Coming to town with NPP's brotherhood maffoof

There is some cacophony blowing across the land. Standing on the imaginary neutral line, that is assuming that a human with emotions at any point in time can be neutral, I see expectant excitement on the left while equally seeing expectant anxiety from the right of the divide. The people belonging to the left are eagerly awaiting the arrival or to be more precise the outdooring of someone they hope will help them wrestle power that will lead them to the shores of glory and authority at least for but a short period. Their hope at least for now is supposedly ideas war where they forcefully and rightfully so keep selling that they hold the key to transform the wretched lives of the children of the land of our birth. Experience on the other hand tells us that this kind of people almost always metamorphose into arrogant blood sucking vampires as soon as they land on the fringes of the glorious seat of power. For now we know them by their colours, they call it social contract in which they make promise of offer and the masses sheepishly mandate them to execute the contract. 

The other people on the right side of the divide are expectantly anxious because the process today could potentially spell the doom for their ill-gotten spoils and booty at the expense of the suffering masses. They arrived at the land of glory some 39 months ago also on a fantastic social contract. After attaining their goal, they arrogantly turned round to add insult to the injury of the suffering masses by telling them that 'the social contract' was a 'political platform talk' and thus they never intended as a matter of fact to keep it. They even had the gut to suggest in some instances that the suffering masses should have been smarter enough to see and know beforehand that it was not feasible and realistic to expect the fulfilment of the social contract. Now with just 9 calendar months to the expiration of their mandate, they are hot and praying that whoever the man leading the brotherhood on the left picks will be a mice meat for them. The ideal way to destroy the impending competition to be posed by the left is to vilify the characters of their chosen leaders. In so doing, the suffering masses will be emotionally aroused and as psychologists can confirm, emotion and rationality negatively correlate. If you can't beat them, they suggest you confuse them.

Well, sorry if you are lost regarding the point I am trying to put across. I am referring to the expected announcement later today Thursday March 29,2012 of the New Patriotic Party's running mate for Ghana's 2012 presidential poll on December 7. I really don't think anybody he chooses will make any difference to the lives of millions of the suffering Ghanaians. It is not that I don't believe in the competency of the names of the men that have so far been mentioned, but my reason stems from the way I perceive how politicians play the game they call 'politics'. As I write this piece at 10:56am, I can hear Kofi Kum-Bilson spinning Cindy Thompson's 2000 hit track, Awurade Kasa (God speak). I believe you know what I am inferring here. You see, they used that emotional gospel tune to incite people's hope of a land flowing with 'milk and honey' and yet this promise was never delivered. The game of politics and organisation of political entities revolve around the concept of 'brotherhood'. This concept of "brotherhood" operates and survives on the pretense of providing far much superior protection and meeting the needs (i.e. goods and services) of the masses better than their political opponents could ever offer. This is based on the concept of social contract whereby a document outlining fantastic ideas for transformation is produced. This however degenerates into an oppression of the masses as soon as they gain the mandate of masses at the polls. Thus the term can be likened to a group of "respected" people  for being charismatic in their thinking and proposals to decisively resolve societal malaise. Please don't get fooled by this brotherhood, they are slightly but inexorably synonymous with organised crime groups. For this reason, no matter who is picked today, he is powerless before the brotherhood and it is their bidding rather than the needs of the masses that will be satisfied provided they succeed in winning the Presidential poll on December. I can bet my last pesewa that the running mate is nothing more than a maffoof.   

According to the Urban Dictionary Maffoof is someone completely amazing, perfect and who you can totally trust and who really makes you happy all the time. Somebody who cares about you and who YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR. Do you get the analogy? If you are still at sea; brotherhood. 

I dare repeat the Teacher's words: 

"All things are full of weariness;
    a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
    nor the ear filled with hearing. 

  What has been is what will be,
    and what has been done is what will be done,
    and there is nothing new under the sun".

You will attest to this statement in exactly 4 years from now. The Akans have a proverb which goes like 'Obi nnim a, obi kyere' (If one does not know, another man teaches him. Men depend on one another for knowledge.)  Welcome to the brotherhood Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia!!!

"What does a pope do?" Fidel Castro asks Benedict

HAVANA (Reuters) - Pope Benedict and Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, both octogenarians, joked about their age in a brief meeting on Wednesday and then Castro popped the question: so what do you do?

The two world figures chatted for about 30 minutes at the Vatican embassy in Havana near the end of the pope's three-day visit to Cuba, where he called for greater freedom and a bigger role for the Catholic Church in the communist-led nation.Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Benedict, 84, and Castro, 85, had an "exchange of ideas" in a "very cordial" atmosphere.

Castro led a 1959 revolution and transformed the Caribbean island into a communist state, ruling it for 49 years before stepping down due to poor health in 2008. Under his rule, Cuba for years called itself an atheist state, although relations with the Church have improved over the past two decades.

Castro arrived for his meeting with the pope on Wednesday in a green Mercedes SUV amid heavy security that included armed guards in a phalanx of surrounding black Mercedes cars.

He was helped out by two assistants, who supported him as he walked slowly up the steps into the stately white building where Benedict spent Tuesday night and where Pope John Paul II stayed during his landmark 1998 visit.

"What does a pope do?" Castro asked Benedict, who is just one year his junior. The pontiff told him of his ministry, his foreign trips and his service to the Church, saying he was happy to be in Cuba and with the welcome he received.

Dressed in a dark Reebok track suit and wearing a scarf despite the searing heat outside, Castro told the pontiff he had watched his whole visit on television. Two of his children were also presented to the pope.

Castro handed the reins of power to his younger brother, President Raul Castro, four years ago and he has since largely retired from government but he still writes columns and meets with visiting leaders. He told the pontiff he was spending most of his time reading and reflecting on the state of the world.

His columns are posted on the internet and read aloud on state television, and cover his fears of impending Armageddon, the evils of consumerism and his criticisms of arch ideological foe, the United States.

CASTRO SEEKS FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Castro questioned Benedict about changes in Church liturgy and asked the pope to send him a book to help him reflect. The pope said he would think of which one to send, but had not yet decided, Lombardi said.

The pair discussed the difficult world situation and the problems of mankind from a religious, scientific and cultural point of view.

And the pope also spoke to Castro about the problem of the absence of God in much of society today and the relationship between faith and reason.

As he was waiting for the pope, Castro said he had great admiration for Mother Teresa and for John Paul, whose visit 14 years ago marked a watershed in long-strained relations between the communist government and the Church.

