Opinions of Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Columnist: Kabu, Solomon

Koku Anyidoho And The Alleged Drug Baron

It is obviously clear Koku Anyidoho, the Spokesperson of President Mills does not learn and he continuously throws his weight about.

If you will recall, it was Koku Anyidoho who made those reckless and infamous statement on Focus Radio in London, daring Nana Akufo-Addo to make a wrong move and he (Nana Addo) will first join his ancestors.

Later, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong responded forcefully to Mr. Anyidoho's bluff. Alfred Agbesi Woyome also did not take it kindly and also attacked the integrity of Mr. Agyapong on Citi FM. That was the genesis of the Woyomegate scandals. Allotey Jacobs, a member of the government communication team posited that the Woyome saga is an albatross on the neck of the NDC government.

Jobs 6:24 "Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred".

Belligerent and unnecessary statements that still emanate from the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr. Anyidoho is distasteful and regrettable, to say the least. Ordinarily, the arrest of Christian Asem Darkeh should have been good news to every Ghanaian but Mr. Anyidoho and his cohorts have turned an otherwise good event to a cheap and needless propaganda piece.

I heard Koku Anyiodoho on Friday, 10 February, on Asempa FM says, some high profiled personalities would be arrested, so they dare not leave the country. He even took a swipe at the media houses, particularly Joy FM. According to him they have closed all the borders and they have their eyes fixed at the airports. He continued to cast aspersion on leading members of the NPP on various radio stations. Last Saturday, 18 February, on Peace FM he continued to wallow in his propaganda.

Richard Quashigah, the National Propaganda Secretary of the NDC had the bravado to mention Hon. Kennedy Agyapong and some members of the NPP as accessories of the MV Benjamin missing cocaine saga.

The NDC and its communication team led by Koku Anyidoho are undertaking a fatal exercise with respect to the Woyomegate scandal. The desperate attempts to seek equalization and to divert the intense embarrassment of stinking corruption and gross conspiracy under the dorsal leadership of President Mills are shameful and most unfortunate.

Let me divert a bit to the arrest of Hon. O.B Amoah. In my article title "Atta Wayo Saga In Perspective" which was published on many online websites, I said "President Mills’ integrity has been fractured by this Woyome saga” He has now lost it. Okudzeto Ablakwa, a deputy Information Minister, said on Citi FM on Febuary 3, 2012 that "the President is the leader of this country and he is carrying this arrest". And he further said "he (President Mills) will take full responsibility"

Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu and Dr. Kwabena Duffour are walking freely. Mr. Alex Segbefia, Hon. Ebo Barton Oduro and Benjamin Akyena Brentuo, should have been relieved of their post long ago if President Mills was serious in fighting corruption. When President Mills was questioned on the Muntaka saga, he said "... is it the first time a minister has travelled outside the country with his girl friend? Or is it the first time a minister has infringed on the laws of Ghana?” Those were the words of the President of mother Ghana. Is this not pathetic? Yet, apologies of the NDC speak on various radio and televisions stations as if President Mills is next to God. Ghanaians are discerning.

Now to the substantive issue about Koku Anyidoho, Asem Darkeh and matters arising.

Instead of Mr. Anyidoho and his cohorts to allow the security apparatus to do their professional duty, in their desperation, they are fabricating stories to implicate leading members of the NPP and some senior journalists. It is either Mr. Anyidoho has no grips on Asem Darkeh's background or he deliberately what to be diabolic and mischievous.

I have huge respect for Asem Darkeh's family especially the mother, his brother and his late cousin, Mable Lotsa. I will therefore be cautious but the truth will remain supreme.

I have only three questions for the NDC government, especially the NDC officers in Tema.

1. Who convinced Asem Darkeh to return to Ghana? 2. Why did he come back under the NDC government? 3. Can the NDC and their leading officers in Tema say they were unaware that Asem Darkeh was in Tema?

To the NDC, I want to tell them, walls have ears.

I support the assertion of a man I admire a lot, Mr. Malik Kweku Barko that the NDCs communication team is bubbling with “kindergarten enthusiasm and infantile disorder".

No amount of coaxing of Asem Darkeh by the government in their quest to redeem its shunted image will stand. Because of cheap, shameful and naked opportunistic partisan politics, Mr. Anyidoho and his cohorts are doing all they could to implicate the NPP in this Asem Darkeh's arrest. Under our criminal jurisprudence, in the unlikely event that Asem Darkeh mentions those organized list of names by the NDC it will fall flat in their face. Ghanaians are watching with some amount of trepidation to hear Koku Anyidoho sing his song and I will particularly watch how he will dance to his song eventually.

If Koku Anyidoho and his friends had done a thorough background check on Asem Darkeh, they would not have gone on the path they have chosen. Mr. Anyidoho, please ask your people who Asem Darkeh is. I am not surprise Mr. Martin Amidu has described the NDC communication team as "young and inexperience"

The NDC has viciously and undeservedly tagged the NPP with illicit drugs. And like the arrest of Asem Darkeh, who we know is one of them, for cheap, political expediency the Anyidohos' want to drag the NPP to their mess after he supported them in the past. We the youth led by Anthony Karbo will not leave any stone unturned. The illicit drugs are not fought by mere rhetoric and symbolism.

I want to congratulate the gallant men who made the arrest. I also want to admonish those in charge of Darkeh's case to widen their investigation to cover the Police in Tema. Of course, the Intelligent Unit is very competent to carry this case. Mr. Asem Darkeh's safety and general well-being should be ensured by the security apparatus.

I want to conclude by saying; the truth shall always prevail over lies, vilification, cheap propaganda and deliberate misinformation right from the Presidency to the grassroots.

God bless us all.

Solomon Kabu (solomonkabu@yahoo.com) 0241133727