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General News of Monday, 15 September 2003

Source: Reuben Hadzide

J. H. Mensah In Chicago...

GHANA RATED B+ BY WORLD BANK AND IMF?
Honorable Joseph Henry Mensah, senior minister and Economic management team of the Republic of Ghana, announced in Chicago that Ghana is rated B-plus by a team of International Economists appointed by the world Bank and the IMF after reviewing the “books” of the Kufour administration.

Mr. J.H Mensah made the comments at a church service in his honor at 55oo S. Woodlawn by the Ghanaian community Church of Chicago. Ironically, this was the same Church the president, John Agyekum Kufour visited whilst on tour the United States in 1999 to garner support and raise funds to his then ailing party.

Present at the function were, Mr. Daniel Botwe, popularly known as Dan Botwe, Secretary to the ruling NPP government, Dr. Abdallah Yahaya, Ghana National Council president, Dr.Nyema Jones, former Minister of Mineral resources of the Tubman government in Liberia, Dr. Aaron Ohemeng, NPP North America President and a popular dentist in Chicago, Nana Owusu Bempah, former president of the Ghana National Council of metropolitan Chicago and many Ghanaians living in Chicago.

Mr. J.H Mensah, who was an honorary guest at NPP North America Congress in Chicago on Saturday, September 12, informed the congregation that the branch came together to affirm their solidarity to the party and prepare to ask Ghanaians to entrust the management of the country to the NPP government for four more years.

He noted that in democratic dispensation power does not belong to individuals to but to everybody. As if conceding to the party’s inability to deliver on the numerous campaign promises, the NPP guru stated that it is up to Ghanaians to Judge the NPP government on whether they have delivered or not.

Speaking in monotones and laying emphasis on each word as if to sink his comments into the minds of his attentive audience forever, Mr. J.H Mensah revealed that the NPP government assumed power at a time Ghanaians were demoralized, disorganized and has a very weak economy.

“For the past two and half years, we have tried to reorganize the country” he boldly said. In reference to the HIPC, Mr. Mensah noted to the audience that the program has enabled the government to infuse 150 million dollars into schools all over the country.

The National Reconciliation Council in the words of the senior minister “is recording for history things that ought not to have happened but did happen in our dear country.”

“The constitution of Ghana separates the state from the church, like many democratic countries, but our country believes in God, so I ask prayers from all for the country” he faithfully requested.

In conclusion, the indomitable seasoned politician asked his audience to support the party of their choice, because that is a testimony of their belief in the democratic dispensation.

Mr. Dan Botwe, started his short comment with a praise to the Lord. He acknowledged that the NPP administration has not achieved everything in the past two and half years and cannot be expected to do so in that short period;he however emphasised that the government is in the right direction.

Dr. Nyema Jones, former Minister of Minerals in the dethroned Tubman regime of Liberia ,used the occasion to thank Ghana for accepting Liberian refugees into the country and praised the role Ghana played in making peace a possibility in Liberia.

The president of the Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago, Dr. Abdallah Yahaya, accompanied by his assistant Secretary, Ms. Patience Adigbli, appealed to Ghanaians to unite. “The name GHANA, makes us one people” he concluded. The service was led by Mr. Kwasi A. Yeboah, secretary of the Brong-Ahafo North America Association.