Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, a former Minister of trade and Industry, under the regime of Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, has questioned the rationale behind President John Evans Atta Mills’ visit to South Africa, at the time many Ghanaians are complaining of economic hardships and when the country is facing one of its worst flooding tragedy in recent years.

He has also expressed concern over Ghana’s inability to attend the G20 meeting, stating however, that it was indicative of the fact that foreign confidence of Ghana on the international front has eroded. “There appears to have been a loss of international goodwill for Ghana, which may have affected the level of donor support for Ghana’s development programmes,” he said.

According to him, during Former President Kufuor’s time, Ghana enjoyed tremendous goodwill and respect around the world with massive donor support.

Citing an example, Dr. Apraku named the Japanese grant for the construction of the Cape Coast road, the grant from China for the construction of the Accra-Kumasi road, and eventually ‘our selection as a major beneficiary of the Millennium Challenge Account, are all testimony of the strong and respected leadership that Kufuor brought to the Ghanaian political landscape.”

Speaking in an interview with this paper, he was of the opinion that President Kufuor accomplished these by building excellent relationships with Presidents, and movers and shakers of the developed world.

“For example during Kufuor’s era, Ghana was invited to attend major international meetings, including the G8 and G20 meetings. Because of these meetings and his interactions with the leaders of the industrialized world, Kufuor was able to attract developments to Ghana.”

To him, this week, the G8/G20 is meeting in Canada and President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa are already there.

“In the past, the Presidents of South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana have been invited as observers at this meeting. Since the departure of President Kufuor, Ghana has not been to any of these meetings” Dr. Apraku, also a leading member of the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) inferred that the reason why President Mills is not in Canada with his colleagues from Nigeria and South Africa is that Ghana’s influence and international standing is fast waning under the Mills presidency.

The former Minister also stressed that “The irony of the situation is that President Mills is traveling to South Africa ostensibly to meet President Zuma, to discuss issues he alleged came out of his meeting with Angola President Dos Santos, during the latter’s visit to Ghana.” According to him “if indeed he was invited and did not attend, and decided to go to South Africa, then that is a tragedy for Ghana. Equally tragic for the country is the case that he was not invited at all.”

Dr. Apraku, who contested the presidential slot of the NPP in 2007, continued that “if he was not invited then the question Ghanaians would want to know is why Ghana was not invited? Is it because the G8/G20 leadership have lost confidence in the Ghanaian political leadership? Could it also be a loss of confidence in the Economic policies of Ghana?”

Touching briefly on a recent publication in Forbes Magazine, which created a negative reportage about the management of the Ghanaian economy and the economic priorities set by the Ghanaian government, he observed, “Can there be a relationship between this report and the unwillingness of the G8/G20 to invite Ghana to its meeting?.

Meanwhile, President Zuma, knowing what his country’s priorities are has left South Africa for the G8/G20 meetings, most likely with his Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finance and other senior officials, and intoned – “So with whom is President Mills going to have this discussions?

“Is Mills just avoiding current domestic problems as reflected in the bad economy and the floods? What is the urgency of going to South Africa to discuss issues for an AU meeting which would take place between 24-29 of July, this year, when there are current urgent flood problems in our country today?,” e asked.