Last night, I had a difficult time explaining to my eleven(11) year old son(Dr.Jay)that politicians are not liars.His argument was that, there was a debate in his class and the impression his teacher gave them was that politicians are liars and so he wanted to plead with me to quite mainstream partisan politics. No matter, how hard I tried to convince him, he kept coming up with examples, and to my surprise and dismay he came up with the name of Dr .Addo Kufour(the Minister for Interior).

As a matter of fact,Dr.Addo Kufour is one person that I have personally respected and admired for his political objectivity and sincerity and so I became very disturbed and demanded why Dr.Addo Kufour?

“Daddy, do you remember the night we were watching GTV news together and Dr Addo Kufour promised Ghanaians that all Police officers are going to carry a name or identification tag, when he becomes the Minister of Interior?, my son asked and I answered ,Yes! “Has he done that? My son demanded. I answered-Well, I haven’t checked, but will double check and confirm tomorrow.

My son then said “Daddy, don’t double check because ,the policeman we saw at the bank today had no name tag and also the one we met at the post office also had no name or identification tag”

“So Daddy, you see that I am right in saying that politicians are liars?’ My son said with a funny look on his face and a comedian laugh as well .Hahahahahaha!

“Don’t worry, my son, I will double check from Hon. Addo Kufour himself as to why he has not been able to carry out that promise he made to Ghanaians’-I said.

“But Daddy, you are not in his party, how can you go to his office and ask him this question?” my son asked.

Don’t worry, my son. I will ask him through the media, and I am sure as a gentleman and a responsible Minister as he is, he will definitely provide you and all other Ghanaians, who share your sentiments with an answer-I assured him.

I am therefore using this medium to appeal to Hon.Dr. Addo Kofour to answer the following questions for my little boy:

1. Is it because Dr Addo Kufour no longer sees the need and wisdom for Police Officers to be properly identified by the citizenry of Ghana?

2. Is it because, when the estimate for the exercise was brought to him, the amount appeared a little bit on the high side, than what he had in mind when he was making the promise?

3. Finally, eventhough I don’t believe in rumours, is it true that, he had not implemented the policy because some of the officials of his party plans to use such unidentified police officers to intimidate innocent Ghanaian voters on the Election Day? For example, I am told that when the MP for Suhum constituency-Hon Opare Ansah went to file his nomination papers at the District Electoral Commission Offices at Suhum a week ago, he went in the company of about 10 armed and unidentified police officers.

In conclusion, I am humbly appealing to Hon Dr.Addo Kufour to help restore the confidence our little ones like my 11 year old son needs in the Ghanaian politician, by reacting to my son’s request.

By:

Julius Debrah Eastern Regional Chairman (NDC).