A Response to William Antwi’s article: “The Haunting Skeleton in Dr. Bawumia's Closet! Sir, Welcome To The Party!”

NDC is struggling to deal with the pandemonium that has hit their camp as a result of Nana Akuffo Addo’s choice of Dr Baumiah as his running mate. They are therefore aiming to destroy the learned doctor, who undoubtedly, is one of the finest brains that Ghana has ever produced. Such brilliant doctors are hard to come by (and another one I know of having such quality calibre is Dr Habib Mahama, also in his early 40s and incidentally from North Region, is a senior management accounting lecturer in University of New South Wales in Sydney, and I will encourage NPP to woo him to assist in the Ministry of Finance). Since Dr Bawumia, a young brilliant doctor with absolute impeccable record was chosen as vice presidential candidate of NPP, the destructive machine of NDC has come out with full rigour to destroy him.

Before I discuss Dr Bawumia, I would discuss how some members of NDC sought to destroy Mr Kofi Annan, the immediate former UN Secretary-General and perhaps, the most eminent son of Ghana, at least in the contemporary Ghana. As most readers of this article might be aware, during the last years of Mr Kofi Annan’s tenure as UN Secretary-General, the UN was accused of perverting the oil for food program for Iraq. And unfortunately, Mr Annan’s son was linked to the scandal because of his association with a company in Switzerland, whiles his brother’s name was also mentioned briefly in the later stages. As a result of that some people especially, from the US tried to implicate Mr Annan in the scandal; as the Americans saw it as an opportunity to pay back Mr Annan for opposing the war in Iraq.

Mr Annan, however agreed for an independent commission headed by a renowned American to investigate the case. However, while the investigation was ongoing, the National Democrat, a propaganda newspaper of NDC and co-shadow edited by Nana Agyemang Konadu (the wife of JJ Rawlings) and Victor Smith (former aide of JJ Rawlings) attacked Mr Annan (PFM 2005; Ghanaweb 2005). According to a report by PFM republished on the Ghanaweb, the national Democrat carried a story with the title:

“KOFI ANNAN’S SHRINKING CREDIBILITY…yet Makes Himself Available for Millennium, Excellence Award”.

The paper is said to have continued to lash out at Mr Annan that many Ghanaians have expressed “shock, dismay and disgust at the arrival in Ghana of Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN to receive a Millennium Excellence Award at a time that his credibility is shrinking in the international community”. I do not know who those Ghanaians that expressed shock were. Perhaps, only the national Democrat can tell.

While it is beyond the scope of this paper for me to reproduce all that PFM and Ghanaweb reported about the National Democrat’s story, that attempted to destroy Mr Annan, readers can access the article of the story from Ghanaweb on: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage?NewsArchiv/artikel.php?ID=88587.

Alternatively, go to the general news section of Ghanaweb and find the article from the news published on 23 August 2005.

Folks, that is how fellow Ghanaians wanted the destruction of our eminent son, brother, uncle and father, Kofi Annan, while there was still an on-going investigation about the issue. As it turned out eventually, Mr Annan himself was exonerated. Surprisingly, not many people wrote a rejoinder about this article. Of course, Mr Annan would always remain what he is, as no one could destroy one that God has blessed. The members of P/NDC have sought to destroy several people. In fact, the National Democrat’s story tried to destroy President Kuffour as well, by drawing parallelism between Mr Annan’s issue with that of the hotel that Mr’s Kuffour’s son bought, which investigation had determined that his son rightfully obtained loan from some bankers to buy it, yet many people for no apparent reason have problem with that. Destroying Mr Kuffour is somehow expected as a government in power, but not Kofi Annan, even if he was found guilty, especially, given the American political motivation that was behind the whole issue.

Not long ago, another affiliated paper of NDC, the Palaver reported that Mr Kuffour is arranging to appoint a senior military officer stationed in Kumasi to replace the current military chief, in order to assist creating confusion and panic in Ghana, before the December elections. However, as it turns out the story was completely false and shockingly, the army officer that Palaver claimed that he would replace the current military chief had died last year. Shocking and strange, they do not even check their facts and therefore, they now imply that a dead person would resurrect and become Ghana’s military chief. It was the editor of this same Palaver, Jojo Bruce who about two years ago or so, smeared blood of animal (or bird, which ever) on his shirt and claimed that some people (presumably NPP sympathisers) had attacked him, but was later caught to be lying. How can an editor behave like that because of partisan politics?

