I'LL RESPECT VERDICT — KUFUOR (Spread)

Story: Nehemia Owusu Achiaw & Kwame Asiedu Marfo

With 11 months to the 2008 general election, President J.A. Kufuor has assured Ghanaians that he will respect the verdict of the people and graciously hand over power in the “unlikely event” of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) losing the elections.
Responding to questions at the last People’s Assembly of his administration in Sekondi yesterday, President Kufuor said “the President and NPP are law-abiding people and will, therefore, respect the true verdict of the people”.
The questioner, a social commentator and serial caller from Jumapo near Koforidua in the Eastern Region, popularly called “Dr” Asem Fofro, said former President J.J. Rawlings was gracious to hand over to him, President Kufuor, and wanted to find out from him whether he would also be prepared to hand over power to Professor J.E.A. Mills if the National Democratic Congress won the general election.
Asem Fofro’s question was premised on a statement he said was made by President Kufuor at Asamankese recently that he would not hand over power to bad people to govern Ghana.
His question attracted spontaneous reactions from some members of the audience, apparently expressing dislike for Asem Fofro’s comments and question.
Taking his turn to ask a question at the forum, Asem Fofro made reference to heckling he received when he asked a question at a similar forum held in Sunyani last year and alleged that he had been beaten up and threatened by someone not to ask any question at the Sekondi People’s Assembly.
His allegation prompted the security officials at the assembly hall of the Sekondi College, the venue for the event, to provide him with security.
Reacting, President Kufuor denied ever making any statement that he and his government would not hand over power.
The President explained that what he rather said was that he would not allow people to “usurp” power without adhering to the due process.
President Kufuor indicated that he still stood by the statement that he would not sit down to allow usurpers to take over the government without following the due process.
Earlier in his opening address, President Kufuor said Ghana had gone through four elections, registering progressive improvement in the conduct of each successive election.
“There is, therefore, no legitimate cause to expect any negative developments during the forthcoming December elections,” he said.
What was important, he said, was for the entire society to be alert to ensure that due process was adhered to at all times in all the processes leading to and through the elections to make the results credible and acceptable to all. “The doom mongers must therefore pipe down,” he added.
Before and after Asem Fofro asked his questions, other people from Sekondi/Takoradi and other parts of the Western Region, as well as others from the Ashanti, Central and Greater Accra regions, also raised their concerns to which the President responded.
At some stages, President Kufuor asked Ministers of State in charge of specific sectors to clarify some of the issues and respond to some of the questions asked by some members of the audience.
This year’s assembly was given a cultural dimension when children danced to music to showcase the cultural diversity of Ghana’s 10 regions.
When the opportunity was given for questions to be asked, there was a rush by the participants at the forum to the microphones to form queues to take their turns.
More than 40 people had the opportunity to ask questions but many others did not have the opportunity to do so because of constraints of time. The people raised concerns about education, the economy, employment, infrastructural development, fuel prices, living conditions, salaries, issues concerning the physically challenged, orphans and the killing of 44 Ghanaians in the Gambia, among others.
Samuel Akoa Nyame from Asante Akyem commended the President for his work, temperate language and tolerance but wanted to know what the government was doing to help Christians in the country, since it had helped in the airlifting of stranded Muslims to Mecca for their Hajj and paid GH¢9,000 to traditional priests before felling a tree at Ofankor in Accra to pave the way for road construction.
Reacting, President Kufuor explained that by helping the stranded Muslims, the government did not by any stretch of imagination show any discrimination but was just helping Ghanaians who were in difficulty.
He explained that the money paid to the traditional priests and traditionalists at Ofankor constituted a way of just respecting the beliefs of the people in that area.
Agya Buor, a second-hand clothes dealer at Kantamanto in Accra, alleged that the Ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, and Ports, Harbours and Railway had collaborated with GUTA and some railway officials to deny them the opportunity to continue to develop the railway portion of the Kantamanto area for their business activities.
President Kufuor said Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu was on official assignment outside but requested Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi to clarify the issues.
Clarifying the issue, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said a meeting would be arranged with all the stakeholders to resolve any outstanding problems.
Kojo Skerk, who described himself as a freelance sports journalists, alleged that his Mercedes Benz was seized from him and he had to spend GH¢2,000 to collect it back.
President Kufuor called for an investigation into the matter and urged the Western Regional Minister, Mr A.E. Amoah, to conduct the investigation and refer the matter to the appropriate authority.
A student of the University of Ghana, Francis Wood, also asked about government policy on full cost recovery.
President Kufuor said the government had a promising policy for education and made reference to massive development of infrastructure such as hostels, laboratories and lecture theatres, which were underway on the campuses of the universities.
He said it was important for Ghanaians to admit that the economy was a young one which could not support free university education and, therefore, there was the need for the people to make contributions.
Kofi Sampson and Agya Manso suggested to the government to increase the salaries of police, fire service and prison officers to enable them to effectively discharge their obligations to the state and the public.
They were of the view that the government should pay the police well to secure their own accommodation in the various communities as a way of checking the crime wave.
In answer, the President gave the assurance of the government’s commitment to improving the working conditions of the security personnel.
One Roger alluded to the hard economic conditions and asked why the government wanted to offload its interest in the Agricultural Development Bank.
President Kufuor, in his reaction, said the government was rather interested in arranging a partnership between a foreign investor and ADB to enhance the operations of the bank.
He expressed his displeasure about the propaganda concerning the future of the ADB.
Odeneho  Jackson from Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region recalled a contribution he made at the People’s Assembly in Sunyani in 2007 concerning the Kintampo town roads and commended the government for its quick response by awarding the roads on contract. Unfortunately, he said, the contractor had abandoned the project.
President Kufuor asked Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, to respond on his behalf.
Mr Baffour Awuah said the issue had come before the Regional Co-ordinating Council and permission had been sought from the appropriate authorities to award the project to a different contractor.
Nana Kobina Anim, Western Regional Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, pleaded with the government to consider naming the Shama Ahanta Metropolitan Assembly after Sekondi/Takoradi.
President Kufuor asked Mr Adjei Darko, the Minister of Local Government, to respond. Mr Darko explained that the naming of the Assemblies was done in consultation with the people themselves, and said the Assemblies could always pass a resolution to change the name if they so wished.
Ama Serwaa, a social and environmental worker from the Ashanti Region, requested the support of the government in her effort to mobilise women to address issues confronting them.
President Kufuor requested Madam Serwaa to contact the District Assemblies, which would liaise with the Ministry of Local Government for assistance.
Abdul  Rahman suggested to the President to ensure the establishment of multi-media centres to show the achievements of the government.
President Kufuor commended the participant for his suggestion and said he was happy he had submitted a paper on the issue, which would be studied by the appropriate agency for possible action.
Two human rights activists also asked the government to publish the report on the killing of 44 Ghanaians in the Gambia.
The President asked Mrs Oboshie Sai-Cofie to read a statement issued by the government on the matter.
According to the statement, the governments of Ghana and the Gambia had agreed to send the matter to the ECOWAS and possibly the United Nations for independent investigations.