A CRY FOR ACTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT

Sam Jonah still at AGC?

The concept of meritocracy died with the presence of Rawlings. Ghana has a pernicious habit of rewarding failure, incompetence and corruption with praise, adulation and awe. There is no accountability and probity in almost every facet of Ghanaian life. The ill informed have a different view of Sam Jonah. They think he is a capable manager. This is not shared by sophisticated and savvy professionals who think this man ought to have been replaced a long time a go. “Andy Pegge, director and principal at Laxey Investors, an Isle of Man investment company holding shares in Ashanti….” said “We believe that the board of Ashanti has demonstrated an extreme inability to create value for shareholders. It is our opinion that Sam Jonah should resign. How can he go on the record and confess to being reckless? I think it is time for someone to come in and create value for shareholders”

The anonymous author of “A Hedge Too Far” writes “Sam Jonah has not only let the shareholders of Ashanti down, but also the people of Ghana and Africa as a whole. He was entrusted with the management of the one of the few African companies listed globally, and he has not only underperformed the bullion price but also sought to bring the company to its knees through rogue trading. Shareholders bought Ashantis’ stock because they believed the company was prudent and financially sound. However, as events have turned out it seems they would have been better of if they had invested their money in high-risk gold futures and options. For the sake of Ashanti and to set precedence to weak ineffectual managers in Ghana and the rest of the emerging world Sam Jonah and Mark Keatley must GO!”

It is regrettable that while organizations like Comex declined to honor the so-called “great black hope” or shall we say “the great black hype.” Ghanaians continue to honor this incompetent man. I have already mentioned the UN advisory position offered to him by Kofi Annan.

It is inconceivable that Ashanti Goldfields will die. However, it may soon die if the government does not take proper stand. The emotions behind Ashanti goldfields are best summed by the words found in Ovid Abrams article “The Troubles of Ghana’s Ashanti Goldfields”. Ovid writes “Ashanti Goldfields cannot afford to die and let down its people. After all, the company takes its name from the proud and fearless Ashanti people, who fought off European invaders to preserve their kingdom that was founded by King Osei Tutu in the eighteenth century. Ashanti is not only a gold mining company; it is an entire region of Ghana, a civilization, and a way of life.” And Afua Asante, a native of Kumasi now living in New York adds, “If the company dies, it would be like getting rid of the Ashanti people. Ashanti Goldfields must live on.”

The politics of the merger of AGC with Anglo gold

In order to understand the attempt to merge AGC with Anglo Gold one needs to go back to the 1980s. Tiny Rowland was frustrated by the British authorities in his attempt to buy Harrods. Tiny Rowland, then the boss of Lonhro, the former company of Lonmin plc is alleged to have made a pact with Al Fayed, the Egyptian. Tiny is alleged to have “parked” his shares with Al-Fayed to enable him purchase Harrods of Knightsbridge. After the acquisition, the Egyptian reneged on the promise to give the company to Tiny Rowland. Mr. Rowland was not amused. He used his paper to weekly hound Al-Fayed and to get the British authorities to investigate Al-Fayed. These efforts failed and today Al-Fayed, the Egyptian, known to some as Mr. Zero owns Harrods of London today.

Since certain Ghanaians will not allow Sam Jonah and his Lonmin plc to either own AGC or get the golden shares, it appears that Lonmin plc and Sam Jonah are up to their old tricks of trying to place an intermediary suitor for AGC so that they can realize their ultimate goal of getting AGC from the hands of Ghanaians. This attempt to circumvent the wishes of the people of Ghana must be prevented.

The 2008 political scene

As Sam Jonah prepares himself for his much awaited debut onto Ghana’s political scene with his Fante Confederacy Men it is important that concerned people expose him for what he is. Sam Jonah is not merely an influence peddler; he is more than that. Indeed, it is said that Peru’s Fuji Moro had Montesinos, and Ghana’s Kufuor has Sam Jonah. Even Rawlings with all his buffoonery and follies realized the danger that Sam Jonah posed to the nation and acted to remove him from AGC after removing him as Ghana Airways chairman. It is regrettable that while organizations like Comex declined to honor the so-called “great black hope” or shall we say “the great black hype.” Ghanaians continue to honor this incompetent man. I have already mentioned the UN advisory position offered to him by Kofi Annan.

It is inconceivable that Ashanti Goldfields will die. However, it may soon die if the government does not take proper stand. The emotions behind Ashanti goldfields are best summed by the words found in Ovid Abrams article “The Troubles of Ghana’s Ashanti Goldfields”. Ovid writes “Ashanti Goldfields cannot afford to die and let down its people. After all, the company takes its name from the proud and fearless Ashanti people, who fought off European invaders to preserve their kingdom that was founded by King Osei Tutu in the eighteenth century. Ashanti is not only a gold mining company; it is an entire region of Ghana, a civilization, and a way of life.” And Afua Asante, a native of Kumasi now living in New York adds, “If the company dies, it would be like getting rid of the Ashanti people. Ashanti Goldfields must live on.”