Now coming back to Dr Bamuwia, there is no doubt that he has an impeccable record. By the way, when he was in Upper Six at Tamale Secondary School (Tamasco), I was also at Lower Six at Ghana Secondary School (Ghanasco), also in Tamale. As I initially stated, I have read the background of Dr Bamuwia and I believe strongly that Ghana is so lucky to have got such a young achieving and performing, brilliant and talented person to vie for the vice presidency of our nation.

I read with sadness yesterday (21 August 2008) from Ghanaweb, when an article written by Oyo Busanga sought to destroy this fine gentleman and requesting him to provide answers to some silly questions. Yes, William Antwi, if you are the one I know from Legon as a friend of Biso and so forth, then you have shocked me very much. Instead of asking the man to answer the questions that you want, first ask the P/NDC members including Mr Rawlings to tell us who actually killed the judges and the senior army officer, and why the key of the car that was used for the operation is said to have been obtained from Mrs Rawlings? Do you accept Mrs Konadu’s recent explanation that because of the curfew, their house was considered safe and many people left their cars and other items there and could collect them during the curfew hours? Holala! Mrs Konadu is trying desperately to justify her incrimination action, but our intelligent minds do not buy such flimsy explanations. In any case, Mr Oyoo Busanga, if you get true and honest answers for us, then I think Dr Bamuwia would be willing to answer you.

One of the questions that William Antwi (Oyoo Busanga) asked Dr Bawumia was “How much was the national debt when the NPP took over power - courtesy a democratic and peace-loving NDC government under the able leadership of Mr. Rawlings”?

Indeed, NDC under the leadership of Mr Rawlings was a peace-loving government. You really call NDC government as a peace-loving government. Where were you, Oyoo Busanga when Mrs Konadu Rawlings had a young chap hair shaved with a broken bottle and she explained later that it was for identification? Oyo tell me, had Ghana run out scissors, hair clippers and blades at the time? If that was the case, it shows the poor economic management of NDC. Where were you when the offices of journalists were spread with human waste (toilet)? See some of the Amnesty International reports that I have summarised below about human right abuses during the NDC era as an appendix (let alone, the PNDC years when Rawlings and his affiliates killed some Ghanaians like chickens). These events happened after Chairman Rawlings converted to President Rawlings. In fact what happened during his military regime no one can talk about, as some will ever remain mystery. Please remove the log in your eyes in order to see the speck in your brother’s eye. Do not criticise Dr Bawumia, a nice gentleman whose achievement as 44/45 years old is very impressive, which all of us would be proud to have. The day some of you would ever call a spade a spade and not shovel, Ghana will stand to gain and prosper.

If Dr Bawumia, who has distinguished qualifications and career in economics and banking is being attacked, then what about your leaders? It is not secret that if circumstance had permitted Mrs Rawlings, she would have stood for the leadership of NDC. Yet, she does not even understand basic principles of economics. Some few years ago she argued that since President Kuffour came to power they claim that inflation has come down and yet cement prices are going up and she could not complete her building. So, if the price of cement goes up, it means inflation has not come down. Mrs Konadu does not understand the basic principles of inflation (and for that reason, economics) that when prices go up but the rate they are going up decreases, the rate of inflation has come down. As it appears impossible for prices to be stagnated for a considerable period of time, in some limited cases, some countries like Japan experience deflation in at least some sectors of their economies. In this regard, prices actually go back. However, there are problems with this situation as well, and it is also fought intensely in the same way as inflation is pursued. It appears therefore that Mrs Konadu lack basic understanding of economics, despite having a degree from UST, and yet she talks loudly about Ghana.

I want Oyo Busanga and other people like that in NDC to understand that there is no gainsaying that despite some of their weaknesses, the NPP has managed the economy far better than what P/NDC did during their 20 years reign, not to mention NDC’s appalling human rights record. I therefore at this junction request you to read Dr Bawumia’s profile once again and think carefully about what he could contribute to Ghana as a brilliant economist.