Castro reinstated Christmas as a holiday ahead of John Paul's visit, and in talks on Tuesday with Raul Castro, the pope asked the government to consider also making Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate Christ's death, a national holiday.

Thiefman thief thiefman: who is most witty in Woyomising biz partners?

It is a fool whose own tomatoes are sold to him but the knot tied by a wiseman cannot be undone by a fool. The one who asks questions doesn't lose his way but When you go to a town and you see the chief of the town is in handcuffs, you do not ask whether everything is alright in that town. The name Alfred Agbesi Woyome is synonymous with one thing; outwitting the state of Ghana to defraud the poor people to the sum of GHC52.8 million. This has never happened in the 55-year old history of Ghana. Indeed to Woyome someone in Ghana today is to say to 419 that person. The Woyomegate scandal facilitated by the Atta-Mills-led administration brought to the this otherwise an obscure Voltarian to the public limelight.  

What many of us of course may never know is the life journeys this smart guy has travelled. But as it may, now even his coughing is newsworthy and so his every act and move is closely monitored by news-hungry paparazzi. Thus it came as no surprise that this Woyome man is carving a niche for himself as having a penchant for litigating. Sometime in late January and early February 2012, it emerged that 'Deacon Alfred' had lost a legal tussle with his former church. He had sued the for reimbursement of amounts of money he claimed he had loaned or advanced to the church when he was a leader. He had apparently seeking his pound of flesh having been ex-communicated or for a want of a better word, their relationship went sour. 

Then in a classic case of Ghanaians prefer to term 'thiefman thief thiefman, we just learnt that an Accra Commercial Court is hearing of a spat between Mr. Woyome and  Mr. Raymond Archer, editor, over the ownership structure of Focal Media organisation, publisher and owner of The Enquirer newspaper. The newspaper company, Focal Media was incorporated in 2005 with Archer owning 49 per cent shares.

Woyome claims he owns 51 per cent shares in the newspaper but somehow, his shares have been divested, making Archer the 100 per cent owner of the company.

He is thus praying the court to recognise the alleged  initial ownership structure and rule in his favour.

According to Woyome, at the time of the incorporation, he was then working at the Austrian Consulate which prevented him from any direct involvement in private commercial business.

He therefore registered his 51 per cent shares in the name of a lawyer, Mr. Babanawo.

Woyome claims that somehow the newspaper editor took custody of his 51 per cent shares without his knowledge. According to him, Archer has failed to account for the business. He claims Archer having secured the 100 per cent shares proceeded to procure a loan from Stanbic Bank using his company as a collateral.

Woyome is hoping that the court will rule in his favour and restore his interest in the company.

Raymond Archer was not present in court but was represented by his lawyer, Tony Lithur whilst Woyome was in court with his lawyer Chris Coker. They will return to court to argue their respective cases later. However, I can bet my last one Ghana Pesewa that every Tom, Dick and Harry in Ghana is eagerly awaiting the determination of this case. The intense interest is undoubtedly not focused on the truth, but who will emerge as the most witty business partner in Ghana. This case though low regarding the quantum of financial resources at stake compared to the GHC51.8 million so-called judgment debt, his the propensity to overshadow the Republic vs Woyome case because of the interest on which brain is most witty. Mind you this is not the first time this  is happening in the media. In the late 1990s, similar legal tussle ensued between Hon. Nicholas Agyei-Kyeremeh aka General (former MP for Dormaa 1993-2001; mind you this was before the constituency was split in two as East and West) and Fred Agyeman of Freddie's Corner fame over the ownership structure of Sky Broadcasting Limited, operator of Sky 96.7 FM  based in Sunyani, Brong Ahafo Region. The then MP too because of his political exposure, took a back seat and low profile in the management and running of the radio station only to wake up one to find that Freddie and his family were having 100% ownership of the media. The court ruled that Freddie should be paid off and thus kicked out of the business.

Presently, we can only wait and see whether Archer will be able to wrestle the infamous title of being the most witty person in Ghana from Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome by Woyomising Mr. Woyome out of Focal Media and retain his 100% ownership of The Enquirer newspaper.  Which thiefman will thief thiefman and who go pay the pain? "Aboa bi b¢ka wo a, ¢firi wo ntoma mu" (If a bug bites you, it's from the inside of your cloth) enti  "Obi s¡ ne gya hye wo a, wos¡ wo de¢ hy¢ ne turum" (If someone lights a fire and burns you, you light your fire and shove it into their ass).

One lesson to bear in mind about the world of business is that honesty in business is a rare gem and almost an extinct specie that only exist in lexicon. Honesty in business nowadays is considered a relic of the past, and those who try to practice it are doomed to failure. People's perception of honesty has more to do with what they can get away with legally than with what is actually the truth.

Abdoulaye Wade's bow out was a déjà vu

Africa is the only continent blessed with so many natural and human resources yet ironically it is the most poorest place on planet earth. The logical question then is what accounts for this paradox? One obviously does not need to be a soothsayer or know rocket science to look into the crystal clear lens to determine. the cause of this malaise Africa's woes is largely attributable to bad leadership. It is a common knowledge among all leading humanitarian organisations fighting global poverty that placing special focus on working alongside poor folks to be equipped with the proper resources, will  empower to help whole families and entire communities escape poverty. By the same token, leadership is expected to inspire and provide direction for the entire country. Unfortunately, in Africa, the privilege bestow on the elected people is very often misconstrued to mean opportunity to oppress the poor and siphon state resources to line up the pockets of the elected officials. Due to this attitude, many African presidents whether elected or imposed, find it difficult to leave office peacefully when their tenure of office is due. They do all that they find convenient to manipulate the system to entrench themselves in office perpetually. 

Senegal is the only nation on mainland West Africa not to have seen a coup or civil war since independence. This sterling record was however dented and almost erased. President Abdoulaye Wade aged 85, began his career as president in 2000 with a sterling democratic reputation after several futile attempts to wrest power while in opposition but Wade drew criticism for seeking to extend his rule with a third term, setting off street protests in which six people were killed.Opposition activists had said Wade's quest for a third term was unconstitutional and some voters viewed him as yet another example of a long-serving African leader seeking to hang on to power.
The Constitutional Council, however, upheld his argument that his first term did not count because it began before a two-term limit was adopted. The ruling set off weeks of protests in which at least six people died.

When the election eventually came off, Wade fell short of the outright majority needed to avoid a run-off in the February 26 first round, with 34.8 percent to his main opponent Macky Sall's 26.6 percent. Defeated candidates then united behind Sall.

