Reward For Hatchet Men?

It is often said that a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for. I belong to that school of thought so I'm always in support of honouring patriots of this land. The honour bestowed on the immediate past Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, is no exception.

Without a doubt, Afari-Gyan has paid his dues to Asomdwekrom. There is no denying the fact that he has contributed immensely towards the democratic process of this nation since the inception of the Fourth Republic. After over 20 years of heading the EC, the man can be credited with many reforms witnessed in the country's electoral process.

As I watched the ceremony on television, I could not help but applaud the President for honouring such an illustrious son of the land. I was, however, disappointed with the citation. I expected the citation to mention the crucial role he played in ensuring victory for President Ogwanfunu. The mention of his infamous classical definition of over-voting in the citation would not have been bad at all.

If you would recall, Afari-Gyan's love for the classical definition of over-voting during the Supreme Court hearing was such that he failed to remember he was living in contemporary Asomdwekrom. When even prompted by the Court to give a contemporary definition of the term, he stubbornly clung on to his classical definition.

That was shocking, considering the fact that he was said to be an expert in election matters. It is even more shocking when one looks at the fact that he was a Political Science lecturer who had taught his students that classical definitions evolve with time and are polished to suit contemporary times.

Due to the role the definition played in helping the judges to arrive at their judgements, one would have expected the citation to mention it. Maybe, just maybe, the President thought mentioning it would fuel the notion that the award was a reward for a hatchet job.

Well, it was not mentioned in the citation, yet many of my compatriots still believe it was a reward for helping Mr Ogwanfunu secure the much needed victory in the landmark presidential petition case. I might not share their view, but I do understand them. Looking back at the way Afari-Gyan 'misconducted' himself in the witness box, the only conclusion one could make was that he was doing a hatchet job for the President.

Hatchet job or not, Afari-Gyan gleefully received the award as he advertised his cigarette-stained teeth. What I could read from the wry smile was a message to his successor: 'Emulate my glossy example and you will also be rewarded.'

Interestingly, Afari-Gyan is not the only one perceived as receiving reward for doing a hatchet job for Mr Ogwanfunu. The recent appointment of Commissioner Kofi Anokye Darko has also raised many eyebrows. The appointment was so nauseating to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima Mponua, Isaac Asiamah, that he could not keep his thoughts to himself. He says the recent appointment of Kofi Anokye to the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) is a reward from President Ogwanfunu for the role he played in helping the government to cover its tracks during the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

Listen to Hon Asiamah: 'After the appointment to the Commission, the members are rewarded with another job… promotion galore.'

To refresh your memory, Anokye was one of three persons who sat on the Justice Dzamefe Commission that looked into Ghana's participation in the World Cup. His membership of the Commission first become centre of controversy, when he was linked to a group formed in 2009 with the sole intention of discrediting the Kwesi Nyantakyi-led administration.

It was obvious that the group did fail in its mission. Anokye was thus made a member of the Dzamefe Commission to complete what his group had started. From what I have read so far, he seems to have done a very good job. Read the report and see the so-called damning findings against Lawyer Kwesi Nyantakyi, if you doubt me.

The Sole Judgement Debt Commissioner also comes to mind, when one talks about jobs for hatchet men. Like the two mentioned above, his appointment to the Supreme Court has attracted some grumblings from many of my compatriots. Many have argued that his promotion to the highest court of the land soon after presenting his report could not be a coincidence.

Did I hear you ask what I think? I want to believe the award and the promotions happened to be a mere coincidence. But upon a deep reflection, I cannot help but realise that the three are too coincidental to be regarded as a mere coincidence. Indeed, I expect another coincidence soon; so do not be surprised when the other two Commissioners receive their appointments in the coming weeks or months.

See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!

By Agya Kwaku Ogboro