Musical Chairs At CEPS

Jostling Intensifies As President Prepares To Name New Boss

Just when the appointment of a dutiful successor to unproductive CEPS Commissioner Emmanuel Doku loomed large, a dozen elements (desirous of annexing the throne even before the king's death) have begun a campaign against the squeaky-clean workaholic Amissah Nunoo, widely believed to possess that industrious touch to turning the dipping fortunes of CEPS around.

The first tell-tale signs of the vicious campaign begun months back but strange-to-relate, the normally hard-to-dribble THE SUN was uncharacteristically caught in the elements’ web only last week, late at press time when it was just about crossing the final TEES and dotting JAYS in the newsroom.

The gang's style of giving the top-dog a bad name to get the hangman to do what they perceive to be justice has informed the Osu Castle, from where THE SUN has it on authority that President JEA Mills has seen through the buffoonery and cannot therefore be fooled.

For years CEPS had played the bread-basket where trillions of Cedis in revenue accrued from its end to the state yet, under Commissioner Doku, the Service cannot even pay its personnel today like it did in times past at each month's end. Rather, salaries eat into two weeks of almost every new month and this has been going on under Doku for months.

Armed with these heart-breaking facts, President JEA Mills had been combing through a heap of names, as image-dusters who stand to benefit if the inefficiency is allowed in perpetuity fly kites of lies and propaganda, just to pollute the atmosphere and get the President to press the wrong button.

The general consensus among the damaging dozen or so stream of candidates is that, under Amissah Nunoo their so-called genius is rebuked as it was said Mark Anthony's was by Caesar in SHAKESPEARE's Macbeth. This far, the aura surrounding the dutiful young CEPS officer of just 40-something years has to be blurred so badly, the President would not be enthused whatsoever despite by his positive credentials.

But in truth Amissah Nunoo has climbed his mountain twice, according to even lowly CEPS officers. A Sociologist with a second class upper from the University of Ghana, the gentleman hungered for academic laurels whose drive has catapulted him to be a lawyer today, cum possessing a master’s degree in International Relations.

CEPS historians with exceptional retentive memory say he was a former staff officer under former Commissioners EwunTongma and Nii Adjei, who so wonderfully used his drive, ingenuity and efficiency in achieving very many positive results. Amissah Nunoo’s exploits so angered a couple of higher-ups at CEPS who may have thought rather jealously he was taking the shine off their dormant disposition. From then on one thing led to another until deep throat CEPS officers claim the last political dispensation listed him third, among 120 of the most-hated CEPS officers. That was not all. Just one month into the NPP’s eight-year rein Amissah Nunoo was set up on trumped-up charges of coup plotting, and was arrested at 2am of all times.

On that occasion, he was thought to have been set up allegedly by one Austin, with back-up support from a Doku. When the most microscopic of investigations exonerated him, the gentleman was made to suffer three transfers whose end-wish was to get him to resign, get lost out of sight, so that the hawks could descend the more on the booty.

Amissah Nunoo was transferred to James Town and when he proved to be a survivor, he was then fork-lifted to Tamale minus a residence for three months. His hotel bills were said to have been ignored for all his period of stay by the departing Commissioner Doku.

When it pleased unkind officers, he was transferred to the Kpetoe CEPS Training School to play second fiddle to Kermah, the Commander. Over there too, under the most horrific of times, Amissah Nunoo survived a jealousy and envy scare to keep heart and soul together to be able to breathe oxygen yet again today. There is also yet another fine officer on whose shoulders the entire CEPS machinery revolves today. E.R.K. Larnyon looks streets ahead on the Commissioner-to-be stakes, even though he has just two years to retire from the Service. Several CEPS officers say, even the departing Commissioner and all Deputy Commissioners rely on him for one thing or the other in their various departments.

Thought to be God's gift to CEPS, Larnyon is the kind who organizes training for officers on his own volition. It is said that wherever he went he radiated lights of efficiency and progress. He is noted for hooking up many CEPS stations to the internet in a bid to promote productivity.