The term déjà vu literally means "already seen"  and is the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the prior encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined. The experience of déjà vu is usually accompanied by a compelling sense of familiarity, and also a sense of "eeriness", "strangeness", "weirdness" or "the uncanny". The "previous" experience is most frequently attributed to a dream, although in some cases there is a firm sense that the experience has genuinely happened in the past. Observers of the African political scene have said when a sitting president or a ruling party fails to garner the needed votes in the first round, the bandwagon effect always goes against them. The Senegalese election was the latest test for democracy in a region plagued by bloodshed and flawed votes, including Ivory Coast's which triggered a civil war last year. A military coup in Senegal's neighbor Mali last week demonstrated how quickly a democracy can unravel.

Early results from Dakar, where Wade has faced his harshest opposition, showed Sall ahead, including in Wade's own precinct in the Point E neighborhood with 417 votes to Wade's 120. Wade had no option but to admit defeat in the election just hours after the polls closed, as early results showed Sall with a landslide, confirming the bandwagon effect was indeed a déjà vu, done deal. Kokromti (thumb) power has eventually and finally spoken.

While hopes for a better future are running high among Senegalese, it remained to be seen whether Sall, who is a former Wade ally and served for years as his prime minister, would bring real change or his leadership too will be déjà vu.  

Ghana Cedi is the third worst falling currency in the world

On the 1st of July 2007 which year was also her 50th year of attainment of nationhood, Ghana redenominated  her national currency, the Cedi by knocking off four zeros. Redenomination is the process of changing the face value of banknotes or coins used in circulating currency. It is the process whereby a country's currency is recalibrated due to significant inflation and currency devaluation. In other words, it was an admission that for half a century, Ghana failed to manage her monetary policies and proper economic management. For instance, at the beginning of the year 2000, the cedi was exchanging at 2,500 for US$1. By January 2001, the Cedi had fallen so low it was exchanging at 7,500 for US$1. Thus on July 1, 2007, GHS10,000 was redenominated to GHC1. Getting to the end of 2011, the signs were clear that the New Ghana Cedi was going to suffer another setback in 2012 due to the uncontrolled spending in view of the impending general elections on December 7, 2012. True to that view, Ghana Cedi is suffering under the weight of mismanagement of the economy. 

Ghana’s central bank said it’s supporting the world’s third-worst performing currency against further losses by pushing up Treasury rates to lure investment.

The country’s benchmark 91-day Treasury bill rate rose to 12.35 percent in the March 16 weekly auction, the highest level since October 2010, according to the central bank’s website. It increased to 12.61 percent at the close of the auction today, the highest since August 2010, according to the bank’s data.

“An increase in government borrowing requirements has put some upward pressure on the rates but part of the increases you see are meant to reduce the amount of money in circulation to ease pressure on the cedi,” Grace Akrofi, acting head of research at the Bank of Ghana, said in a phone interview yesterday. “Banks can decide to invest their excess liquidity in dollars, which would weaken the currency, so instead we are trying to attract them to Treasury bills by making adjustments to the rates on offer.”

Ghana’s economy expanded 13.6 percent in 2011 and the Finance Ministry expects a 9.4 percent pace this year after the west African nation’s Jubilee oil field began production for export in 2010. The expansion has spurred declines for the cedi as local producers seek dollars to buy equipment and raw materials. The exchange rate weakened 10 percent against the dollar last year and is down 7.6 percent this year, the biggest drop among 175 currencies worldwide after Iran’s rial and Sri Lanka’s rupee.

The cedi gained for the second straight day, adding less than 0.1 percent to 1.7638 per dollar as of the 4 p.m. close in Accra.

‘Tightening Effect’

The Treasury rate increase may help to ensure that the cedi doesn’t weaken beyond 1.80 per dollar this year, Stephen Bailey- Smith, an emerging-market strategist at Standard Bank Plc in London, said in e-mailed comments.

“Tighter monetary policy -- which you are seeing in the T- bill yields -- will clearly place some pressure on borrowing both on the public and private side of the economy,” he said. “In fact, there is arguably a need to slow down import demand.”

The higher Treasury bill rate “may exert -- over time -- more of a tightening effect, by curbing demand for loans,” Razia Khan, London-based head of Africa research at Standard Chartered Bank Plc, said in an e-mail. “We should expect more policy interest rate tightening from the Bank of Ghana as the treasury bill yields rise.”

The central bank raised its main interest rate by 1 percentage point to 13.5 percent on Feb. 15, the first increase in three years. The decision was intended “to affirm the need to mop up excess liquidity from the system to restrict inflationary pressure as well as the threat by the cedi to weaken significantly,” Akrofi said.

Inflation

Inflation slowed to 8.6 percent in February from 8.7 percent the month before as increases in food prices eased, the statistics agency said March 14. The rate held at 8.6 percent for the three months through December.

The yield on Ghana’s 8.5 percent 10-year Eurobond that matures in October 2017 rose 3 basis points to 5.505 percent today, capping a fifth week of declines.

The cedi declined last year even as the central bank sold $4.1 billion to support it, an increase from $1.7 billion in 2010.

“The currency suffered because the Treasury bill rates were kept low,” Akrofi said.

The 91-day yield may rise further as the Bank of Ghana prepares for its next policy rate decision, “likely to be held in the second week of April,” said Akrofi.

 So what is the risk of this trend? The real implications of the free fall of the New Ghana Cedi and what it means to investors who are owed money in New Ghana Cedis is that their gains are being eroded. In other words, if you have an account, bonds or equity in a bank or a company denominated in the world's third worst performing currency (the New Ghana Cedi), you will be paid in return an amount that is worth toilet paper. Does the fact that you're owed money or have an account in New Ghana Cedis still mean anything? Think of operating a foreign account in order to preserve the value of your money.

'Noynoying' Agya Atta Professor Do Little

No employer hires any employee to come over and create more trouble that will compound challenges already confronting their organisations or outfits. For this reason, every genuine and business-minded hiring officer focuses attention on personal competencies above all other considerations. Everyone shuns incompetent and ineffective leadership. It is incontrovertible fact that leadership incompetence is the cause of Africa’s woes. The strength of every society depends largely on its leadership. Throughout history successful societies have been those whose leaders were able to rise to the occasion to calm storms during crises and advance the course of prosperity during peace time. During economic hardships, poverty and wars it is the leaders who make tough economic and military decisions to steer the nation out of those troubles. However, leadership incompetence is a key factor in entrenching poverty in almost all African societies. The leadership in Africa today could be likened to a bad chef who has all the ingredients needed to prepare a delicious soup but fails to do so for lack of skills.

