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General News of Friday, 22 June 2012

Source: peacefmonline

“I am Waiting Patiently To Die" - D.K. Poison

Ghana’s first ever world boxing champion David Kotey, popularly called D.K. Poison, has poured out bitter sentiments about the country’s betrayal of his efforts and trust.

D.K. Poison intimated amidst disappointment that he single-handedly lent to Ghana $45,000 of his D.K. Poison vrs Fuku Yama bout purse as requested via telex by then Head of State General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong to buy Mackerel (tinned fish) to help alleviate the terrible hunger that the country was facing in 1976.

“They needed foreign currency in order to buy the fish for Ghana which they did not have. So the president sent me a telex to release the said money for the good people of Ghana. Over thirty years down the line, this money has not been paid by any government no matter how many petitions I wrote,” the ex-World champion told Blakk Rasta on the “Taxi Driver” show.

As a Young Pioneer, D.K. Poison said he never hesitated to release the money as demanded of him by the Kwame Nkrumah standards of “Ghana first”. After this gesture, the one-time world boxing featherweight champion said all the governments that came after General I.K. Acheampong had all neglected his contribution towards fighting the economic crisis in Ghana in 1976.

D.K. Poison said he was so embittered that he had vowed never to encourage any of his children to get involved in the sport of boxing.

He said he was grateful for the gift of an estate at Teshie-Nungua which he was given by the head of state at the time in the wake of winning the world title, but was quick to add that the money borrowed from him should have been promptly paid as agreed.

“I am just waiting patiently to die as there is nothing more to live for, considering the neglect and disrespect we as pioneer sports people get from authorities who should know better,” D.K. Poison added.

He made these remarks as he was being celebrated in the BLACK SENSE segment of Blakk Rasta’s award-winning TAXI DRIVER show on Hitz FM.