Why President Akufo-Addo And His Wife Must Publicly Publish Their Declared Assets Now

This blog has no doubt whatsoever that President Akufo-Addo is a genuine and sincere leader who will eschew corruption whiles in office .

Furthermore, like many discerning and independent-minded Ghanaians, we are also convinced that the president  will always move swiftly to dismiss members of his administration who engage in acts of corruption.

It is also the humble and considered view of this blog, that to enable the president win the support of the vast majority of ordinary  Ghanaians, and get them to willingly make all the needed sacrifices that will ensure the success of  his growth agenda to transform Ghana into a prosperous society, it is crucial that President Akufo-Addo listens to those patriotic and fair-minded Ghanaians calling on him to publicly publish his assets and those of his wife Rebecca - to set the moral tone for  his administration.

Naturally, there will be many in his party who will advise against the president and his spouse publicly publishing their assets - for purely cynical and selfish reasons.

He must ignore all of them and follow (as well as better) Nigeria's President Buhari's example - for by publicly publishing his and his wife Rebecca's assets, he will be proving to all Ghanaians, by deeds, not words, that he actually came to serve them: not to line his pockets by stealth and send his personal net worth to stratospheric heights at Mother Ghanas's expense. Ditto his wife.

To encourage the president in that regard, today, we are republishing an article we wrote and posted on this blog, on 14th August, 2012, advising then President Mahama to do same.

Alas, If then President Mahama had ignored his advisors who were dead set against the idea, and listened to some of us instead, and gone ahead to publicly publish his assets and those of his wife Lordina, perhaps he would still be in power as Ghana's leader, today, even as we speak. Such is life.

That what-if-he-had-done-so history lesson from the Mahama era should not be lost on President Akufo-Addo and  Ghana's current First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo. An  added bonus is that doing so will enable President Akufo-Addo to gain entry into the Pantheon of 21st century Africa's greatest leaders.

Even little primary school children are aware that their new president has not ushered in rule by saints.

For their sake, and that of the long-suffering masses of the Ghanaian people, whose lives are blighted by the egregious thievery that high-level corruption represents, President Akufo-Addo and the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, must tbe on the right side of history on this matter.

Above all, they ought to remember that it is they, not their advisors, whom history will ultimately judge on this matter - which is a litmus test of their commitment to the fight against corruption in Ghana, and a signal to the world rhast they truly abhor high-level corruption in Ghana.

The president's  present advisors -  no matter how important they might appear to him and his wife, to be today, in terms of their contribution  to his hold on power - will be mere footnotes when the history  of the Akufo-Addo era comes to be chronicled. Hmm,...

Please read on:

"Tuesday, 14 August 2012

PR Sinecures: Political luxuries An Embattled NDC Can No Longer Afford?

Now that  Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has been sworn in, and assumed office, there is no question that the  administration of President Mahama will come under intense and sustained attack,  once President Mills is finally laid to rest.

 If the new President wants to neutralise his main political opponents, the New Patriotic Party (NPP),   he would be wise to set a new  tone for his  administration.

The first step in that direction, will be to publicly publish the assets of both himself and his wife. He must then ask the new vice president and his spouse to do same too.

That must be followed with   a reshuffle in which only those who agree  to publicly publish the assets of both themselves and their spouses, can  serve in  the President’s new-look administration.

That  reshuffle must also see  a return to the cabinet of Martin Amidu,  as Attorney General.  Such a move, dear reader, will immediately set  President Mahama apart as a new and different breed of Ghanaian politician.

It will put clear blue water between his administration and all the post-independence  regimes Ghana has had since it  gained  independence in 1957.

Naturally, all  the above must   be  followed with the appointment of a new Osu Castle spokesperson  and communications chief.

Whatever he does, at  all costs, President Mahama must persuade Mrs. Esther Cobbah Tsikata to accept that position.

Her appointment will make a huge difference to the effectiveness  of  the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) campaign narrative,  for the upcoming December 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Having done their best for Mills’ ancien regime, the Kokou Anyidahos and John Jinapors  can safely be sent to the regions they hail from,  as deputy ministers – and still be able to maintain the heavily subsidised lifestyles they have become accustomed to.

With the many  challenges facing  the NDC government, there is absolutely no point continuing to keep  the old order’s  spokespersons for the presidency  in their present positions – not   when  their new boss,  President Mahama,  is actually a zillion times more articulate than they are.

With respect, those geniuses whose ineptitude  resulted in the loss of goodwill amongst ordinary people –  and a negative image – for the administration of the most honest and selfless leader Ghana has ever had  since the overthrow of President Nkrumah’s Convention Peoples Party (CPP) regime,  in 1966,  must no longer be tolerated.

At this critical juncture, as it fights to survive an existential threat to it, and battles to prevail in the upcoming  December polls,  PR sinecures are  a political luxury an embattled  NDC regime can no longer afford. A word to the wise…

Posted by Kofi Thompson at 6:57:00 pm"

End of past blog article written and posted on  Tuesday, 14th August, 2012.