Agya Atta is a name commonly used by ordinary Ghanaians to refer to the sitting president, John Evans Atta Mills. It is coined partly from circumstances of his birth as a twin (Atta) and his age, 65 years. In Ghana, a male twin is called Atta either as Atta Panin (Elder Twin) or Atta Kakra (Younger Twin). When people what to address an elderly person respectfully, they say Agya or alternatively Opanyin. Since Opanyin has similar meaning as Atta Panin, it would have confused a number of people whether they were paying him homage or simply calling him as a twin. His other twin brother is Cadman Atta Mills. As Lucky Mensah mentioned in his 'Nkratoo' (message) song composition, Ghanaians don't know who is panin and Kakra hence conveniently chosen to call him Agya instead.

Another lazying reflecting name given the President is 'Professor Do Little'. This was given by the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader, Nana Akufo-Addo referring to his inability to fix the many problems confronting Ghanaians. The president has always found it very convenient to shift blame on his predecessors for any challenges and difficulties they can handle as government. Within his own ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), some bigwigs have labelled him lazying-reflecting names severally for his lackadaisical approach to handling issues. His 2007 main NDC challenger, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah nicknamed Team B Coach implying 'leaving out best human materials in favour of people who have either no experience or lack understanding of national issues'. His own NDC Founder and former president Jerry John Rawlings called him Mediocre explaining that President Mills is clueless regarding resolution of problems.

As if only Ghana has a lazy and ineffective president. In the Far East,  President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines is getting his fair share of criticisms and name calling. Over the past week, sworn critics of  the President coined what turned out to be a pretty effective term to dismiss the President as ineffective because he is lazy. I think it is unfair. It is obvious from the number of public events President Benigno Aquino III attends that he is far from lazy or just taking it easy. I have also been told that he is pretty hands-on, attending meetings of cabinet clusters and participating in policy formulations.

Unfortunately, his less than competent communications staff made a bad situation worse by announcing the President (shortned as P-Noy) was “under the weather” and will just be at Malacañang working on state papers. They then released an obviously posed photograph of the President at work with a glass of wine on the table. It was sheer stupidity—so defensive and trying too hard. And they did it again sooner showing P-Noy trying to carry a heavy load of paper, a photo quickly parodied in social media... photoshopped with the DPWH officials “inspecting” typhoon damage.

So the term “Noynoying” (pronounced noy-noy-YING) landed not just in the local lexicon but featured in Wikipedia and horrors… the Wall Street Journal. The WSJ story defined it as “a term that involves sitting around and staring into space.” Wikipedia entry defined “Noynoying” as “an Internet meme that defines an effortless pose, or activity consisting of sitting or standing around, in an unconcerned manner.”

Hopefully the name calling of President John Evans Atta Mills will not get Noynoying much worse a WSJ article which will not give investors reason to pause and reverse their very positive attitudes towards Ghana but Professor Do Little, Team B Coach and President Mediocre remember that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. A word to the wise (NOT highly educated) is enough.

The stubborn fly follows the corpse to the grave

It is so surprising that educated politicians endowed with knowledge and wisdom (doubtful), choose to exercise their freewill so unreasonably. There is this saying that it is only a dead tree trunk that stays at a point even when it eavesdropped humans discussing of how to fell it the next day. Many Ghanaians have received the official announcement by the NDC government in Ghana on Tuesday March 20, 2012 to boycott Multimedia Broadcasting Corporation; owners and operators of a string of media outlets in Ghana as no surprise. It only confirmed a certain assertion. It started years ago like a joke cracked by a famous NDC member, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah describing President JEA Mills' appointees as members of a Team B. Then repeated recently by former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Martin A. K. Amidu who said the government communication team comprises inexperienced and ignoramus. How aptly these assertions fit into the saying that 'a lifeless stick of matches scratched against its coated paper produces a small flame but when left carelessly near an open jar of volatile petrol, causes a conflagration, which can claim life and property.

The hawks and ignoramus are exhibiting spontaneous decision and displaying utter immaturity. This behaviour is not just a dent on the country's image as a place where media freedom to exercise their editorial discretion flourishes. The Centre for Democratic Development, Ghana (CDD) has described the action  by government as illegal and an affront to democracy. The non-governmental group therefore asked all public and civil servants to disregard the government order. It said this amounts to capricious use of discretionary power and warns Ghanaians to be wary of such action because it is a threat to the constitution.

What is the background to all this? On February 22, 2012, Asempa FM’s flagship programme “Ekosi Sen” was abruptly ended following a commotion at the station. It was between an NPP member on the panel, Hopeson Adoyeh and the host of the programme, Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah. In direct response, a number of NPP supporters and sympathisers led by the party’s Youth Organiser, Anthony Kabo trooped to the station. The owners of Multimedia subsequently suspended Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah who prior to this incident had been accused of given leverage to the ruling National Democratic Congress communicators to malign the character of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP's standardbearer for the 2012 elections. The NDC government insists that until the management of the group unconditionally reinstates this gentleman on air and a case of bias. On the latter issue, the government has been shifting its position indicating that NDC's beef is really getting their kingpin Kwabena Bobi Ansah back to do their bidding at the station. People have questioned why government would not avail themselves of various avenues like national media Commission, court, Ghana Journalists Association, as provided for in the constitution if the government felt wronged.

Suspended Nana Kwabena Ansah of Ekosi Sen Fame

As weird as this action might appear, I think it offers all of us a great opportunity to reflect and recapture our free press from the control of these two political parties. I have always felt that their continuous presence on our airwaves is depriving us all of getting to know and understanding issues clearly and devoid of political partisan colorization. Of course it is extremely dangerous for government to whimsically and capriciously decide to deny Ghanaians the right to choose which stations to listen to as well as a breach of the constitutional injunction 'about equal access and opportunity' for all Ghanaians. While this actions offend every intent and purpose of the constitution, we have a very good chance to change the way our cacophonous media do their business. The radio and TV stations must get back to their role of agenda setting whereby discerning listening can make informed decisions based on information gathered from listening.

Still, Agya Atta you can't kill a fly with a sledge hammer because a stubborn fly follows the corpse to the grave and December 7, 20012 is the burial date. Please keep your fingers cross and let us continue this discussion beyond December 7. The signal out there this election year is that the NDC government wants to gag any media house it considers as seriously probing their actions and refusing to allow government to dictate to them. 

Putin's famous encounter with tigress questioned

A tiger can't change its stripes — which is leading Russians to wonder if Vladimir Putin needs to change his story about which one he shot.

