Presidency owes apology to Alhaji Abdulai Kurah and the Ashanti Regional staff of ECG

There is a popular Ghanaian old adage which literally translate -when the he goat wipes his backside on the street little did it also realised that he was causing injury or harm to its buttom as well. The Communication Director at the Presidency Koku Anyidoho has gotten away many times by

his unguarded and ill-mannered statement in defence of the presidency without any attempt by the presidency to call him to order. This time guess the harm and disgrace he has caused the presidency because he always used emotions instead of good sense of judgement. This has gotten into his head and continue it until Friday June 1 2012 the match between Ghana -Lesotho was delayed nearly an hour because of poor visibility and the flood lights could not function,he just assumed without any follow up calls and in the comfort of his room maybe over some beer called in to fire the ECG Regional Manager. He embarrased the government by firing the Ashanti Regional Director of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Alhaji Abululai Kurah without any authority or any cause . It was really sad the harsh manner this poor public servant who has sacrifice many years for the nation was disgraced by the "presidency" because according to Koku Anyidoho the president was upset and all those who have something to do with the power supply for the proper functioning of the stadium floodlights will also be fired. Thank God the Black Stars won the match convincingly

On Saturday morning both the Information and the Energy Ministries came out to deny that the president has not given such orders and therefore its not true that poor Alhaji Kurah has been fired from his job, while the energy minister said it will investigate to establish the cause of the failure to avoid another further disgrace and embarrasement to the nation.

Last year he opened his mouth too wide when the President Atta-Mills was extended an offer by GREDA to upgrade his house at Spintex Road to include security house for his guards. Ghanaians have not forgotten how he misconducted himself with the media and threatened to deal with them Anyidoho I thought with all your education and the having worked in the communication field for years, you would have acquire a lot of knowledge and experience to deal with issues of such nature, You should know by now that you do not have authority to fire or appoint, that is for only the president in consultation with cabinet like it was done with Jakes Bungalow recently

Anyidoho could you explain to Ghanaians with whose authority did you fire the ECG Regional Manager and who were the senior government officials who took a unilateral decision to upsurd the powers of both President Atta-Mills and Mr Newman Martey whose responsibility is to write all official communications .

Koku you should also as a matter of urgency apologise especially to Alhaji Kurah, whom you did not appoint yet found it necessary without recourse to fire over the air like he was a political appointee and the staff of ECG, more importantly having been made clear that you made an irresponsible decision. Yes just accepting responsibility does not justify the embarassment caused Alhaji Kurah.

But the thrust of the issue goes deeper to reveal that all is not well with the government as some senior members of government or a presidential communication director can fire a civil servant while watching the Ghana /Lesotho World Cup qualifying match under impaired judgement.

This has exposed and explained the inconsistence, poor communication and failed command structure within government as any person who calls himself or themselves senoir officials can dismiss or issue instructions without going thro the civil procedure or consult authority. President Atta-Mills should take a decisive decision to show Ghanaians he is actually in charge .He should also reprimand and possibly relieve Koku Anyidoho of his position for the shame and the disgrace he brought to the government. When Atta-Mills appointed both Anyidoho and Ayariga Ghanaians remembered the confusion they were causing the presidency, as both will issue different statement on the same subject. What Anyidoho did clearly shows there is more to the presidency than meets the public eyes. Evidently if President Mills was in town at the Castle or at home at Spintex, it beats my imagination that those faceless senior government officials would take such a bold and fearless decision to fire a public servant without consulting with the sector minister or the appropriate authourities as well as knowing the facts.

Anyidoho has been with the president as well as head of the communication department for over 3 years and should know better than the irresponsible behaviour by listening to some faceless senior government officials and dragg the name of the president and government into disgrace. That is the reason am calling for his removal because he is am embarrasment to the presidency and the government as a whole. Am writing this piece with no political undertones but as a citizen of Ghana who has every right under the constitution to express views on how the country should be governed, because I live in a civil society where the things are done in a proper manner hence my unhappiness what Koku did

The director of communication should be made to unmask these faceless officials who instructed him to fire Alhaji Kurah otherwise he himself should bow out honorably except he has no shame he will continue to hang around. His emotions were misdirected to the wrong person and if he had used sound judgement he could have saved the presidency all the embarassment and disgrace. I live in a civil society and politicians who cause their government such embarassment bow out by resigning their position .

I believe that the government should impress upon Koku Anyidoho to apologise to Alhaji Abdulai Kurah and the Ashanti Regional staff of ECG, as well as name the senior government officials. Now that it is evidently clear that both the Ministries of Information and the Energy has come deny that Alhaji Kurah has not been fired.

Ekow Okotah (Blacklick,Ohio,US)