: Who is Zooming Who?

Below is a direct quote from a press release by the New Generation Group of the NPP that appeared on Ghana Web on 22/1/2013.

“Dr Wireko Brobbey, who enjoyed where he had not sown when ex president Kufuor on the basis of reconciliation and inclusiveness appointed him as chairman of the VRA and his antics there caused the party to lose huge votes in the 2004 elections in Greater Accra and Eastern Region.”

A careful examination of the above statement explains why the much touted brain power of the Kufour administration did not produce any meaningful sustainable development for mother Ghana. Innocuous as this quote may seem, it is packed with numerous triggers for deep reflection. If you are really interested in seeing Ghana make progress, this statement should alarm you. Work with me! My key concern here is whether Wereko Brobbey was appointed based on competence/merit. Was he the most qualified person for this key position at a time when Ghana was in electricity dire straits? The context, makes this appointment deeply troubling.

Imagine that you own country Ghana. Imagine also that country Ghana is saddled with daunting challenges. Among such key challenges, is the hydra headed issue of sustainable supply of electricity. Electricity, after all, is a key factor in ginning up economic activity. Electricity, in some instances, is the difference between life and death. One of the prime institutions critical to the supply of electricity in Ghana, is the VRA (Volta River Authority). Now imagine that VRA needs a competent CEO who can bring about operational excellence that will enable the fluid supply of sustainable electricity. Imagine also that you have the power to appoint that competent CEO to lead the organization. Who would you appoint to head VRA? What will inform your decision? In the end, would you pick a competent person based on merit and the enormity of the challenge facing the country? Will or should your choice be based on concern for some semblance of partisan unity or what is absolutely best for mother Ghana? Surely, the best situation should have been both partisan and competency considerations. Unfortunately, selfish partisan consideration triumphed over competency.

My friends, if we are to go by what the New Generation Group of the NPP is telling us, the decision to fill the position in question, was purely a partisan one. The dismal performance of Wereko Brobbey, additionally bears testimony to the wrong headed appointment, made by ex-president Kufour. The interest of Ghana was surely not the overriding consideration. Kufour appointed a CEO to head the VRA purely aimed at dulling any rambling in the NPP. He, Kufour, was more interested in appeasing the nephew of Victor Owusu and bringing “reconciliation and inclusiveness” into the NPP. My friends, if this is not treasonous, what is? Do you now see how competence takes back seat to partisan considerations in key appointments? Is this not a classic case of putting square pegs in round holes? How can Kufour ignore the greater good of Ghana at the expense of frivolous partisan considerations? I mean put this misfit somewhere else but certainly not as head of the VRA, given the enormity of electricity challenge facing Ghana.

My fellow Ghanaians, listen carefully to the vitriol oozing out of the NPP towards one of their own, wofa Tarzan. Now, convince me that, he was the best choice to head the VRA at a time when Ghana was teetering on the verge of economic collapse because of electricity supply challenges. If the NPP knew about the odious behaviors of Wereko-Brobbey, why did Kufour appoint him to the VRA? If he is incompetent and irresponsible, why did Kufour gamble with our future? I believe this is yet another fascinating example of how people with tall academic degrees are thrown to assignments way above their competence. Here again, we see how academic accomplishments does not necessarily translate into practical performance in the real world. Can we now see why Wofa Tarzan failed miserably?

As if this insult on Ghanaians was not enough, Wereko-Brobbey, aided by his corrupt friend Mpiani (Secretary to Kufour), was able to again mismanage the affairs of Ghana through the Ghana@50 orgy. The NPP knows that Wereko Brobbey reaps where he has not planted. Yet they entrust valuable resources to him. Now, we can all understand why Ghana@50 became another disgrace of a sham and a corruption fiesta for the NPP. What boggles my mind, is how a discredited person like Wereko-Brobbey, was provided ample opportunities on multiple occasions, to rape Ghana Vaseline free. Even as we speak, Wereko-Brobbey could still be toying with our national coffers, if Akufo Addo had won. My question to well meaning Ghanaians, especially those within the NPP, is this: How do we keep people like Wereko Brobbey permanently out of public office?

Not only was Wereko-Brobbey incompetent, he turned around and sued the government for money he has not earned. If there ever was a vindictive person, it was Wereko-Brobbey. Until Ghanaians create a hall of shame for such players like Wereko-Brobbey, we’ll continue to recycle performance deadbeats who are adroit at circling the gravy train and snatching a loot every now and then. We must find a way to publicly blackball such bad actors and keep them permanently out of any public job. We must be deliberate in our effort to weed out the likes of Wereko Brobbey. Ghana does not need self-seeking and incompetent opportunists, to occupy the helm of its most critical organizations. It will take a coalition of well meaning Ghanaians, regardless of party, to push the need to permanently ban bad performers. Come on folks, let’s unite around this effort. Please join the campaign to get rid of the dead weights!!

In the end, I wish the New Generation Group within the NPP had spoken earlier. I wish they had prevailed on Kufour to not appoint Wereko Brobbey to any public office. While I don’t subscribe to the personal insults on Wereko-Brobbey, I surely welcome any effort that highlights the bad character and incompetence of any individual who is trusted with the august responsibility of doing business on behalf of mother Ghana. Competence, not partisan considerations, must override all appointments. The appointment of Wereko Brobbey by Kufour, on two separate occasions, was a bad mistake that must never be repeated. Viva Ghana!!

Nii Lantey Okunka Bannerman (Affectionately mobbed as the double edge sword) I don’t give them hell, I just tell the truth and they think it is hell---Harry Truman