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Opinions of Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Columnist: Amankwah, Nana Kofi

Who Are The NPP Beneficials

The notion that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government has benefitted Ghanaian’s by stabilizing the nation’s economy and its finances is not precise. Although they have done well to improve some areas in the economic sector in reforms, still their policies for macro economic and fiscal policies have not yielded better results to reduce the national interest rate of 25% which the Bank of Ghana sells to other major banks and which they also sell to their consumers at interest rates of over 30%. The nation's unemployment is still over 30% due in part to high interest rate from these banks. The crime rate is also higher in this NPP administration. If one compares and contrasts it to the previous administration. Many citizens felt much safer to living their houses without fear being killed or robbed at night than they are feeling now.

The Elite NPP members who have benefitted most from the current administration are those who were the political sycophants within the NPP when their party was in opposition. They have now used these NPP members, who are underclass from various constituencies and suffering, to advance their own self aggrandizing financial motives. This adaptation of an individual financial interest within the party has helped many of them now to become affluent over the past three years. Through my investigation on this issues when I was in Ghana, I found that major newspapers have frequently talked about these but they are scared to publish these individuals’ names for media attention on ethics investigation. The dilemma with the NPP is that the majority of their members in the rural areas are not aware that their party has been divided into two factions.

Yaw Osafo Maafo, Dan Kwaku Botwe, Akufo Addo and their cronies formed a gang within the party three years ago against John Agyekum Kufour, a man who used his last financial resources and help from friends to bring their party from opposition to power. Now the NPP national organizer Lord Commey who has purchased the Timberland night club at Dansoman in Accra for $400, 000 dollars and mantions in East and West Legon is one of the NPP advantage. A personal friend of mine who is a lawyer did the Real Estate closing deal. Dan Kwaku Botwe and Yaw Osafo Maafo also now own major shares in many major companies in Ghana. Kennedy Agyepong also has benefitted millions of dollars from his contract for fixing air conditioners in the international conference hall in Accra. I was in Accra where Yaw Osafo Maafo and his NPP cronies ordered one thousand deepfreezes for their party members and shared them among themselves. Sammy Crubbe, the NPP party chairman in Greater Accra who is now using this TATA 4X4 brought the Ghana International Airlines villain deal and was sacked by the chief of staff. Now he believes his crony Akufo Addo will be elected and allow him to go back and head the airline industry reclaim whatever he has sold. Arthur Kobina Kennedy is being awarded $33,500 dollars by this administration just 100 days for a consultancy project which in the end will be more of the same.

The preponderance of the NPP supporters are angry at the National Executive Committee (NEC) for their actions. They know that they are all Akufo Addo’s cronies who put him at his current position so there is no way that they won't continue their dubious actions. Akufo Addo and his elite have become a hindrance to their own campaign to lose this election. To many of us the most astonishing thing is this: the NPP complains about the NDC administration for financial prejudice for helping ET Mensah and others to become affluent but they are doing the same thing themselves.

From: Nana Kofi Amankwah (New York) nanamank20012002@yahoo.com