Akufo-Addo hits back at Kufuor

It is increasingly becoming clear that there is a cold war between ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor and the man who served him as a Foreign Affairs Minister for most part of his regime, William “Nana” Akufo-Addo.

First, it was ex-President Kufuor’s apparent disinterest in making an appearance at the Supreme Court to show solidarity with the 2012 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo who is up in arms against Electoral Commission (EC), President John Mahama and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), crying and claiming a stolen electoral victory.

Then Nana Addo replied by also boycotting a ceremony at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana (UG)-Legon where a Honorary Degree was conferred on ex-President Kufour.

Nana Addo did not stay away alone, but with his “comrades in arms” Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the NPP National Chairman, who are at the Supreme Court with him challenging the eligibility of President Mahama as the fifth President of the Republic of Ghana.

As if by design, Nana Addo’s trusted lieutenants were also nowhere to be found at a colourful event where the ex-President was given a Doctor of Laws Honorary Council, for his contribution to Public Service in Accra last week Friday. Coincidentally, the Supreme Court did not sit on the Election Petition that day hence the three personalities could have attended the ceremony.

A similar award was given to Mr. Kufuor by the University of Cape Coast while he was in office as President. That event received a resounding applause and praise singing from most of his appointees.

Political pundits present at the event suggested that it was perhaps a payback time for the Kufour/Ashanti bloc for their visible disinterest in the ongoing Supreme Court case, which has grounded all internal party activities in the NPP for the past four months.

Present at the ceremony to honour the ex-president were Mrs. Theresa Kufour, his wife, Paul Afoko, an Adviser to the ex-President, Joseph Danquah-Adu, ex-Deputy Minister for Women and Children Affairs and Member of Parliament (MP) Abuakwa North Constituency, Charles Sam, one time Spokesperson for the Kufour’s family; Esson Benjamin, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Millennium Development Agency (MiDA) and Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufour, brother of the ex-President and former Minister of Defence.

The rest are Mr. Frank Agyekum, Spokesperson for the ex-President, Mr. Doe Adjaho, the Speaker of Parliament and Ekow Awonnor, an Accra based legal practitioner amongst other dignitaries.

The conferment of the Honorary Degree awards was to mark the sixty-fifth anniversary celebrations and Special Congregation of the university.

The following personalities: Rev. Cannon, Professor John Samuel Pobee, Prof Ama Ata Aidoo and Professor Emmanuel V. Doku were awarded for distinguished scholarship; Mr. Frank Adu Jnr, Dr. Vartan Gregorian, Sir John Daniels, Mr. Alfred Teddy Konu and Professor Grace Marquis were awarded for contribution to tertiary education.

The alumni category was presented to Mrs. Rachel Philips, a former lecturer of the school and Ambassador James Aggrey-Orleans also a former clerk to Parliament.

The rest are Professor Samuel Nunoo Wood, former head of Public Services Commission for his contribution to public service, Mr. Anthony Oteng-Adjei, Managing Director (MD) of Tropical Cables Company Limited and Madam Cecilia Adwoa Kwofie also the MD of Domod Aluminum Companies Limited were awarded for their contribution to industry.

Professor Thandika Mkandawire, a visiting professor of Economics was also awarded and Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere former Vice-Chancellor and Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor were awarded for their contributions to the university.

The university has Justice Samuel Date-Bah as chairman of the University Council, ex-United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan as its Chancellor and the current Vice-Chancellor as Prof. Ernest Aryeetey.