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Opinions of Wednesday, 12 February 2014

Columnist: Sarpong, Justice

Let's Clap For President Mahama

I am not enthused about the Presidency of President Mahama but we must all give praise where and when it is due and President Mahama has dropped the ball on many of his political appointments but not his recent appointment of Dr. Tony Aidoo, his Ambassador designate to the Netherlands. This is one of the few times President Mahama did his homework before making an informed decision on his appointments.

When this appointment was revealed a couple of days ago, many people were against it because of Dr Tony Aidoo's reputation as a wee head and others thought sending somebody with drug problems to a country like Netherlands was a wrong choice, I don't agree with those people. President Mahama killed two birds with one stone by this appointment. By sending Tony Aidoo out of the country, he has gotten rid of somebody who has become a critic of his administration and did it masterfully by sending him to a country where he will be free to indulge in his recreational activities without committing a crime and souring the image of our country.

It is not a secret around the campus of University of Cape Coast that, Dr. Tony Aidoo was a known wee smoker when he was a Professor at that University and if we as a Nation is going to send somebody to represent our country in a foreign land, Netherlands is the best place to send a 'druggie' like this man because of the liberal drug policy in that country. In Netherlands, it is not a crime to smoke wee and procument of this drug can easily be done in wee or 'ganga' shops in the country.

Sending Tony Aidoo to any other European country would have been a risk and it seems Ndc under Mahama has learned its lesson when it sent a diplomat to Switzerland under Rawlings administration who used his diplomatic passport as a surety to buy cocaine on credit and tarnished the image of our country.

The Amoateng cocaine episode is fresh in the minds of Ghanaians and if we are going to take the risk of appointing people with dubious drug character, then Netherlands is the best place to send such people. Well done President Mahama, Tony Aidoo and Netherlands is a march made in heaven.

Justice Sarpong

(CARDINAL of TRUTH