A New Ghana under Free Market Akufo-Addo is impossible – A Rejoinder.

The Media committee of NPP-USA Inc. ordinarily would have characterized Kwami Agbodza’s article which appeared on Ghana web on March 30, 2008, as ranting of a raving lunatic and let it pass. However, as the immortal Shakespeare once said “there is a method to this madness”. There is a deliberate method to the madness of Agbodza and his mentor, JJ Rawlings, therefore the Committee has made an agonizing decision to dignify the rambling of Agbodza, which is not worthy of publication even in the vilest of tabloids, with a response.

Several attempts made to follow the reasoning and logic of Kwami Agbodza were futile, because he reasons not only like some one who is high on crack cocaine, but also rambles like a person who is floridly psychotic.

For example, how can any sane person accuse the NPP government as having perpetrated violence against women and children by citing “female genital mutilation, societal discrimination against women, persons with disabilities, homosexuals, persons with HIV Aids, trafficking in women and children”?

Agbodza demonstrates not only his ignorance about the causes of societal problems like seasonal migration from North to South that combines with other factors to create problems like “Kayayei”, young girls who carry loads for money; he also displays his rabid anti-Ashanti bigotry by blaming this problem on Asantehene in Kumasi.

The societal problems Kwami Agbodza lists pre-date the NPP government and even the sadistic rule of P/NDC. One day Kwami will wake up from his crack induced stupor to realize that the NPP government is the only government in Ghana ’s history that has established ministries to tackle the affairs of children and women. Although the ministries are young, and the impact of their work may not yet be felt at this point in time, it is indeed a positive step in the right direction.

In terms of violence against women, where was Agbodza when young women were ritually murdered across the country under the P/NDC regime? Where was Kwami when market women were lashed in their genital areas in public, and had their heads shaved under the direction of JJ Rawlings in the AFRC era?

Talking about ethnic discrimination, where was Kwami Agbodza when “Nye broism” (a system of ethnic discrimination that gave positions and scholarships to one particular tribe in the country) reigned in our land under JJ Rawlings?.

Kwami Agbodza has the nerve to cite an alleged manhandling of one Mohammed Harruna of Accra Daily Mail as violation of Free Press under President Kuffour. We refer Agbodza to read Mile Adjei’s detailed prison account of systematic torture and murder of prominent Ghanaian journalists under Rawlings’ P/NDC rule.

Kwami cites dubious reports from General News in a failed attempt to buttress his spurious allegation of “torture and other cruel and inhuman treatment or punishment.” Kwami Agbodza needs to be reminded that an unprecedented record of cruel and inhuman punishment of Ghanaians is well documented as part of Rawlings’ legacy, and no obnoxious propaganda on the part of the likes of Agbodza can erase that from the Ghanaian psyche.

In his feeble attempt to attack the solid foundation of President Agyekum Kuffour’s good and transparent governance, freedom of speech and the rule of law, Kwami Agbodza childishly posits as follows: “considering that there is corruption in all branches of Kuffour’s government, which foundation is Nana Akufo-Addo referring to? As if there was no corruption in any branch of Rawlings’ P/NDC government prior.

Mr. Agbodza, Nana Akufo- Addo is referring to the fact that you could write your seditious and meaningless piece about the NPP government without fear of “getting identification hair cut” at the castle, or be whisked away by Kojo Tsikata’s boys as it was the case under your P/NDC.

Nana Akufo-Addo is referring to the proliferation of FM Stations and other Media houses that are operating free of harassment after NPP repealed the “Sedition Act”. Nana Akufo-Addo is referring to a government that presents itself to the Media periodically to answer questions from the public. Something your mentor Rawlings would not do in his almost thirty year’s rule of Ghana .

Nana is referring to the leader of a ruling party and President of an African country who has opened up his residence to the glaring search of an inquisitive media just to disprove spurious allegations like the one you are making.

Nana Akufo-Addo is referring to the infrastructural development of the NPP government that encompasses building better roads in your P/NDC “World Bank” than your mentor ever did.

Yes, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is talking about sound micro-economic management that has stabilized the cedi way beyond your NDC ever hoped for, and developing a Nation without sacrificing the basic fundamental freedoms of its citizenry. It is obvious that a blind addict like Kwami Abgbodza will not see these developments that even a casual visitor to Ghana sees these days.

One thing becomes evident after reading Kwami Agbodza’s tedious rambling – an incoherent and disjointed thought process – an unmistakable symptom of schizophrenia.

N.P. U.S.A MEDIA COMMITTEE.