In one of the macho photo moments the Russian leader often indulges in, he was shown on an expedition in the Far East in 2008 with preservationists tracking wild Amur tigers. According to the video footage, Putin shot one of the rare beasts with a tranquilizer gun so Russian scientists could put a GPS collar on the tiger.

Putin's website later showed photos of what it claimed to be the same tiger, back in the wild. But environmentalist Dmitry Molodtsov, who runs a website about the big cats, posted an investigation this month indicating that the tiger shot by Putin isn't the same one shown later on Putin's video.

Vladimir Putin

 That leads him to suggest the tiger that Putin shot wasn't a wild specimen at all but a comparatively docile animal from a zoo. Putin is known for stage-managed media appearances in an array of manly pursuits — petting a polar bear, riding a horse bare-chested and hanging out with leather-clad bikers. The images have endeared him to many Russians and provoked scorn among others — in particular last year's video footage of him finding ancient Greek artifacts while scuba diving, which his spokesman Dmitry Peskov later admitted had been planted on the seabed.

Peskov could not be reached for comment Friday about the tiger encounter. But Natalya Remennikova, project coordinator at the government-funded Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution in Moscow, which is in charge of the Amur tiger preservation program, dismissed Molodtsov's claim as untrue.

"Somebody made it up or they thought they saw something suspicious," she said, adding that the report could be aimed to smear Putin, the current prime minister and president-elect. Photos on Putin's website do show tigers with different coat patterns during the encounter with Putin and afterward in the wild.

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Krever of the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund agreed. "What I have seen online are two different animals," said Vladimir Krever, WWF's biodiversity coordinator. But he said he cannot vouch for the authenticity of the photograph and suggested that the camera might have captured another tiger.

Molodtsov insisted there can be no doubt about the authenticity of the photographs he was comparing because they were posted on Putin's website. He alleged that the tigress Putin shot with a tranquilizer had been taken from a zoo and had never lived in the wild. He said photographs of a tiger in the Khabarovsk Zoo made him "99 percent certain it was the tiger pictured with Putin."

Molodtsov said he felt obligated to publish his investigation. "I thought this to be my civil duty to report this," he said. "I want to live in a country where a politician will know that he can improve his declining ratings only with real deeds."

Putin served as president in from 2000 to 2008 before shifting into the prime minister's seat because of term limits. He won a third term in the March 4 election with 64 percent of the vote despite a wave of massive protests in Moscow against his rule.

Putin has long been a strong advocate of tiger conservation efforts. Fewer than 400 Ussuri tigers — also known as Siberian, Amur or Manchurian tigers — are believed to survive in the wild, most of them in Russia and some in China. They are the largest tiger species, weighing up to 600 pounds (272 kilograms).

Mauritania arrests ICC indicted ex-Gadhafi intelligence chief

Mauritania said Saturday (March 17, 2012) it arrested former Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi, who was one of the most prominent figures from the ousted regime of Moammar Gadhafi and is wanted by the International Criminal Court. Al-Senoussi helped direct efforts to quash the rebellion against Gadhafi's rule last year, and the ICC has indicted him along with Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam, on charges of crimes against humanity. Mauritania's state information agency said in a statement that al-Senoussi was arrested at the airport in the capital Nouakchott upon arrival from the Moroccan city of Casablanca. It said he was carrying a fake Malian passport.

A spokesman for Libya's ruling National Transitional Council, Mohammed al-Hareiz, said the arrest was not yet confirmed. As Gadhafi's regime crumbled in the second half of 2011, many of the dictator's inner circle reportedly fled from advancing rebels toward the Sahara, where the regime had long cultivated ties with desert groups both in Libya and in neighboring countries.

Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam was arrested in November by fighters in Libya's remote southern desert. He has been held largely without access to the outside world ever since and Libyan authorities say they want to put him on trial at home, despite an arrest warrant issued by the ICC.

Some Libyan officials reported at the time that al-Senoussi had also been captured and was being held in the southern city of Sabha. But some later cast doubt on that assertion, and his whereabouts have not been known — a reflection of the confusion in post-Gadhafi Libya, where "revolutionary militias" hold local control in many towns and cities with little accountability to the Tripoli government.

In October, a Western diplomatic official in Mali's capital, Bamako, told the Associated Press that al-Senoussi was in Mali and that the French government was taking the lead in hunting him down. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the press.

Al-Senoussi, Gadhafi's brother-in-law, was also one of six Libyans convicted in absentia and sentenced to life in prison in France for the 1989 bombing of a French passenger airliner over Niger that killed all 170 people on board. The French government asked last year that he be handed over to France when captured.

Abdullah al-Senoussi with the late Moammar Gadhafi

Judges at the Netherlands-based ICC issued an arrest warrant for al-Senoussi last June on two counts of crimes against humanity — murder and persecution — for allegedly masterminding attacks on civilians in the early days of the uprising that eventually toppled Gadhafi from power.

If al-Senoussi is handed over to the Hague-based court, he would be the first suspect indicted for alleged atrocities in Libya to be taken into custody. The court also indicted Gadhafi himself, he the ousted leader was killed by rebel fighters in October. Libyan authorities say they want to put Seif al-Islam on trial at home instead of turning him over him to the court.

GPS Tracking misleads Tourists into Disaster

Three Japanese tourists in Australia found themselves in an embarrassing situation after their GPS navigation system lured them down the wrong path.

Three Japanese tourists in Australia, misled by their GPS device. Fairfax Media/Getty Images

 The three, who are students from Tokyo, set out to drive to North Stradbroke Island on the Australian coast Thursday morning, and mapped out their path on their GPS system.

The road looked clear, at low tide - but the map forgot to show the 9 miles of water and mud between the island and the mainland.

As the three drove their rented Hyundai Getz into Moreton Bay, they found the GPS device guiding them from a gravel road into thick mud.  They tried to get back to solid ground, but as the tide rose they were forced to abandon their car.  Passengers on passing ferries watched in amazement.

"It told us we could drive down there," Yuzu Noda, 21, told the local Bayside Bulletin. "It kept saying it would navigate us to a road. We got stuck . . . there's lots of mud."

Noda and her friends made it about 50 yards offshore before they realized they were stranded. A tow truck driver eventually gave them a lift back to the mainland. The students decided not to have the car repaired because of the damage. The car was insured, though Noda will still have to pay about $1,500 that was not covered.

The students will fly back home to Tokyo this weekend, but they said they plan to try a trip to the island again some time in the future.

