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Opinions of Monday, 3 November 2003

Columnist: Poku, Kojo

Things That Makes You Go Hmmmmmm (I)

  • Transparency International comes out with statistics indicating corruption in Ghana is getting worse. Despite the criticisms and controversy that the report generated, President Kufuor comes out with his favorite phrase “ my government is the best that the country has ever had”

    Such logical acrobatics are nothing new from an administration that has gone to absurd lengths to cast its dismal performance in a positive light. But coming as they did in a week when his “zero tolerance for corruption” slogan had been rubbished, Kufuor's remarks might lead Ghanaians to wonder how he defines "best".

    It’s braggadocio like this that makes Kwame Nkrumah go hmmmmmm

  • The government gives $15,000 for the speaker of parliament to go on vacation. The same speaker takes delivery of two air conditioners, worth $2,000 from the new Chinese Ambassador to Ghana. This same individual once described the living conditions of Ghanaians as comparable to those of pigs. When our president is going around the world looking for handouts and loans, the little we have is not being used efficiently and it is just benefiting a few politicians to the disadvantage of the average Ghanaian.

    It’s prioritizations like this that makes the “pigs” go hmmmmmm

  • If the main reason for Kufuor’s inability to attend the VOA interview was not a hangover, then how come the explanations we got from various govt sources didn’t add up? The Information minister says one thing, Foreign minister contradicts him and the explanation to VOA gives an entire different picture. How difficult is it to lie?

    It’s lies like this that make “ogogro” sellers go hmmmmmm

  • Listening to the face saving President Kufuor VOA interview, I could not help thinking my relatives & friends back home might all be liars. During the question-answer session, instead of asking questions, the callers preferred to praise-sing giving a rosy picture of life in Ghana. Can’t the government do anything right? If you plant callers, make sure they are intelligent enough to do the right thing.

    Its government-planted callers like this that makes Cubans go hmmmmmm

  • In the same face-saving interview with VOA, President Kufuor claimed he has “restored freedom & Justice”. I wonder how he was able to freely mount podiums to speak about his political opponents if there was nothing like freedom of speech pre-NPP era?
    Secondly, Mr. President, only a selected few enjoy your interpretation of freedom. They are: NPP supporters and their relatives. Kwame Peprah was picked up 24hrs after he had granted an interview criticizing the NPP Government. ET Mensah was locked up without charge, 15 police went to Dr. Tony Aidoo, former deputy minister of defense’s house at 6 am to search. Kwesi Pratt, ex-NUGS President and TUC boss have all been framed because they failed to agree with the govt.

    It’s selective freedom & Justice like this that makes our national emblem go hmmmmmm

  • Despite the allegations that the NDC left empty coffers and a debt of 41 trillion cedis, immediately the NPP Government got to power, it was able to get funds to rehabilitate the castle, Kufuor's private residence and ministers' bungalows. They also found money to buy new cars for over 60 ministers & deputies. Our president has found money to make 74 trips in less than 3 years; every minister in government has made an average of 3 trips outside Africa since 2001.

    It’s government expenditure like this that makes NDC go hmmmmmm

  • A president that dismissed his minister (mallam Issa) based on a media allegation, prior to him being found guilty, now tells us he’ll not investigate mere media allegations.

    It’s selective justice like this that makes the non-Ashantis go Hmmmmmm

  • “We'll Quit HIPC By Middle Of Next Year” – President Kufuor
    Two weeks later
    “Ghana Cannot Quit HIPC Next Year” – Finance Minister Osaafo-Maafo

    It’s clowning like this that makes Highly Infuriated Poor Children (HIPC) go hmmmmmm


    Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.