberia. I am also told that there is an upheaval in Togo after the death of Brother Yassingbe Eyadema. Keep it up. Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the sons of God.
Information came to me that the Organization of African Unity (O.A.U) has been constituted into African Union (A.U). And under the A.U you have what is called the New Partnership For Africa Development (NEPAD) which has given birth to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) which allows peer countries to review their democracy. For being the first country in Africa to be subjected to this peer review is a feather in your cup.
John I was told that your ministers have been talking more about high sounding economic terms like micro-economic stability and inflation which the average person in Makola Market does not understand. Most Ghanaians are telling me that much of your government economic trumpeted gains could not be felt in their pocket. Across the length and breath of the country people are complaining of hardships. Are the figures you get theoretically different from the realities on the ground? I may be tempted to believe so because you quoted as saying that inflation at the end of 2004 was 12.3% meanwhile banks and financial institutions are still charging interest rate above 30%. Oh John, this is too bad! You have to do something about it.
I have heard about The Fast Track Court. I personally like the idea of fast tracking legal process. But you must be careful that it does not to lead to miscarry of justice. People are telling me that you brought this court to try brothers from the previous administration. For how far is true I do not know.
John one thing that is of great concern to me is the issue of corruption. I am greatly disturbed about this cancer which is eating into vital part of the national fabric of Ghana. People are saying that your fight for corruption has been retrogressive instead of progressive. Corruption in Ghana is serious as it is gradually being institutionalised. Corruption is corruption and it is absolute and not relative. I urge you as I urged the brethren in Romans that in view of God?s mercy they should offer themselves to God as a living sacrifice. John everyday I see and hear of corrupt practices in Ghana my heart bleeds profusely leading it to palpitate unduly. The Centre of Democratic Development (CDD) has reliably informed me that your government abused its incumbency during the 2004 election. You could not draw a line of distinction between national assignment and party campaign and activity. You remember that I told the churches in Corinth, Ephesus and Galatia that God abhors corruption in all forms. On your state of the Nation Address to parliament you fell short on how you intend to fight corruption under Good Governance.
John, before I will continue let me thank your government and the parliament of Ghana for the passage of the Public Procurement Act (Act 663), Financial Administration Act (Act 654) and Internal Audit Agency Act (Act 658). There is one thing passing the bill and another thing having the political will to punish those who will breach the law. I am waiting expectantly when the section 66 of the Financial Administration Act which empowers the Chief Justice to establish the Financial Administration Tribunal be fulfilled. Kindly ask the Chief Justice to provide you with the progress he is making to fulfil the demands of the act.
John if I am to talk about corruption in your government and your nation you serve as the president I will not be able to take the gospel of good governance to other countries. Before I close on the issue of corruption I would like to make some recommendations to you if you so mean it well to fight and succeed in anti-corruption crusade in Ghana.
First I urge in God?s mercy that you separate the Attorney General from the Ministry of Justice. I think this is not the first time you are hearing this. The Attorney General should be non-political position. When this is done the Attorney General will be able to prosecute colleague ministers who will be found of corruption. When you do this all ministers will see themselves as living in a glass house and no one will throw a stone. This will bring about uprightness to those who walk in the corridors of power.
Secondly, you and your cabinet must send to parliament as soon as possible a bill dubbed CHRAJ EMPOWERMENT BILL. This bill should seek to amend article 218 of the 1992 Constitution and add life to the CHRAJ. The Commission of Human Rights And Administrative Justice must be empowered and they must have the legislative instrument (LI) to be able to bring before a court its findings of corruption and other things. How long can Ghana make the CHRAJ a toothless bull dog? There must be independent prosecutors to bring cases of corruption to a competent and independent judiciary to impose sentences. You must also have the dimensions of popular will and political commitment to sustain the anti-corruption crusade in Ghana.
The third thing is that you must pay realistic living wages to all workers employed by the state. I know that you have subscribed to the doctrines of capitalism that believes in true ownership of private properties. You must know that capitalism cannot work effectively in Africa. What is good for Africa is fruitful synthesis of capitalism and socialism.
John I have much more to say to you but don?t want to say in a letter. For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face to face. For now I must leave you so that I will be able to take the gospel of good governance to Brother Obasango, Brother Gabgo and Brother Campore. Brother Michael is waiting to deliver this letter to you.
May the Lord give you his peace which surpasses all understanding. May you continue to have his peace amid outer storm. May he give you the wisdom of Solomon so that you can perform your duty as the president of Ghana. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Extend my greetings to Brother Rawlings, the Speaker of Parliament and all Ghanaians. I hope that circumstances will make it possible for me to see you face to face. Shalom! Peace.
Sincerely yours,
Apostle Paul
Postmark AD 2005
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