"We want to come back to Australia again," Noda told the Times. "Everyone is very nice, even today."

'Casus Fortuitus' Leaves Ghana's Coaching Contract in a Limbo

Sometime this week, the soccer website Goal.Com reported that the Ministry of Interior of Serbia, the body vested with the right authority over usage of travelling documents in that country has seized the passport of Ghana's Coach Goran Stevanovic for reasons which are still unclear. The coach of Ghana's Black Stars, Goran Stevanovic hails from Serbia. The Serbian affectionately called PLAVI was expected to return to Ghana on Tuesday March 13, 2012 to face an emergency committee of the Ghana Football Association, the body that oversees the running of the game in Ghana, over his future after a short stay in his homeland. The Serbian led Ghana to a fourth-placed finish at last 28th Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January and February 2012, but local fans are unhappy with that result and have called for his head.The truth is that Plavi himself promised to resign if he did not win the trophy which Ghana last won 30 years earlier. There is speculation that the coach has been sacked by the Football Association (FA) and that Tuesday’s meeting was expected to officially inform him of the FA’s decision. However, it might appear as if the decision is not final because sources hint that 'although majority of the Ghana FA members are opposed to his stay, the FA president, Kwesi Nyantakyi backs him' for whichever reasons.

While details of the circumstances leading to this action by the Serbian Interior Ministry are sketchy, Goal.com offered a possible explanation for this crisis. According to the web report, there are 'strong signals picked   indicating that the seizure of the 45-year-old’s passport was as a result of a brewing diplomatic row between Ghana and Serbia. The two nations are at loggerheads leading to the closure of the diplomatic missions of both countries because of Ghana's decision to recognise Kosovo as a partial independent state, a stance Serbia frowns upon. Although experts in international diplomacy contend the strained relationship between both countries have not gotten to a level to restrict individual travels, others are of the view that the row could be a factor. In fact when Ghana's External Affairs Minister, Mohammed Mumuni announced the strained relationship to Ghanaian Parliamentarians, the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah raised this question. At the time, Mr. Mumuni downplayed the issue as unrelated when he described the contract as between two private parties. This might after all not turn out to hold, the Serbians are very smart, they are hitting Ghana where it hurts most without directly being seen to be interfering in a private contract between two private bodies from the two nations. The policy of dze wo fie asem as espoused by President JEA Mills is unraveling and when two elephants fight, it is in this case, soccer loving fans of Ghana who lose. And this brings us to a very important clause that is inserted in almost all written modern contracts; Force majeure. I have no doubt though writing here as a JHS graduate, that the contract in question has this casus fortuitus (Latin) clause. 

Force Majeure literally means "greater force". These clauses excuse a party from liability if some unforseen event beyond the control of that party prevents it from performing its obligations under the contract. Typically, force majeure clauses cover natural disasters or other "Acts of God", war, or the failure of third parties--such as suppliers and subcontractors--to perform their obligations to the contracting party. It is important to remember that force majeure clauses are intended to excuse a party only if the failure to perform could not be avoided by the exercise of due care by that party.While I am not privy to the details of examples given as constituting force majeure under the contract in question, it is very likely to include war. Assuming this is the case, then clearly, diplomatic row appropriately qualifies or satisfies this condition. If this is the case, then it is clear that Plavi's absence in Ghana presently cannot be interpreted as 'usual absence of leave without permission' intended to excuse his failure to perform. The reason assigned in this instance is not within the coach's control. 

So what options are there for the parties to seek remedies bearing in mind that the Black Stars of Ghana will be expected to play competitive matches soon? Apparently from the ongoing, the Ghana FA must exercise a great deal of caution in managing the situation as its ramifications can be very damaging. The Ghana FA should be careful in dealing with this issue and the coach.The Ghana FA has to remember that it still has a valid running contract with Coach Goran Stevanovic. He requires a valid passport issued by his country to enable him to travel to Ghana to continue with his contract and if his country is refusing to issue or in this case withdraw his passport, then the Ghana FA cannot sack him for not coming to work. And if the Ghana FA is not cautious, he could sue for breach of contract to claim loss of income and penalty. It could be a trap and another gargantuan judgement debt payment might be in the wait. The parties, especially Ghana FA has several options at their disposal. One such choice will be to offer Goran Stevanovic an extended Force Majeure Leave. This arises where crisis affecting an employee make the immediate presence of the employee indispensable owing to an injury or illness (usually of a close family member). In this case, an amicable solution can be reached in due course to the satisfaction of both parties. Alternatively, both parties or either of them can ask FIFA to intervene. Football or soccer as one of the most popular sports in the world is and still must foster peace between nations and persons.

The Number One Mistake Interviewees Make Nowadays

I'm the Managing Editor of Business Insider, which means I'm responsible for all of the editorial hiring here.
So I'm constantly meeting people of all different levels, from interns to senior editors.
Lately, the majority of people I interview have one thing in common.
They're all messing up on something that I think is very important when trying to get a job: the Thank You Email.
Whether we spent thirty minutes meeting in the offices; we Skyped because you're abroad for your Junior spring semester; or we did a quick first-round phone interview, too many people are forgetting to follow up later that day or the next day with a quick email.
It doesn't have to be anything too involved. Truthfully, the shorter the better.

The Thank You Email should say a few simple things:
-Thank you for meeting (or talking) with me.
-I really want this job.
-Quick plug about why I'm perfect for it.

If I DON'T get a Thank You Email, here's what happens:
-I assume you don't want the job
-I think you're disorganized and forgot about following up
-There is a much higher shot I'll forget about you

Credit: Jessica Liebman (original title: "The Number One Mistake People I Interview Are Making These Days")

Ghana’s Cedi Heads for Longest Losing Streak in Three Months

Ghana's cedi headed for its longest losing streak against the dollar in more than three months as manufacturers and telecommunications companies bought dollars on Monday March 5, 2012.

The currency of the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer depreciated 0.1 percent to 1.7088 per dollar as of 1:37 p.m. in Accra, the capital, a fourth day of declines, the worst run since Nov. 29, 2011 according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“Manufacturing and telecommunications companies sought the dollar today to import raw material and equipment,” Kobla Nyaletey, a currency trader at the Ghanaian unit of Barclays Bank Plc, said by phone today. “There were no major sellers on the market today.”