The article was written by Joseph Annor with the assistance of Janet Annor. Joseph has the following qualifications: BA (Hons), Legon; Graduate Diploma in Accounting, Monash (Australia); Master of Accounting, UTS (Australia) CPA (Australia); Janet has the following qualifications: Registered Nurse, NSW (Australia); Certified Midwife, NSW (Australia); Bachelor of Nursing, UWS (Australia), Graduate Diploma in Midwifery (UWS); Master of Midwifery, University of Sydney (Australia). In addition, Janet is pursuing Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing at UTS (Australia)

Appendix

Snapshot of some of the victims of human right abuse during NDC period summarized from Amnesty International reports.

Victim Issue

Salassie O'Sullivan-Djentuh, Kofi Mensa Djentuh and Maria O'Sullivan-Djentuh

Nov 1999 - Truck knocked Salassie off his motorbike in a suspicious circumstance linked to his broken Relationship with Mrs Rawlings daughter.

Jan 2000 Salassie abducted with 2 employees of his parents and shaved with broken glass. Later prosecuted and fined in March 2000 Mr Kofi Djentuh was detained in castle and queried over his wife’s business.

March 2000 – Mrs Djentuh properties (businesses) were bulldozed and demolished by armed police, who produced an order from court execute the silly and stupid act.

On 16 August 2000, Mr & Mrs were prosecuted and convicted on a false allegation that they had assaulted a police They were convicted for 2 weeks. Ebenezer Quarcoo On 11 November 1999 Imprisoned for 90 days for reporting in 1994 that Konadu Agyemang Rawlings smuggled gold out of Ghana.

Tommy Thompson (co-defendant) died prematurely in 1998. Detained without charge in harsh conditions at least two times in 1980s, suffered a stroke during several month's detention in 1983/84, and was imprisoned again in 1995 in connection with the 1994 Free Press

Ferdinand Ayim, Nana Akufo-Addo & Samuel Okyere 1 November 1999 armed police arrested Ferdinand Ayim, a Statesman correspondent at dawn. Nana Akufo-Addo, owner of Statesman and Samuel Okyere were questioned and provisionally charged with making or abetting false reports which bring the government into disrepute - an offence punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment, later released on bail.

The charges were in connection with the publication and broadcast on 29 and 30 October 1999 of an audio tape recording allegedly of member of President Rawlings' entourage admitting to involvement, and implicating others, in the 1985 murder of a Catholic priest and the 1992 bombing of a hotel belonging to the family of Nana Akufo-Addo. Voices on Karim Salifu Adam ( former soldier & NPP activist) arrested in 1994 and charged with treason and remained in prison significant period of time. Karim told a special court set up to trial him that his charges were fabricated… because he had refused a financial inducement to implicate opposition leaders & neighbouring governments in a fictitious coup conspiracy, Sylvester Adda-Dwomoh, Kwame Alexander Ofei, Kwame Ofori-Appiah, Emmanuel Kofi Osei and John Kwadwo Owusu-Boakye arrested in September 1994 and charged with treason (see AI Report 1995). Remained in imprisoned until Kuffour came to power. They were sentenced to death in February 1999, although the Special High Court trying the case had ruled admissible statements allegedly made under duress despite evidence that the defendants and some soldiers who later testified for the prosecution had been beaten following their arrest. John Kwadwo Owusu-Boakye was my junior school mate both at middle school & secondary school. A very brilliant guy who started a bachelor's degree at UST, but later won scholarship to UK to complete his economics degree. Rawlings nearly ruined his life.

Kwaku Baako & Haruna Atta

The Court of Appeal sentenced them to one month's imprisonment & fined their publishers 10 million cedis. A lower court had earlier found them not contempt of court. For contempt of court in connection with a civil libel brought by Konadu Rawlings. President Kuffour President Kuffour (then opposition leader) and 3 Italian politicians from Forza Italian party in may 2000 detained overnight. The authorities said they were suspected of breaching immigration regulations. The victims said they were arrested as they were leaving the country, held for 15 hours without food or drink, and questioned in detail about their activities in Ghana. The NPP said the government was seeking to deter its legitimate contacts with foreign political leaders and businessmen.

Felix Odartey-Wellington (TV Presenter). November 2000 charged with insulting behaviour for making critical remarks about Rawlings on television.

Kofi Coomson Charged with receiving stolen goods, after publishing allegations about the then ruling NDC that it was proposing election fraud.

Kabral Blay Amihere (publisher of Independent newspaper) January 2000 arrested at gunpoint by military police late at night in his car and detained overnight Published an article deemed critical of the military.

Source: Amnesty International Reports about Ghana