The politics of the merger of AGC with Anglo gold

In order to understand the attempt to merge AGC with Anglo Gold one needs to go back to the 1980s. Tiny Rowland was frustrated by the British authorities in his attempt to buy Harrods. Tiny Rowland, then the boss of Lonhro, the former company of Lonmin plc is alleged to have made a pact with Al Fayed, the Egyptian. Tiny is alleged to have “parked” his shares with Al-Fayed to enable him purchase Harrods of Knightsbridge. After the acquisition, the Egyptian reneged on the promise to give the company to Tiny Rowland. Mr. Rowland was not amused. He used his paper to weekly hound Al-Fayed and to get the British authorities to investigate Al-Fayed. These efforts failed and today Al-Fayed, the Egyptian, known to some as Mr. Zero owns Harrods of London today.
Since certain Ghanaians will not allow Sam Jonah and his Lonmin plc to either own AGC or get the golden shares, it appears that Lonmin plc and Sam Jonah are up to their old tricks of trying to place an intermediary suitor for AGC so that they can realize their ultimate goal of getting AGC from the hands of Ghanaians. This attempt to circumvent the wishes of the people of Ghana must be prevented.

The 2008 political scene

As Sam Jonah prepares himself for his much awaited debut onto Ghana’s political scene with his Fante Confederacy Men it is important that concerned people expose him for what he is. Sam Jonah is not merely an influence peddler; he is more than that. Indeed, it is said that Peru’s Fuji Moro had Montesinos, and Ghana’s Kufuor has Sam Jonah. Even Rawlings with all his buffoonery and follies realized the danger that Sam Jonah posed to the nation and acted to remove him from AGC after removing him as Ghana Airways chairman.

Sam Jonah’s political intentions are now known to many. In recent times, he is on record making political statements. True to form, Sam Jonah starts by speaking from both sides of his mouth. Despite his poor governance and actions, Sam Jonah "called for radical change in style of governance in Africa if the continent is to keep pace with global trends in development.” It is not clear what kind of governance Sam Jonah wants Africa to adopt. Certainly, Sam Jonah is not recommending that Africans follow his poor and corrupt performance at AGC. He “urged African leaders to refrain from activities that may paint a gloomy picture of the continent”. Does Sam Jonah believe in what he says or is he such a blatant liar that he believes in his own lies? Sam Jonah must learn to practice what he preaches!

Sam Jonah says “the objective of any government should be the provision of better quality of life for the citizenry.” We all know this, but did Sam Jonah provide a better quality of life for the 2,500 miners who were laid off because of his reckless actions? Is Sam Jonah providing a better quality of life for the many workers of AGC who may loose their livelihood anytime should the price of gold go above $350?

Notwithstanding Sam Jonah praises for the former President Rawlings when he accepted an honorary Phd from Exeter University, he wants us to have a different opinion of him since President Kufuor came to power. After being silent for years “he recalled that on the eve of the African-American Summit in 1999 which was supposed to showcase Ghana as the investment destination of choice, a 68-room fully furnished hotel was destroyed in broad daylight”. Sam Jonah now complains of “the viciousness and callousness that attended the destruction are unprecedented in Ghana”. Mr. Jonah was certainly not in Ghana when Makola was bulldozed down and when certain judges, including a lactating female judge, were abducted and killed. The destruction of the hotel under Rawlings was very normal. What was unprecedented about the hotel destruction was that it affected Sam Jonah, an untouchable, and his friend. It is even alleged that Sam Jonah was the real owner of the hotel not the Mallam.

Sam Jonah spoke at the recent retreat at Elmina organized by the government. He called the NDC government “Talibanistic”. This is an ungrateful ingrate showing his pure and true sycophantic self in front of President Kufour. Rawlings’ regime was a bad government; the worst in Ghana’s history but it was no where near the Taliban regime. However, if we accept the NDC as Talibanistic then it will be correct to describe Rawlings as Mullah Omar. Who will be described as Osama Bin Laden? It will be no one else but Sam Jonah. I am inclined to believe that Osama is the Arabic for Sam.

Sam Jonah is a dictator and a threat to many Ghanaians. He threatens and intimidates people. It is reported that he contacted a US banking organization requesting the removal of a Ghanaian who criticized his actions in AGC in the appointment of Kwame Pepprah, his sector minister, to the board. Of course, the US company executive told him to go to hell. He contacted by phone and threatened and issued a quid pro quo warning to an NPP ardent and strong supporter based in the US who criticized him and Kwesi Ndoum for their actions. Is this the man who said to the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) “Citizens do not aspire to the good things of life, but expect to have a say in the way they are governed?”

How do we assess Sam Jonah’s statement that “We have been singularly unsuccessful in our economic management” when he was singularly responsible for the loss of $570 million (and possibly more) at AGC due to rogue activities? Additionally, was Ghana not corrupted and destroyed by Rawlings and his NDC when he was hobnobbing with Rawlings and his NDC? He must understand that he is not the solution but the problem. “…Jonah said it is estimated that as much as 40% of Africa’s gross domestic product is held by Africans in oversees accounts and assets.” Mr. Sam Jonah should tell us whether he is a culprit of this action or not. How much does he have in oversees accounts in the UK, US, Switzerland and elsewhere? He must understand that all this lip service and empty speeches will get him nowhere. It makes many Ghanaians mad because we are sick and tired of his activities. The only thing Ghanaians are praying for is for Sam Esson Jonah to go away!