Hijab ban may end Aussie footballer's international dreams

Assmaah Helal has broken barriers to reach football’s elite, but a controversial FIFA ban on Muslim women playing in the hijab means she may never realise her dream of wearing the Australian jersey.
Helal, 25, was introduced to football by her Egyptian-born father when she was just five, and she was determined not to let gender keep her from joining her three brothers on the pitch.
It was no easy task. Members of her Muslim community in western Sydney frowned on the idea of girls playing sport at all, much less a rough and tumble game which was, at that time, still very much a male domain.
“I used to just get told I was a tomboy. In my culture, to play with the guys and to mix with guys was seen as not appropriate,” Helal told AFP.
Helal now plays in the Super League, one step below the nation’s premier W-League for women, and says representing Australia in national side the Matildas would be her ultimate dream.

Elite footballer Assmaah Helal is a fanatic for football, but a controversial FIFA ban on Muslim women playing in the hijab means she may never realise her dream of wearing the Australian jersey. -Story & Photo by AFP

But devout Muslim beliefs which see her don the hijab to play every weekend mean — for now — such a dream is out of reach.
FIFA banned players from wearing the Islamic headscarf in 2007, claiming it is unsafe, but Helal has never once experienced or heard of a hijab-related injury and has joined growing calls for the ban to be overturned.
“I strongly believe that the ban is just outright discrimination,” she said of the headscarf, which she described as “a part of a Muslim woman’s identity which cannot be changed”.
“At an international and an elite level, sports like taekwondo and rugby allow the headscarf to be worn during the competitive matches, and for the world game, for the universal language that is football, to ban the headscarf… it doesn’t make sense.”
The Asian Football Confederation is leading the charge for the sport’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), to lift the ban when it meets this Saturday, March 3.
It has become a pressing issue in the region, with Iran’s national women’s team forced to withdraw from the West Asia Olympic qualifiers last year and three players dropping out of the Jordanian side due to the ban.
AFC vice-president Moya Dodd said the safety concerns had been “fully addressed” by new designs with a velcro front-seam to prevent strangulation and it was a baseless reason to exclude “hundreds of millions” of Muslim women.
“Football, it’s the fastest-growing sport in Asia, and it’s important that people can play also knowing that they can compete at the top level,” Dodd said.
“Sport is the field of dreams. If you take away the dream of playing in an Olympics or playing in a World Cup then it will have an effect all the way down the line.”
Melissa Barbieri, captain of the Matildas and one of Australia’s best-known female footballers, said she had seen great Muslim players “and it scares me to think they won’t be able to play for Australia one day because of religion”.
“We already have so many obstacles in the way of getting equal opportunity in the football world, mostly due to stereotypes and lack of knowledge,” she said, urging FIFA to see the footballers behind the hijab.
“If you just see some of these girls’ skills you would feel obliged to overturn the ban. It would send a thorough ‘Football is the World Game’ message,” added Barbieri.
Sydney sisters Hiba and Hala Ayache, 24 and 26, have been campaigning for nine years to win acceptance of their all-female “Lakembaroos” football club in the local Muslim community and they see the ban as a slap in the face.
“You’re taking it all away, all our hard work,” said Hiba, who has played at state representative level and, like Helal, has international dreams.
“We all have the potential, we have the skills to play further. So it’s not only the boundaries of our family and the community, it also becomes international now. It’s a bit of a burden on us.”
Dodd said only that she’s “hopeful” of having a fair hearing over the ban at the meeting of IFAB, which comprises four members from FIFA and four from British associations.
“I’d like to see a way enabling women with particular cultural beliefs to participate, rather than see it as ground for exclusion,” she said.
“The field should be a field of cultural exchange rather than conflict.”

From Shadow Veep, Gargantuan Crimes to Citizen Vigilante: Amidu explodes again

You can force a horse to the stream but you cannot force a horse to drink. The proverb's application in real life situations is immense, complex and gargantuan. The background to this proverb evidently is that horses are so used to drinking from their troughs that they will refuse to drink from a stream or lake and die before trusting the source.That implies reasonable and normal thinking persons will always be able to make the right and meaningful judgement when the situation calls for by relying on both their knowledge and experience. That is, you can lead a horse (or a person) to the water (circumstance) but you may not be able to determine beforehand exactly its reaction or response to the stimuli and that saying has two meanings. One, the primary use, is directed at "stupid people" who won't take common sense advise, and second, if water (situation) is fowled, a horse (a person) would know it and would not drink it (fall into the trap unless the person is already morally corrupt).  The appropriateness of the quoted saying to my issue at stake is the thought that 'you can give person information, but you can't make them THINK'.

President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills might have succeeded in forcing his Attorney General and Minister of Justice Martin A. K. Amidu out but if he thought he could cowed himself into submission or to fall in line with the widely perceived NDC government's attempt to cover up the Alfred Agbesi Woyome Cash dole-out scandal, he should be revising his notes by now. Yes it is said he forced himself to be pushed out of NDC cabinet and now he is a free a man without portfolio. Indeed if the President thought he was by that singular act he could silence his former running mate, the President needs to rethink his position. In early 2001, he caused a storm on the political scene in Ghana when he issued a letter in which he described himself as the Shadow Vice President of Ghana. Again in January 2012, he issued another statement in which he claimed that a colleague cabinet minister was orchestrating hatred against in an attempt to conceal Gargantuan Crimes against the people of Ghana. This gargantuan crimes claim cost him his position in government as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General as president Mills axed him from his cabinet for what he termed as misconduct. Then on March 1, 2012, he came again with another phrase; Citizen Vigilante in a gargantuan press release as a concerned tax payer and citizen.. By this token, I have the singular honour and privilege to confer on Mr. Martin Amidu as the official repository of Brufuyeduru. 

Below is an unedited full version of the Citizen Vigilante statement from Mr. Martin Amidu:

On 16th January 2012 I led the most senior lawyers of the Civil Division of the Attorney-General’s Office, of which I was then the Attorney-General, to the High Court (Commercial Division) Accra to seek an adjournment to enable me argue an application for leave to amend by substituting an amended Writ and Statement of Claim for the Attorney-General’s amended Statement of Claim. The High Court today granted the pursuant leave to amend the amended Writ and Statement of Claim and fixed 26th March 2012 for continuation. I have, however, been very disappointed by the level of legal representation of the Republic in Court.

In preparing the application for the amendment by substitution which was just granted, I had discussed issues of strategy with the Solicitor-General, two Chief State Attorneys, and the Senior State Attorney who had been handling this case with Mr. Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, the Chief State Attorney responsible for the case. We were to apply to join two foreign registered companies who were the principals of Alfred Agbesi Woyome who themselves had no subsisting and enforceable contract with the Government of Ghana under the Constitution and laws of Ghana. Time is of the essence now otherwise the Republic would be perceived as unnecessarily delaying the case.