But as always with every human endeavour, there are those of the photocopy stock who carry on as if Ghana owes them a living. These elements, numbering almost half a dozen are also gunning for CEPS’ number one spot. Former Finance and Administration man, Deputy Commissioner E.E. Kwesie is thought to be nursing hope, perhaps, on account of his wife's Deputy ministerial Health position under J.J. Rawlings. Mr. Kwesie had adverse findings against him from his Ghana Airways days under the PNDC, when it was ingrained in an eternal warning whose echo-effect was heard 10 miles away never to decorate his shoulders with any epaulettes or position requiring trust. Also rooting for the number one spot is Deputy Commissioner Henry Acquah of the Finance and Administration wing, who is said by CEPS officials to have allegedly presided over financial mismanagement. His wife is an accountant at ECG where informed sources swear on their lives, Acquah's missus has allegedly sworn to God she and hubby will never taste poverty, ever again.

Acquah is thought to have allegedly demonstrated an open bias against NDC and now that the party is in government, has suddenly revived his NDC leanings rather cunningly, to the envy of the chameleon.

Deputy Commissioner of Operations Robert Kwami is also dreaming to be the Commissioner. His belief in every Lance Corporal desirous of becoming a general is seriously undermined by the fact that his own colleagues at CEPS allege that he cannot even manage a poultry farm.

Like biblical Solomon and General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong who both had great tastes for the opposite sex, there have been times he has allegedly had to surrender to the opposite sex, his secretary, a Gifty Nkrumah. Worried officers say if indeed government makes a mistake to appoint Deputy Commissioner Kwami, seductive Gifty may pop up as his deputy even before he receives his letter of appointment. Also on line is Paul Adubofuo the current Deputy Commissioner; Administration. CEPS officials claim is the alleged epitome of incompetence having allegedly allowed two little girls, Pat Cofie and Comfort Manu, to run the position he ought to have asserted himself in.

Other deep throat CEPS officials say his Human Resource and Administration outfit has enveloped hundreds of petitions the big man has woefully failed to attend to, much to the chagrin of lowly officers. His conversations on Kumasi Asante Kotoko while work waits ought to be the envy of club owner, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene.

Bearing the name of one of old Asanteman's warlike warriors of all-time (ADUBOFUO), he is thought to be so obsessed with Kotoko in a manner red porcupine’s need to reward him for advertising, on any Akwasidae day. Then there is Africanus Owusu Ansah Deputy Commissioner Preventive, thought to be a Don Quixote of a sort who complains about non-existent mistakes. His trademark fights against imaginary wars and enemies who hardly exist, makes him the butt of jokes at CEPS. Also making the number is Deputy Commissioner Research and Monitoring, Paul Nkansah, an over-pampered bloke and drinking partner to the departing Commissioner Doku. Many of his subordinates claim he has never really succeeded in researching into anything, and is alleged to be in the seductive books of old, widowed septuagenarians in mainland Britain.

There is Comfort Boohene Safo as well, also a Deputy Commissioner transferred to Large Taxpayers Unit who could at best, return to take up any role other than the number one spot. Critical CEPS elements say she must not be made to go anywhere near the Commissioner post otherwise, circles would be squared in the process when indeed the two are poles apart.

But as we went to press, former head of the Legal Department Pius Austin who was born and bred at Asante Mampong, was also being rumoured to be interested in the top job. Back in his native Elmina, his Fanti folks term his desire Hwana Na Ompe Nwaba?

Now relatively relegated to the peripheries of clout and authority Austin remains in a bunker at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning on secondment. Close pals say, his mouth has never ceased to water with saliva for the Commissioner position just next door at the Ministries’ mass of state buildings.

Austin may well want to live in the shadow of his more likeable late brother Ato Austin, but that could perhaps be as far as he could go.

Interestingly these numbers of candidates gunning for the one spot are said to be unified in rivalry only against Amissah Nunoo and E.R.K. Larnyon, thought by the rank and file of lowly and middle-level CEPS Officers to be the best pair to return the Service to profitable ways yet again.

Faced with picking the one tasty pudding CEPS and Ghana could possibly benefit by, President Atta Mills cannot afford to place his thumb on the wrong button else, he sinks the boat that could ferry badly-needed revenue into the willing embrace of a dire straits nation. T