Diaspora News of Thursday, 8 February 2007

Source: Miodrag Dakic

Nyaho-Tamakloe vs. Ex-Driver: Response From Driver

To the people of the Republic of Ghana- with respect
Belgrade, Serbia
7. February 2007.

RE: Fired Driver Is Trying To Soil My Image-AMBASSADOR

I read with dismay the publication by the “Public Agenda”, a Ghanaian newspaper of 19.January 2007. under the above title, and wish to react as follows:

I feel sorry for having to speak this way to everybody who is, with the great interest, following the events in the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in Belgrade.

First of all I would like to give my symphaties to the people of Ghana whose students I had the opportunity to meet many years before I started working in the Embassy of Republic of Ghana and I know that they are very honest, truthful and loyal friends. On the other hand, it is not my problem how people live in Ghana, and what their diplomatic representatives are doing in other states; I am not interested in any actions your Ambassador Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe is exercising in Belgrade.

Until this moment I have not published or written anything about his actions in Belgrade. In the simple words, I am not interested where, how or on what you’re Ambassador is spending or isn’t spending money of the people of Ghana.

I am also not interested whether he is embarrassing your people in front of the whole Diplomatic Core in Belgrade with his bad education and bad manners or not. He is not the Ambassador of my country, and accordingly that he is not my problem, neither my country’s nor people. Every fool that lives in Serbia could make a difference between the style of use of English language in Serbia and in Ghana, and that same fool could say that I haven’t written the letter against your Ambassador. Even our translators are not using the style in which the letter was written. For example, take a look at the addition in English language in our greatest newspapers “Politika” and you will see for yourself that our style of using English language is different. Until now, I didn’t write to any of the newspapers, internet, or talked to anybody in Ghana as well as in Serbia. Naturally, after this event, it is my civil duty to inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the public of what kind of a person represents your beautiful and respected country.

I repeat that it is none of my business where, how and on what he is spending your money; however that can not be hidden. It is all in the documents. For example, the amount of €9486 is only a small part which was spent on the leather sofa bought in the most exclusive and expensive Italian furniture salon in Belgrade - “Natuzzi”. The amount of €1000 that he was mentioning for the carpets was a tenth part of the real amount since he had changed all carpets and rugs in the Residence as well as in the Embassy/Chancery.

Also, it is important to mention his interest in buying the new building for the embassy of Ghana in Belgrade. I am sending you a picture of the building worth €2.000.000 that he wanted to buy. All staff of the Embassy went to see the building but it remained unknown whether he really wanted to buy it or he just wanted to fascinate one of the ladies he is bringing to Belgrade for shorter or longer period to the Residency of the Embassy of the Republic of Ghana.

Anyhow, the offer for the purchase is for sure in the files of the Embassy, and it was supposed to be bought through the real estate agency “Kruna” whose address and telephone number I have and I can send it to you as well as the name of the director of the agency. Not to mention that he bought four (?!) LCD TVs in only a month, and none of it cost less than €1500. He didn’t pay for them from his own pocket- the bills are in the Embassy and you can check it. Most of his purchases he made after the auditors left, counting that in the next four years there will not be controls and in four years he will not probably be in the Court of Ghana’s reach. Again, I am saying this is not my own problem but the problem of your country and I would have never said anything if I wasn’t provoked with this mean attack of one primitive and uneducated person whose anger was provoked by a simple fact; I have just finished my Master Degree in Economics at the elite Belgrade University, which was a source of envy for him.

I suggest you to check how much money he spent on a doctor’s (consultation) visits, since he doesn’t know which medicine to take for a headache, though he presents himself as a medical doctor.

And just to mention-Can anyone even think that I would care if he didn’t present his credentials to Bulgaria and Romania? That really is not my interest- and luckily he isn’t mine Ambassador nor my country’s and he is not embarrassing us or me personally. However it is true that he made an appointment to present credentials to those two countries, and then canceled them for his private trip abroad. Of course all of this can be proved by looking at his passports, both private and diplomatic, as well as at MFA of Serbia.

At the end, not to bother you more my respected friends it is my duty to explain the roots of his problem with himself that he reflected in his problem with me. Of course all of these nuisances are made up with one goal- to discredit me. Well the easiest thing to write is that someone’s car was dirty. I am sure that sometimes your shoes get dirty on your way to work? These accusations are so tiny, ridiculous and stupid that my intelligence does not allow me to defend them. Everyone will laugh at these nuisances: He didn’t want to stop in the main street in Vienna, Austria so that the accounting officer can go into the jewelry store. Whoever had ever visited Vienna knows that in the main streets even the police is not allowed to stop; only firemen and in emergencies. Why doesn’t anybody tell me what they where doing in Vienna anyway, with the official car and driver and country’s money? I should get back to the roots of the conflict.

The main cause is that the only thing I have ever asked for and warned Mr. Ambassador was that it is his duty to respect the laws of the host country according to the International Convention, only that and nothing else. If that was too much for the respected Mr. Ambassador then he should go to a country with no laws. In my country that will not be possible- I promise that to him in public. I know that he thinks diplomatic immunity will protect him and I don’t care, but I do care what You think about it. Why did you send the criminal to my country of all educated and honest people you have in your country? I have fought against the criminal in my own country, and to allow someone to come from abroad and do it here-it will not be possible!

For you information, Your “Ambassador” had sent his messenger to inform me that everything that I write will come to him. Well, I believe everything that is on the internet is reachable to everyone and it is natural it will get to him. I told to his messenger two things: I am not beyond any of the past inscriptions and the second thing that he can talk to me or meet me anytime he wants. He never called. Maybe he doesn’t know what to tell me, or maybe he knows about his embarrassment?

As a result of the above events, assaults on my dignity and reputation by way of disclosing my personal (confidential) file-details to the Ghanaian press without my prior consent and knowledge and publishing the story, I demand unqualified apologies from the Ambassador and the publisher of the story, the “Public Agenda” in period of 8 days from the date of this letter. I will also seek explanation from MFA or Government of Ghana regarding this matter, failure of which I shell seek legal actions at the appropriate Law Courts. This is for real and I mean it!

With respect, Miodrag Dakic