It is very important for the Republic of Ghana that these foreign parties are joined to the action now so that the Constitutional and contractual basis of the whole transaction with Alfred Agbesi Woyome and his alleged principals would be settled once and for all. How could Alfred Agbesi Woyome, for instance, as an agent be paid money pursuant to a transaction with his principals who are foreign companies without Parliamentary approval as required under Article 181(5) of the Constitution? Indeed, the Alfred Agbesi Woyome and Austro Invest are fighting over the share of the GH¢51 million in another High Court. I had directed the Civil Division to join in contesting that action by raising Article 181(5) of the Constitution before I was relieved of my position. I do not know whether this has been done. The Republic could retrieve half of the GH¢51 million for the Republic from success in that suit alone.

What the public does not know is that in November 2011 the Solicitor-General, Mrs. Amma Gaisie, supported two memoranda written by the Senior State Attorney, Cecil Adadevoh, and the Chief State Attorney, Mr. Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, to me as Attorney-General to authorize the withdrawal of the pending case by the Republic in the Commercial High Court against Alfred Agbesi Woyome to enable the Republic pay a further over GH¢9 million to Alfred Agbesi Woyome in final settlement of interests in the case. I refused and ordered them to continue with the case in court. The Solicitor-General and the Chief State Attorney, Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh, continued to pursue me by memo to settle the interest as late as December 2011 but I refused.

The Daily Post newspaper and the other NDC newspapers condemned me for refusing to withdraw the case and pay the over GH¢9 million additional interests. See the Daily Post publication of 6th January 2012 calling for my removal from office. In the same publication it published the memorandum of the Senior State Attorney and the Solicitor-General urging me to withdraw the action for settlement of the interest only. Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh’s memoranda urging me to withdraw the case for settlement was the only ones not leaked to the Daily Post and its allies in the NDC press.

But the Republic of Ghana has an excellent case to have a declaration of nullity against the Writ and processes filed by Alfred Agbesi Woyome against the Republic of Ghana beginning 19th April 2010. The quality and commitment of legal representation for the Republic is very important for the success of the Republic in retrieving this gargantuan money in the face of the continued strong support from a politically immature and ignorant section of interest groups for the Government to overlook the loot. Now is the time for every patriot to stand up and defend probity and accountability by being vigilant. Remember that some of our compatriots died at the firing squad accused of just using their positions to take meager bank loans. GH¢51 million paid without any basis in contract or other legal right should engage the attention of every patriotic citizen to ensure a proper conduct of the case and a refund of the money to the Republic. I believe the Republic of Ghana has an excellent case for a refund! If you share my belief, then, join me as a citizen vigilante in this case.

PS: 
 The Senior State Attorney, Cecil Adadevoh, whom Mr. Martin Amidu mentioned in his latest citizen vigilante statement above is leading the Government legal team prosecuting the case against Alfred Agbesi Woyome. Indeed you can deceive some of the people all of the times, you can deceive all  of the people some of the times but you CANNOT  deceive all of the people all of the time.

JAK reposes confidence in Ghanaian health system and praises personnel's professionalism

Former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor has underscored his full confidence in the ability of the Ghanaian health system to handle complex procedures to bring relief to the populace. He was full of praise for the professionalism and care exhibited by a team of the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff who coordinated with his personal medical officer, Dr Ama Boohene-Andah, under the guidance of consultants, Dr Albert Akpalu and Dr J.E Mensah to perform a successful spinal surgery at the the nation's premier health centre, Korle Bu.

Expressing his appreciation to the team, former President Kufuor said: “Ghana should be proud to have such a competent store of talent who show concern and dedication comparable to anywhere else in the world. Society should acknowledge and make full use of this great human resource.” 

This was contained in a statement released by the spokesperson of the former President,  Frank Agyekum. It disclosed that Mr Kufuor last week underwent a successful spinal surgery at the Cardiothoracic Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

The two-hour long operation was carried out by a team of doctors led by Dr Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, the internationally acclaimed spinal surgeon and his team from The Foundation of Orthopaedics and Complex Spine Clinic in Accra.

Other core members of the surgical team were Dr Harry Akoto, neurosurgeon, Dr Lawrence Sereboe, director of the Cardiothoracic Unit with their teams of nurses and paramedics from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

The team of anaesthetists comprised Dr Eugenia Lamptey, Head, Department of Anaesthesia at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Irene Wulff, Dr Kotei, and Dr Ofosu-Appiah, all of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Former President Kufuor is currently recuperating at the privately owned FOCOS Clinic in Accra.

Mills’ Critics Have Rotten Teeth - Koku Anyidoho

The Presidential Spokesperson, Koku Anyidoho, yesterday mocked those who were criticising President Atta Mills for finding out the cost of Kenkey at the Nima market.
He said those “who have made the presidential inquisition of kenkey price their chewing stick should go ahead with it because clearly they want to use that to “clean” their discolored and stinking” teeth. Koku Anyidoho made the statement when he commented on the President’s visit to the Nima Maamobi and Mallam Atta markets in Accra on Emak FM, a private radio station in Koforidua yesterday.
When the host of the show, Francis Annoh-Dompreh asked him to clarify what he had said, he sang a song to further buttress his point, saying “chewing sticks are meant to whiten discoloured teeth” therefore the president’s critics could use his visit to the Nima market to clean their “discoloured and bad” teeth. He wondered why the President’s critics could make a mountain out of the visit, adding that the visit confirmed the President’s care for the ordinary Ghanaian. President Mills had been prompted to visit markets following a GNA report that the price of Ga kenkey (local dish) was now one Ghana Cedi (GH₵1.00)  whilst the size had shrunk.
The Regional Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Frank Annoh-Dompreh, who was a panelist on the show, expressed his disgust at Anyidoho’s comment, saying the comment was a mark of arrogance and disrespect for Ghanaians. “Koku Anyidoho has consistently shown that he does not respect Ghanaians so does the presidency and Ghanaians will show him in December that they cannot be insulted in this manner,” he stated.
On the President’s visit to the Nima Market to inquire about the price of a ball of kenkey, the NPP Regional Youth Organiser said the President should have rather asked for the price of a bag of cement, cost of sending one’s ward to the senior high school, the cost of rented accommodation and cost of travelling from Accra to Kumasi. 

Let us give the Ghanaian some respect and stop insulting their intelligence. Politics should not be reduced to useless propaganda aimed at scoring cheap political points. We are moving forward, backwards never!