Why Francis Sosu, Maurice Ampaw are wrong with Akoto Ampaw's nomination

By: Charles Biney

When the wind began whispering through the grapevine, as has been with most political appointments, I was like, " Wow, my man She-She - The President has done it again! If I owned a gold mine, I would definitely employ Nana." I said to myself.

The president is the kind of collier every mining emperor would love to have - the man mines for appointees with deliberate precision. I came into contact with Mr. Akoto Ampaw, affectionately called Tony She-She, during the struggle about twenty five years ago.

Though She-She and I used to talk on the phone and would meet me at the airport in the company of Kwesi Pratt, ostensibly to protect me any time I visited home during the heady days of the struggle, my most memorable experience with him is when, as one of the " High Priest " of the struggle, he baptized me into the struggle, an initiation of some sort: Hitherto, my main contribution had been theoretical - submitting write-ups and pontificating from the comforts of my abode in Dallas.

That lifestyle was subjected to rude awakening when one night, very late, of course, She-She, Kwesi, two others, and myself, jumped into Kwesi's small blue Renault and headed to the Accra Central Business District, armed with a bucket of starch, brushes, and all the necessary accoutrements, for an anti PNDC pamphleteering campaign. It was soon followed by a demonstration in Accra where we were confronted by AK-47 and truncheon-wielding riot police.

From then on we worked on several pro democracy projects together that gave me ample opportunity to know him better. My spasmodic interactions with him since the return to constitutional rule, also reinforced the indelible impression he had etched on my subconscious mind.

My honest opinion of him is an independent-minded, conscientious, courageous and hard working individual who takes his obligations very seriously. Also, he is an affable individual with an impeccable human relations skills. To those who want his nomination withdrawn, I say, "You don't know She-She, neither do you know the President very well."

I can say without a shred of fear of contradiction, that, She-She is not an NPP member or affiliate. He just happened to be employed by the law firm of a former colleague of the Struggle of yesteryear who happens to be the president of the nation today, and that disqualifies him, right?

He is one of the most far left politicians in the country today. He was a member of the Kwame Nkrumah Revolutionary Guards, and the New Democratic Movement, and also contested the 1996 Parliamentary elections on the ticket of the CPP. So much for an NPP member, right?

He was engaged by Tarzan, Wreko Brobbey, his former colleague in the erstwhile Alliance for Change so he is an NPP member, seriously? Who doesn't know there are only a handful of lawyers who don't have a relationship one way or the other with the President? Most of the top lawyers have been through his chambers because, as some of them say, the president is a very generous person.

Tsatsu Tsikata, an NDC guru, and one of the legal luminaries in the country worked with the President, and was once defended by the President, if my recollection is right, so, I guess the President is an NDC member, if we are to use the logic that these two prominent lawyers are applying, correct?

The chairman of the Electoral Commission, Ms. Charlotte Osei also passed through the President's chambers, so, I guess that alone is enough to disqualify her, right? Though I believe there are stronger grounds to get rid of her, having worked in the President's chambers has nothing to do with it.

Time and space will not permit me to list a number of such associations the President has with many crack attorneys.

The President himself is a very meticulous and independent minded individual, so, there should be no cause for alarm.

I fervently believe the President has struck another gem in the person of Anthony Akoto Ampaw, and so must stick with his choice.

JUSTICE NOW!

Charles Biney

Dallas, Texas. USA