play videoManaging Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr
Ghanaian journalists, Kwesi Pratt Junior and Kwame Sefa Kayi, have offered opposing views on the president’s order to the Ministry of Finance to settle the $45,000 debt owed legendary boxer, David Kotei Poison by the state.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday, October, 5, 2020 issued a statement, asking the Finance Ministry to pay DK Poison on
Reacting to the release on Peace FM’s ‘Kokroko’ show on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, Kwesi Pratt Jnr and Kwame Sefa Kayi praised the president for deciding to honour the legend.
Though, they both agree that paying the 44-year-old debt is a commendable gesture, they hold conflicting views on how much the legendary boxer should get.
Mr Pratt Jnr contends that the government should pay the money with interest as the value of the money has risen over the period.
He questioned “$45,000 from the 1970s and we are going to give him just $45,000?” but Sefa Kayi interjected with “they said it’s on compassionate grounds.”
The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, exclaimed “On compassionate ground? You owe someone and you are going to settle and you claim it’s on compassionate ground.”
The show host, Sefa Kayi, however, clarified that “From my interactions with Nathaniel Attoh who recently interviewed DK Poison, no contract exists so it’s really by word of mouth. He has nothing to show that the government indeed borrowed money from him but its people at that time who spoke for him.”
A disappointed Pratt retorted “There are people who vouch that he indeed gave money to the government then. There is no doubt about the fact that government took money from him. It is not by word of mouth”.
“This thing happened over thirty years ago and there is a trail of evidence so $45,000 in 1976 and you pay that $45,000 in 2020 then you’ve destroyed the money. But it’s all good that finally he has received something. I’m happy now that at last he has been given his money,” he added.
Sefa Kayi concluded “Truth to be told, if you go into law, it’s not a legitimate transaction. No paper exists to prove that government took the money from him. Agreement made with government by word of mouth does not hold water in law. How do you justify the payment of $45,000 plus interest on a loan that that was done in 2020 with no paperwork?”
