By Ekua Kwansema

When you are out of power, you tend to lose touch with so many things. In fact you lose so many things which otherwise could have come your way for free. Prominent among the things you lose is the spotlight. Ask politicians who lose power and they will tell you how they feel and how they relish being in the limelight all the time. Is it therefore any wonder why past NPP ministers and party supporters descended on the BNI premises demanding the whereabouts of Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff, who answered an invitation to assist in the investigation of some questionable deals?

The NPP people wanted Ghanaians to believe that what the BNI did was unprecedented in the annals of Ghanaian political history, when in fact they did the very same thing when they were in power. In fact the past Kufour government even hauled ex-president Rawlings to the BNI premises. And with the shameful display that the NPP functionaries exhibited, imagine what would have happened if ex-president Kufour had been invited by the BNI? I bet hell would have broken lose and the NPP people would have created a scene to deceive Ghanaians that ex-president Kufour is the first former head being subjected to that situation when in fact they did the same thing to Rawlings.

Where was Kwabena Agyepong, Peter Mac Manu and others when NDC functionaries were invited by the BNI during the NPP tenure in office to answer for some charges? Are they telling Ghanaians that they did not know that under the prodding of the Kufour’s government some NDC officials were invited by the BNI during their time or simply they wanted to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians by saying that it is okay if NDC officials are invited by the BNI but appalling and not okay if it is NPP officials that are invited? Are the NPP people better than the NDC? Simply put, I would say that what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

I have never nor ever will be a fun of Kwaku Baako. But for this guy who has never seen anything wrong with the NPP to come out and condemn the shameful display by the NPP at the BNI premises is an indication that the NPP has misplayed priorities or at best they have nothing to do but to bask in free press. That is why I said in the beginning that being out of power makes you lose free press. I was equally appalled that the ‘Daily Graphic’ made this siege at the BNI premises its leading story. Perhaps the editor of Graphic, Ranford Tetteh who everybody knows to be in the pockets of the NPP saw it as a best chance to highlight his NPP party.

To tell you the truth, this is just the beginning or the tip of an iceberg. All those who have done uncanny things towards mother Ghana or ‘raped’ the country in some form would be made to answer for them. Ghanaians have not forgotten the daily ranting and daring statements by Kwadwo Mpiani that he is ready to face the Mills government and answer any questions they might have for him. Therefore, why should the NPP people make that huge noise when Mpiani was invited by the BNI and he himself even went to the BNI premises with his lawyers?  Many of the former ministers who besieged the NBI premises I am told by my sources are involved in some deals that have led to the loss of millions of dollars to the state. Therefore, the conventional wisdom is that they need to show this kind of so-called ‘solidarity’ with Mpiani so that when it is time for them to answer questions related to those deals, Ghanaians might see it as a political vendetta. If the NPP people do not know, I want to assure them that the Mills government would not leave any stone that ‘raped’ the country unturned. Even if it comes to the question of inviting ex-president Kufour down the road to assist in investigations concerning any deals that might have resulted in huge loses to Ghana, the Mills government would do so without fear or favour.

The past NPP government does not owe Ghana, but it is accountable to Ghanaians for their 8-years stewardship. Therefore, it is imperative that the current government dig into any untoward thing that the NPP people did against Ghana. If they do not know, they were elected by Ghanaians to serve the country but not to ‘rape’ it. As a result, it would be foolishness on their part to assume that they owe the country no accountability.  What the BNI just like the FBI (USA) or Scotland Yard (United Kingdom) would normally do when they have information about high profile financial deals or losses against the state, is to investigate and get to the bottom of the matter. Once the BNI gets to the point where they think they have solid evidence or case against the suspect or suspects it hands over the case the Attorney General’s office for the prosecution of the case.

Kwabena Agyepong should pray that he is not involved in any misappropriation of state funds.. If he is, I bet he would be hauled before the BNI to assist in investigations. He should therefore, not jump the cart by saying that he would never honour any invitation by the BNI. The NPP people continues to tell Ghanaians that they believe in the rule of law, yet when the same laws of the land are being applied to them, they cry foul. Are they telling Ghanaians that we have two sets of laws for the country? What is the role of the BNI? This is what Agyepong should go and find out and stop bragging when they see cameras around them.

The beating of war drums and the noise that the NPP people made at the BNI premises would not cow the Mills government to stop pending financial loss investigations. And Mpiani should not be happy and swollen headed that those people are truly in solidarity with him. Mpiani should wait and see if he is found guilty and punished whether those people would be there for him. Nobody, I repeat nobody who has taken Ghana for granted through financial ‘rape’ would be made to go scot-free. The NPP hauled and jailed NDC officials for causing financial loss to the state, yet when the same yardstick is being applied to them, they are crying wolf.

ekwansema@yahoo.com