Opinions of Thursday, 27 July 2017

Columnist: Peter Antwi Boasiako

Kweku Baako becoming capricious and hypocritically ingenuous in Ghana politics

Kweku Baako, Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Kweku Baako, Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide

Watching him on the Newsfile political show last Saturday, Mr Baako was conspicuously seen trying so hard to bastardise the whole petition filed by some workers of the Electoral Commission (EC) asking for the removal of Mrs Charlotte Osei as chairperson of the EC.

Kweku Baako said, after reading the contents of the petition filed by the “faceless, nameless” concerned workers of the commission, he, Kweku Baako, has come to the conclusion that the petition filed is “really incompetent, futile, frivolous, useless and incapable of producing any tangible result.” Woow!

Further trying to pour cold water on the burning issue deeply engulfing Charlotte Osei at the EC, just to save her face, Mr. Baako argued that the petition was more of an internal issue following a rift between the top officials regarding an ongoing turf war". An ongoing turf war? Kweku just sought to make the issue look like a meer chink between the two top women at the EC, Charlotte and Georgina, adding that, though some people know that Charlotte Osei is his, Kweku Baako's relative, however, he argued that it was not the basis for his defence and the description of the petition as futile and incompetent.

Isn't it surprising that, with all the revelations coming out from the allegations and counter-accusations from the top three Commissioners at the EC, Mr Baako has finally jumped out fully today, to the defence of the EC boss, Mrs. Charlotte Osei on Peace FM Kookrokoo morning show; claiming Charlotte is being made a “target of scrutiny”.

The question is, Charlotte made a target of scrutiny, by who? Since when did Kwaku Baako realise that Charlotte Osei has been targeted for scrutiny in Ghana? And is that the reason why Kweku Baako is desperately trying so hard to divert the focus on Charlotte Osei in this matter by ardently bastardising the petitioners move to get Charlotte Osei impeached?

You see the Ghanaians mindset? When it is about our family members and relatives, they can be allowed to go unpunished as Kweku is portraying.

As the saying goes, when the house of a drunkard is gutted by fire, they said God has punished him, but when the same fire guts the house of a pastor, they say ooh, that's a temptation, the devil is a liar. You see how it is? Okoto de3 nebo dw3, but yeenyankyer3 de3 onko. When the Supreme Court granted Martin Amidu the permission to orally exam Wayomi about the GHC52 million, we all saw you Baako, on the floor of Peace FM studios, dancing kpanlogo in jubilation, but when it is about your relative, Charlotte Osei, you have put up an ardent defence for her? Isn't it interesting?

In my view, I think Kweku Baako commands a lot of respect in Ghana politics, I personally respect him so much, but I think Baako is overtly taking too much liberty in this govt and making some vociferous comments of late, knowing that his words get to the highest level in the govt.

His positions on some important national issues recently have been so wrong. Baako got it absolutely wrong when he strongly condemned the decision taken by the Principal Attorney in Ashanti Region to discontinue the prosecution of the Delta 8 due lack of evidence, with a text messge he sent to Asempa Ekosiis3n programme.

Same Baako was all over the map, condemning and demanding the DCE appointed for Denkyira-Obuasi to be sacked of his comment, and indeed the DCE was sacked, just bcos Kweku Baako has demanded so.

Moreover, Baako was totally mute when the Deputy Minister of Trade, Ahomka-Lindsay, deliberately insulted Ghanaians in the diaspora as Whiners.

Today, the same Kweku Baako is all over the place, gallivanting from one radio station to another, vehemently defending Charlotte Osei, trying extremely hard to divert the attention from her, just because he claims Charlotte is his family member. Hmmm Ghana, with this attitude and mentally, how can we develop as nation?

It is unquestionably clear that, the institution called Electoral Commission, has systematically been used as the fastest vehicle to perpetrate stealing of, not only votes of Ghanaians, but stealing moneys as well.

To every rational Ghanaian, the position of Mrs. Charlotte Osei, Mr. Amadu Sulley and Mrs. Georgina Opoku-Amankwa are untenable. They must all proceed on leave for thorough investigation to take place and to bring sanity and confidence at the EC. The place has been rotten for far too long.

My advice to Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako is that, he should be mindful of his long standing reputation of excellence in his analysis and opinions on issues, but I also want take this opportunity to make it clear to Mr Baako that, the spirit of Ghanaian youth today, will countenance anyone who tries to hide behind hypocricy and clandestine attitude to protect the corrupt and unscrupulous individuals anymore.