Editorial: Golden Age of Cocainecracy

It will now seem that virtually no day passes without some scandal breaking out that somehow connects a member of the ruling NPP.

If initially, the talk of NPP being a haven for drug barons was a rumour or just a wild, albeit, intelligent speculation, it does now appear that the speculation has left that realm and become a concrete reality.

If NPP officials used to complain about the label of Narcotic Peoples party, one wonders whether they can still have reason to complain after what has become a fixed pattern of behavior by people within their ranks.

When Hon. Amoateng was busted, the NPP sought to create the impression that the drug dealing MP’s problems were his personal problems rather than those of the party. This position was strange, especially given that the man was known within party circles as a heavyweight financier of the party especially in the region.

Then came the arrest of Nyaho Tamakloe’s son. He was also dealing in Narcotic drugs. After that came the incarceration of Andrew Jonah, the son of Sam Jonah, a man whose close proximity to the ruling elite is widely known in the country and is said by many to have been a top bankroller of the NPP in the year 2000 elections.

Attempts by the ruling NPP to run away from these incidents is negated by the fact that the ruling establishment ensured that in 2002, three Executives of the NPP Dzorwulu women’s wing, who were busted at the airport, were mysteriously set free from police custody and have simply vanished into thin air since. All attempts by the public to know what had happened to them have only met the deafening silence from the government. Even though the name of the first lady had even come up on several occasions as having had something to do with the freeing of the three women, no reaction had ever been heard from that lofty corner.

The news that the son of Appiah Menkah, one of the leading lights of the NPP has also been caught dealing in cocaine has compounded the problem and worsened the narcotic woes of the NPP.

His father on Joy Fm, said it was regrettable that his son had sought the quick route to riches.

But what is expected from a “young elephant” when the elder elephants are busy extolling “Property Grabbing” as the ultimate philosophy that should guide a nation?

Of course, the children will take a cue and use whatever means is available to quickly amass as much property as they can. Besides, if the president’s son can mysteriously own a luxurious hotel, currently valued at about 11 million dollars, why will other sons of leading NPP gurus who cannot be so fortunate, not find their own way to also acquire the much sought after “Milk and Honey”?

No wonder that under the watch of President Kufuor and top advisors like Appiah Menkah and the Nyaho Tamakloes of this world, a whole cargo of cocaine could vanish into thin air even though the authorities were informed way ahead of time.

No wonder that Ghana has now become the hub of narcotic drug exports in our sub-region.

Did President Kufuor declare a golden age in 2001? Certainly, the nation is experiencing a veritable “Golden Age of Cocainecracy”.