Former Deputy Minister roars:Ghanaians are hypocrites

FORMER DEPUTY Ashanti regional Minister in the NPP administration has condemned the practice where people who have distinguished themselves in public office during their lifetime are not well appreciated until they die.

Mr. Osei Assibey Antwi, who could not discern what he called “honour the dead and crucify the living” syndrome, said this negative attitude does not encourage others to devote their time and resources to serve the nation when they know that their sacrifices would not be acknowledged, but rather disparaged.

According to him, this syndrome, which dates back to the overthrow of the first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who was condemned and vilified and his statue destroyed in spite of his monumental achievements?

“Today, what do we see? Huge state resources and funds have been committed by the country to commemorate his (Nkrumah) 100 years birthday many years after his demise. How would Dr. Nkrumah know that his countrymen are now acknowledging his contributions, dedications, service and sacrifice to the nation,” the former Minister queried.

Osei Assibey Antwi also recalled that the Prime Minister of the Second Republic, the late Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia went through the same ordeal, as Ghanaians recognize him today as an exceptional leader, who took Ghana's development to a higher pedestal during his 27 months in office.

The former deputy Minister noted that the syndrome has transcended into the national social fibre where glowing tributes are paid to the dead, even by their worst enemies, without mention of a single bad deed while they were alive.

Osei Assibey Antwi referred to the sterling tributes paid in memory of both the late statesman R. R. Amponsah and former Minister of Finance, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, from people of cutting across all political divide in the country, and noted that their dedication and service to the nation were ironically not rewarded during their lifetime, and wondered whether if this is not hypocrisy of the highest order.

He has recommended that the Ghanaian society recognizes achievers during their lifetime, instead of acknowledging them after their demise. He attributed it to partisanship which has eaten deep into the moral fibre of the nation, and contributed to attacks of honourable personalities.

Osei Assibey Antwi was particularly worried that former president Rawlings used an international platform to lambaste Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, also a former President of the country.

The aggrieved former Minister said it was shameful for ex-President Kufuor to be denigrated in that manner, after he introduced 12 social interventions -including National Health Insurance scheme, Capitation Grant, School feeding programme, Metro Mass Transit and Youth Employment, among others.

Osei Assibey Antwi mentioned other policies by President Kufuor such as the repeal of the Criminal Libel law, free transport for school children and free medical care for pregnant women, as innovative schemes that have had far reaching consequences on society.

According to Osei Assibey Antwi, this attitude is taking a serious dimension in that former President Kufuor has been denied an office facility in Accra by his own country, while he is regarded as an icon on the international scene.

He also referred to recent attempts to link former President Kufuor to alleged criminal acts with regards to the Vodafone deal, and the s being poured on him by his political opponents. He called for a change in attitude, adding that achievers should be encouraged and recognized, but not condemned and vilified.