Opinions of Thursday, 24 May 2018

Columnist: Gilbert Adu Gyimah, Sr

Kofi Dubai: I am not a conman

Former President, John Dramani Mahama Former President, John Dramani Mahama

Dear Country-Folks,

Some of you read widely. Some of you, like me, don’t read. Dr. Muhumada Prophet was right when he said I don’t read.

I did not admit to that at the time because I was your President then.

Those of you who read (and some who don’t) must have read or heard of an American President by name Richard Nixon. “....What has President Richard Nixon got to do with this letter?” you may rightly ask. You will know soon enough.

On November 17, 1973, President Nixon infamously denied any involvement in the Watergate scandal. Hear Nixon: “....because people have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook”.

As it turned out, in the matter of Watergate at least, Nixon was indeed a crook and for which reason he had to resign from office.

Well, as I prepare to run for office of President again, people must know if, I, Kofi Dubai, am a conman. I am writing this letter to tell you: I am not a conman and never have been.

When I told you that “E dey bee keh keh” and then not long after that said “the meat was down to the bone”, I was not being a conman.

When I told you that under my watch, no political appointee of mine would be allowed to buy a car at the end of my term, and then subsequently sold cars at “donkomi” prices (presidential rebate) to most of my appointees, I was not being a conman.

When I told you that if elected into office, “dumsor would be a thing of the past”, and then presided over a biting, 4-year dumsor presidency, I was not being a conman.

When I handed over prospecting of the bauxite concessions at Nyinahin to you-know-whom and then turned around to tell you that “I didn’t run a family and friends government”, I was not being a conman.

When in 2012 I said that free SHS was not feasible and then after winning the presidency said I was going to implement free SHS, I was not being a conman.

When as Vice President I infamously said that “... if need be, we shall kill a fly with a bulldozer....” and then subsequently as ex-President I showed up at BNI facilities to show solidarity and support for one associated with what some consider as treasonable words, I was not being a conman.

When I went after the Opana government for clamping down on galamsey in a bid to save Ghana’s water bodies, I was not being a conman.

I am not a conman. Or am I?

Yours unity,

Kofi Dubai

ps: I am off to the Unity Walk to preach that I am not a conman.


Gilly.gyimah@gmail.com