Sometimes when I hear or read about things involving the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, I want to convince myself that, I am dreaming.
If there was any person in this government, who I could bet my last pesewa on to be above reproach, it is Ken Ofori-Atta.
But as it has been said repeatedly that, never judge a book by its cover, I have had to revise my opinion about a man, I have admired from far.
To judge a true character of a man, give him power. Since his announcement as the minister of finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has never for a moment disappointed those who wrote his script before he was sworn in.
Some of us, had to play the waiting game, hoping against hope that, he will beat a retreat and return to how we expected him to behave.
There are some people close to the president, whose actions do not surprise me at all. No malice intended, but when you tell me Gabby Asare Otchere Darko and Nana Asante Bediatuo, have done something wrong or involved them in any corrupt act, I will tell you, I expected worse.
These are individuals, who carried themselves as though, they own Ghana, they are arrogant, talk down on people, feel so special, wear 20,000 pounds suit, and can kill for money.
But not Ken, he is soft spoken, gentle, calm and collected, he is like that Senior Housemaster in the Secondary School, who no one sees coming, but before you could say Jack, he is in front of you.
Ken has perfected the playbook of the Colonial masters, who came with the Bible in the right hand and the gun in the left hand.
He behaves like the ant that blows air, whiles biting you.
He comes meekly, you won’t see him coming, before you realize, he is done with you.
When the whites colonialists, first landed on our shores, they decided that in order to successfully accomplish their mission, they needed to bring the word of God to us. The mission is to capture our minds and once they succeed in that, everything will fall in place.
Today, as they say the rest is history.
Anytime Ken, gets the opportunity to speak, either to the August House or at a forum, he will either start or end with a Bible quotation.
It has been said that, he even preaches in church.
If were in 2016, I can bet my life that, he is one of the finest people we have in this country. He is the sort of person, I can entrust the resources of this country to and go to sleep, knowing full well that, it is in safe hands.
But alas, when power changed hands and Ken was given the most important position in this country, his true and hidden character begun to manifest.
The first scandal, aside the plagiarism that rocked this government was hatched at the Ministry of Finance, supervised by Ken Ofori-Atta.
It was the $2.25billion Kenbond scandal, this is a scandal in which the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah sourced a dubious $2.25 billion loan that attracted the angst of the public.
The prospectus notice around the bond was more than limited 95percent of the bond ended up been acquired by a company, Templeton, whose Director doubles as the Board Chairman of a company which Ken Ofori, his wife Angela and friend, Keli Gadzekpo, hold majority shares.
Ghanaians, made a lot of noise reminding the minister to tread cautiously, but the worst was yet to happen.
A once gentle and we have our own money guy became a lavish an irresponsible spender, who has decided to share the national treasury with the wolves that he calls friends and family.
The ministry of Finance is now a ministry without memory. Ken Ofori Attah, has succeeded in sidelining everyone, who has considerable experience and has worked there over years and packing key positions with family/friends/acquaintances.
This unhealthy practice has compelled the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) to take on the government, and in particular the Minister for Finance, for what it says is incessant dependence on “Special Assistants”; family members, friends, natives, Ex-girlfriends etc. for work.
At a press conference, CLOGSAG, said Ken Ofori Attah, has so far employed ‘30 Assistants’ who have taken over the duties of Civil Servants at the Ministry.
The most bizarre of all his actions is the latest is the renegotiated deal with the Norwegian oil firm, first signed in 2013, by reviewing downwards Ghana’s share from 49 percent to 18 percent.
It is believed that the owners of Quad Energy, have strong links to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, as one of the Partners, Joseph Babatunde Ampah, was a Vice President of Databank Limited, an investment brokerage firm owned by Finance Minister.
The Other partner of Quad Energy, one David Adomako is also a board member of AKER Energy. .
Copies of official registration documents from the Registrar General’s department revealed that Mr Babatunde Ampah is an equal shareholder of Quad Energy.
The minister of Finance, is getting his hands into small pies, it is beginning to look like he needed the job badly, else he could have gone broke.
Source:theheraldghana.com
