Opinions of Saturday, 23 July 2011

Columnist: Barnes, Christian Kojo

Koku Anyidoho’s Corruption Scandals–When Will He Stop?

Ghana has a lot to thank our lawmakers and legislators for the Whistleblowers Act 2009 that allows Ghanaians to expose corruption and abuse of one’s position to amass wealth at the expense of the suffering masses. I have written several times and made several complaints but nothing gets done. As a concerned NDC member and former employee at the castle, I will not sit down unconcerned for my party to lose next years elections because of a few greedy individuals!

It seems President Mills is being sabotaged by so many individuals in his government. One such person who intends to drag the government through the mud by his actions is no other person than the Head of Communications and spokesperson at the Presidency of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Koku Anyidoho. He must kindly explain to Ghanaians and NDC party members in particular how he was able to acquire 2 million dollars to

a. be building a 22 Bedroom Guest House been built by Nowaks building and construction limited off the Dodowa road,

b. to be building a six bedroom house with a swimming pool at Nyanyano .being built by the this same company!

c. Buy 2 four bedroom houses, one with Regimanuel and Hydraform Estate .These purchases were all done in the last quarter of 2010.

Mr Koku Anyidoho activities at the castle are also matters for question and scrutiny, how is it possible for a head of communications to

1. interfere with the posting of information counsellors to embassies abroad as this is a pure matter for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs?

2. collect 10,000 dollars a time to set up meetings for Ghanaian companies and individuals who want assistance from the castle ranging from clearing goods from the ports, reference letters, appearance fees, and telephone calls to organisations to solicit for funds in return for contracts at the castle?

It has also emerging that Koku Anyidoho is part of a group of government officials including Communications Minister Mr Haruna Idrissu, Dr Tony Aidoo and Mr Alex Segbefia that received a portion of a 1.5 million dollars pay off from Globacom group of companies , owned by Dr Mike Adenuga in order for this company to get their licence to operate in Ghana. What is really going on?

At a tuesday morning weekly security meeting involving National Security and BNI security chiefs some of these concerns were raised before the President Mills .The Presidents response was that the matter be allowed to rest as no laws have been broken.

It is here i beg to differ with President Mills. Some of us believe that there are serious issues of gross misconduct , abuse in government, and a lack of accountability and corruption that need to be answered and corrected. This behaviour goes against what we expect from our party members. President Mills and Our National Party Chairman Dr Kwabena Adjei must probe and deal these government appointees now. We cannot afford to go in 2012 with such scandals.

Dr Christian Kojo Barnes

barneskojo@gmail.com

A very much concerned NDC member Kpone Katamanso